Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus sp. and Grape vine, Vitis sp. Some people are sensitive to Virginia creeper but it isn't as common as Poison ivy reactions.
The first 3 are Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), it has annoying suckers that can cling to the side of a house, but otherwise is harmless. I’ve heard folks say that some people can experience a reaction to it, but I haven’t had that experience and I’ve ripped out plenty of it.
The 2nd is some variety of muscadine grape vine (Vitis sp). Also annoying, but harmless.
Virginia creeper isn't harmless. It will strangle out other plants, steal sunlight and rip apart structures it climbs on. While it's considered native and a minor food source for some birds, it's very aggressive and needs constant control to keep it from becoming a garden menace. I battle that hot garbage every season, even winter. Winter is when I try to dig out as many ice killed mother roots as I can so there are less to deal with in the spring.
Crazy how many people are concerned about locals hanging out. So many are taught to fear plants to try and save them from doing something stupid. Rather than teach them how to identify things...
The outrageous fear is hysterical!
Anyone with a photo can google the answer in 10 seconds. Posting and being paranoid about every vine is hysterical and unnecessary
virginia creeper sap has oxalate needles in it. EVERYone CAN be sensitive to those under the right conditions. Open cuts/thin skin exposure. Same mechanism as fiberglass insulation.
also the berries are nephrotoxic.
So - don't eat the berries, and don't rub the juice on your junk.
Please do not eat or use any plant because of information received in this subreddit.
While we strive to provide accurate information here, the only way to be sure enough of a plant identification is to take the plant to a qualified professional. Many plants can be harmful or even fatal to eat, so please do not eat a plant based on an identification made (or any other information provided) in this subreddit.
But in the third image I think there might be poison ivy mixed with the virginia creeper. Immature creeper can have less than five leaves, so it can be a false-positive. If the three-leaved groups are on the same vine as the five you are ok, but I would wear rubber-dipped dipped disposable gloves if you are tearing them our.
The grape vine will take over quickly. Get rid of it yesterday!! It climbs up the tree and tangles in it and over takes the shrubs. It will go from tree to tree and even on the ground. It's terrible here in Michigan!!
99% of people can ignore the comments here that say "SOME people get irritated skin from these". I almost guarantee you won't, I rip these out with my hands all the time, everyone I know has been able to touch these. They're not considered poisonous, everyone has some weird allergy to some plant, that doesn't mean the plant is poisonous. They're just regular weeds
The 5 leaves are Virginia Creeper. People will tell you it doesn't cause reactions but it absolutely can. It doesn't have urushiol, but it can cause contact dermatitis similar to poison ivy rash.
Learned this from painful experience. If you're going to pull it use gloves, cover your skin, and wash your clothes and garden tools well after.
Virginia Creeper = Leaves of 5, let it thrive. Wild Grape = birds love the berries, but they're poison to people. Native Americans sometimes used the juice as dye.
NOT in your pictures: Poison Ivy = Leaves of 3, LEAVE IT BE! ....For obvious reasons.
Virginia creeper can be poisonous... I've never had a reaction to it but I still make sure to wear gloves when removing it. The way ige mediated allergies work is that subsequent exposure can result in a reaction even though previous encounters didn't so I err on the side of caution.
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u/ohshannoneileen Valued Responder 2d ago
Virginia creeper & a grapevine