Invasive weed identifier

Let us help you identify the tough and often poisonous* weeds that could be invading your property.

Poison Ivy

Poison Oak

Poison Sumac

Kudzu

Wild Blackberry

Poison Ivy

What to look for

	Three pointed leaves that are smooth, toothed or lobed with two leaves forming a pair beside a longer middle leaf
	Leaf lengths ranging from 1/4 inch to 2-1/8 inches
	Ground cover (4-10 inches), climbing vines, upright bushes or shrubs (up to 4 feet) or older vines that look like tree limbs
	Leaves typically emerge a reddish color early spring, are green in summer, turn shades of red, orange or yellow in fall, and are leafless in winter.
	Bunches of small, greenish flowers attached to the main stem or clusters of small, pale, waxy berries (flowers and berries are not always present)
Gallery: Spring Summer Fall Winter

Where to find it
	North America, except the far west and desert areas
	Large concentration in the Midwest and eastern U.S.
	Altitudes below 5,000 feet

Poison Oak

What to look for

	Upright bushes or shrubs with compound leaves
	Three serrated- or lobed-edge leaflets with a varnished upper surface

Where to find it
	North America
	Concentrations in the northeast and Midwest between New Jersey and Texas and west along the Pacific coast
	Sandy, dry soil from sea level to 5,000 feet

Poison Sumac

What to look for

	Bushes and shrubs with compound leaves of 7-12 leaflets
	Leaflets with a shiny, varnished upper surface
	Drooping, cluster-like, light, yellowish-green berries (non-poisonous sumac trees have red berries)

Where to find it
	Moist and marsh-like habitats in the southeast
	Standing water in the northeast and Midwest
	Bushes and shrubs in sandy, dry soil

Tough Brush - Kudzu

What to look for

	Very long vine of 32-100 feet in length
	Dark green leaves with as many as three lobes
	Leaves 3-10 inches long in groups of threes
	Uniformly colored blanket of dark green leaves with hairy undersides
	Hanging clusters of grape-scented flowers from late July to September
	Hairy, bean-like, late-season seedpods
	Wintertime mass of brown vines with withered or absent leaves (warm-weather areas will stay evergreen)

Where to find it
	Almost everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon Line
	Growing on utility poles, fences, trees and anything stationary
	Across two million acres of forestland

Tough Brush - Wild Blackberry

What to look for

	Dense thickets of tall (up to 10 feet) growth
	Five and sometimes three distinct oval-shaped leaflets with toothed edges
	Leafless in winter
	Black fruit when ripe
	Showy flowers about one-inch across with five white or pink petals

Where to find it
	Found in the northeast and parts of the Midwest
	Widespread in the upper northwest including Idaho, Washington, Oregon and northern California
	Thrives in moist areas and at elevations up to 5,000 feet
	Usually adjacent to streams, in ditches and along fence lines

*This site only includes weeds that are injurious to skin. There are many others that are poisonous if ingested.
For additional information on poisonous plants, contact your local Poison Control Center or Agricultural Extension Service.

Don't let nuisance weeds fool you

Invasive weed identifier

Poison Ivy

Poison Oak

Poison Sumac

Kudzu

Wild Blackberry

Poison Ivy

Poison Oak

Poison Sumac

Tough Brush - Kudzu

Tough Brush - Wild Blackberry