ENTS:

While most of our emphasis in ENTS discussions is on or about big trees  
sometimes we have talked about some of the vines that grow in forest  trees.

This week, while preparing a forestry plan for an old farm in Wirt County,  
WV I encountered what I believe to be the largest and tallest free standing  
poison ivy vine I have ever seen.  The vine was growing on top of a large  rock
with the plant rooted in a fissure in the middle of the rock.  The  stem was
over 12" in diameter and the plant was massive about 20' X 25' with the  
tallest free standing stems over 15' above the top of the rock.

Normally, I don't take photos of such things but I thought that this might  
be worth sharing.  The black labs in the photo are my field "support  staff".

Russ Richardson