Across North America there are two kinds of poison ivy; climbing poison ivy and non-climbing poison ivy. This simple fact is very surprising to many people, who — depending where they live — are only familiar with ‘their’ kind of poison ivy, climbing or non-climbing as may be the case.
This is an example of poison ivy climbing a cherry tree.
A more mature wintertime view of a leafless climbing poison ivy plant ascending an oak tree.
Non-climbing poison ivy as a ground cover will not ascend the white picket fence or climb the shrub pictured.
In its red and orange fall color, non-climbing poison ivy is at home cascading over a boulder field, along the Connecticut River in new Hampshire.