We have often seen this vine in dense woods climbing up trees. I have always suspected it was some sort of poison ivy, although I have never seen the leaves. Yesterday we saw some berries on one while walking through the woods.
OK, thank you both. I have inadvertently touched these vines before without much thought. I have never had a reaction, but now I will definitely be more careful - it is not worth it! In the photo I was very gently touching the vine just to get my hand in for scale (do the vines themselves contain the toxin?) I am not the only one who was not sure about poison ivy growing as vines, none of my colleagues knew either! One of the things I did want to know is if there were any lookalikes. I have never seen Virgina Creeper that old, but now I know.
The white fruit confirms the ident. Virgina Creeper has dark purple berries. You're unlikely to get a rash from gently touching the bark; you'd need to cut the bark to allow the urushiol-containing sap to ooze out.
