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It’s green (sometimes) and has three leaves. Those
are the basics of poison ivy. To avoid it, you should know a
little bit more about what it looks like and where it grows.
Those who are allergic to poison ivy know that an encounter
with it causes blisters, swelling, and extreme itching.
Poison ivy grows in non-cultivated sites, such as along stream
banks, roadways, fields, and forests. It also can grow in your
ornamental shrubs or perennial borders. Knowing how to identify
and control it are the best defenses against accidental contact.
 The
best way to identify poison ivy (Rhus radicans) is by its compound
leaf consisting of three pointed leaflets. The middle leaflet
generally has a longer stalk than the two side ones. The leaflet
edges can be smooth, toothed, or lobed. The leaflets are two
to four inches long and positioned alternately on the stems.
The leaves are reddish when they emerge in the spring, turn
green during the summer, and become various shades of yellow,
orange or red in the fall. The leaves are usually glossy. Yellowish-green
flowers appear in June or July followed by light colored berries.
Poison ivy can be found in one of three forms: an erect woody
shrub, a trailing shrub running along the ground, or a woody
vine. The vine is usually seen growing on trees or other objects
for support. It has aerial roots along the stem that give it
the appearance of a fuzzy rope.
There are three methods that can be effective in eradicating
poison ivy. They include hand pulling; severing the vine and
then treating the regrowth with an herbicide; or applying an
herbicide to individual leaflets.
Hand pulling is most successful when the soil is moist. Dig
out the roots and pull them out in long pieces. Take care to
remove the entire root because the plant can resprout from sections
of root left in the ground. Avoid skin contact by wearing gloves
while you work and washing clothing and gloves immediately after
you finish. Rinse the washing machine thoroughly afterward to
eliminate the possibility of contaminating other clothing.
Vines growing on trees can be difficult to pull out of the
ground because their roots may be entangled with the tree’s
roots. Sever the vine at the base and carefully pull it out
of the tree. Apply an herbicide to the new shoots that will
soon emerge from the base of the old plant. Herbicides are most
effective if applied to actively growing foliage two weeks on
either side of full bloom, in early summer.
Read the label of any herbicide to ensure that poison ivy is
listed, and follow the manufacturer’s directions. When
you find poison ivy in the midst of your ornamental plants,
take special care when eliminating it so you avoid harming desirable
plants.
The blistering rash caused by poison ivy is the direct result
of contact with the oily toxicant known as “urushiol.”
Urushiol is found throughout the plant, including the roots,
stems, bark, leaflets and certain flower parts. The plant has
to be crushed, broken, or in some way injured to release the
substance. An injury to the plant may be as minor as an insect
chewing on it.
Once urushiol is released, it can find its way to your skin
by direct contact with the plant and then spread by touching
other parts of the body. Because the sticky, oily substance
is easily transmitted, you may come in contact with it indirectly
from pet fur, garden gloves, tools, clothing, golf balls or
other objects. Contrary to popular belief, the rash from
poison ivy cannot be transmitted from touching the oozing blisters.
The rash spreads by the urushiol, not as the result of contamination
from sores. Breaking the blisters does not spread the rash to
other parts of your body. But your wounds can become infected
and you may make the scarring worse. In very extreme cases,
a doctor may need to draw out excessive fluid. New red areas
and blisters that appear a few days after the primary rash represent
less sensitive areas or areas where less poison was deposited,
not spreading of the poison.
If you know you have come in contact with poison ivy, wash
the area as soon as possible with soap and cold water. Warm
water may cause the urushiol to penetrate the skin faster. Because
urushiol can penetrate in less than 15 minutes, you may still
get a rash, but at least you will have contained the infected
area. Most people develop symptoms within 24-48 hours after
contact. The interval varies considerably because of individual
sensitivity and the amount of poison contacting the skin. The
first symptom of poisoning is a severe itching of the skin.
Later, red inflammation and blistering of the skin occurs. In
severe cases, oozing sores develop.
Although extremely irritating, most cases disappear in a
seven to ten days. In the meantime, relief may be found
from over-the-counter drugs such as Caladryl, Cortaid, Ivarest,
Benedryl, and Aveeno Oatmeal Bath. A physician should examine
severe rashes, especially those on the face or covering large
areas of the body. There are many home remedies to relieve the
itching such as soaking the affected areas in extremely hot
water or swabbing diluted bleach to the blisters.
One additional caution is that people can contract a rash by
exposure to smoke of burning poison ivy. Be careful not to burn
wood with the poison ivy vine attached to it. Take extreme caution
to avoid inhaling smoke or letting it come in contact with your
skin or clothing.
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