Plant Family: Anacardiaceae
Growth Form: Quite variable – it may present as a low ground cover, as a straggling or bushy shrub, or as a climbing vine.
Leaves: Alternate, trifoliate, shiny, new growth red, leaflets may or may not be coarsely toothed; the terminal leaflet is stalked, the two lateral leaflets are sessile, or nearly so.
Bark: Light gray-brown and smooth; aerial roots are often present.
Flowers: Small, white to cream-colored, on panicles in the leaf axils, May to July.
Fruits: White globular drupes in dense panicles, August to November.
Habitat: Open woods, sandy and rocky soils, wet or dry thickets, waste places; tolerant of a wide range of soil types.
Range: Common throughout eastern North America.
Key Feature: The trifoliate shiny leaves are the best field mark, regardless of growth form.
Comments: All parts of the plant contain urushiol, a compound that causes dermatitis in susceptible individuals. Birds eat the fruits with no apparent harm.
