About Poison Ivy

Poison ivy can turn a fun stroll outdoors into weeks of itchy misery. It is a sneaky plant--it can hide, camouflaged, amongst your other plants. Unless you know what poison ivy looks like in all its stages, that plant you think is just an innocuous weed may give you a blistering rash or even land you in the hospital.
Some animals safely eat poison ivy berries, so the plant does have some use. For humans, however, poison ivy, though pretty, brings only problems.
  1. The Facts

    • Poison ivy's irritant (called urushiol oil) is found throughout the plant's leaves, berries, flowers, and stems. Most people develop a blistering rash soon after contact with the plant (sensitivity varies). Contact does not need to be direct. If you touch something that has recently touched poison ivy, your chances of getting a rash are high.

    Risk Factors

    • Poison ivy can easily blend in with other plants and, therefore, exposure to this noxious plant is common. When hiking trails, or just strolling through a park, you should prevent exposure to poison ivy by avoiding contact with vegetation. Poison ivy can cause such an intense rash that you may have to visit your doctor for treatment.
      If you do accidentally touch poison ivy, the very first thing you should do is cleanse your skin with cold water. This needs to be done as soon as possible after contact, however, or it won't do any good.
      Poison ivy is exceptionally dangerous when any part of the plant burns in fire---if you inhale smoke from burning poison ivy it is a medical emergency. The plant's irritant enters the airway, including the lungs, causing blisters. It doesn't matter if the plant was dead and dry when burned---the effects can be as bad as if it were alive.

    Identification

    • Poison ivy has three leaves per stem---this fact gave rise to the old saying "Leaves of three, let it be!" It can grow bush-like or as a vine or ground-cover. Poison ivy leaves are usually green in the late spring and throughout the summer. In autumn the leaves turn a pretty red (sometimes with gold mottling).
      The shape of the leaf is not consistent from plant to plant. Usually, the leaf is pointed like a spear head, but the leaf body may be narrow or broad, depending on the individual plant. The same variability exists with the leaves' outer texture---some are shiny, some are matte---both can occur on the same plant. Additionally, poison ivy sometimes has pretty little flowers or pale berries.

    Geography

    • While poison ivy enjoys sunlight, this does not mean you are completely safe walking in the shade--it is an adaptable plant. Poison ivy loves most urban environments, such as sunny vacant lots, or your backyard, and will flourish if left unchecked.
      If you go to the beach, beware of the greenery growing near the footpath; although poison ivy loves the woods and lush gardens, it can even grow near the ocean.

    Type

    • Poison ivy can look like a bush, like climbing vines, or like groundcover. No matter the appearance poison ivy takes, all types contain the irritant.

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