There's a good reason many people mistake Virginia creeper for poison ivy. Both prefer the same growing conditions. In fact, they often grow intermingled on the same site. So, if your skin has ever had contact with Virginia creeper, there's a possibility it also may have had contact with poison ivy growing among it. But, if you didn't notice the three-leafed poison ivy and only the Virginia creeper, which is often more abundant, and then you later developed a skin rash, you may mistakenly believe that the Virginia creeper is poisonous.
Many people develop a skin rash after contact with poison ivy.
The severity of the rash varies greatly with the individual's reaction to the irritant found in poison ivy sap. It's important that people with a great sensitivity to the irritant learn to identify and avoid poison ivy. Avoidance is the best approach, because eradicating it is nearly impossible. Even controlling it is difficult because well-established poison ivy has an extensive system of roots that can resprout for years. Also, realize that birds can bring in the seeds of new poison ivy plants.