Poison Ivy etc

[KokomoDave]

I cut the vines and pour Tordon blue on them. Dead to the root. I carefully bag it wearing long sleeves, neckerchief, gloves and long pants no matter how frickin hot and I take this same precation cutting the vines. I toss the paper bag in the trash. Wash my clothes in Dawn dishwashing liquid in the laundryroom sink and then in the washer with Oxi Clean and Tide pods. I don't need my K9s getting into that stuff and dragging that oil into the house with everyone breaking out. I had it so bad once while a kid that it left permanent scars that I had inked over (Good enough excuse if you ask me)

 

[spencer rifle]

I'm also seeing poison oak here and there.
A few years ago I was cleaning up the fence row, and ran into a poison sumac it was about 2 feet tall bush (i didn't see it because of all the overgrowth, and kept working in, and around it). Poison sumac isn't supposed to be in Indiana at all that's what I was told several years ago.
I had a t-shirt on, and was hot, and the humidity was high. I was sweating, and rubbing my face, neck, etc with my hands. Nature called a few tike as well.
Less than 24 hours later I had severe outbreak, and had to go to urgent care for treatment.
My father went up, and checked the fence row I was cleaning around, and found the poison sumac. That aided the Dr in knowing what I needed.
Do not mess with poison sumac if you see it burn it.

Poison oak doesn't live east of the west coast. It is a shrub and the leaves are different, with rounded lobes. People around here talk about poison oak, but none can tell me how it's different from PI.

Poison sumac only grows in swamps, so you will be wading in water to find it. Looks very different from our other sumacs, with sparse leaves and white berries.. Yes, it is here in Indiana, and can be found at Pokagon. The chemical in PI is the exact same chemical in poison sumac - urushiol. Any doctor that says he can tell the difference in the rash is in error. I used to do programs on contact dermatitis with a local dermatologist. He admitted what I said above. They may know about medicine, but are not experts on native plants.

The jewelweed never worked for me. Great on nettles, ineffective on ivy.

Alcohol also dissolves and breaks down urushiol, but dries out your skin.

Some people will always get PI. Some never will. Some who get it young will grow out of it. Some who are immune when young will get it when they get older. Depends on your immune system. Animals don't get it, just people.

 

[progelk]

It's crucial to stay informed about the plants in your area, like poison ivy, to avoid contact. Wear long sleeves, pants, and gloves, and consider using a barrier cream when exploring wooded areas to minimize the risk of exposure.

 

[cavallo]

DO NOT BURN POISON IVY!

Burning poison ivy launches the oil into the air. If you breathe in the smoke with the oil, your lungs will react with the oil, causing permanent scarring resulting in debilitating conditions similar to COPD and if you inhale enough it could be deadly.

I REPEAT DO NOT BURN POISON IVY! (or Sumac, oak, etc)

I second this. This scared the snot out of me when I read that. Breathing the smoke can be fatal!!

 

[patience0830]

Poison oak doesn't live east of the west coast. It is a shrub and the leaves are different, with rounded lobes. People around here talk about poison oak, but none can tell me how it's different from PI.

Poison sumac only grows in swamps, so you will be wading in water to find it. Looks very different from our other sumacs, with sparse leaves and white berries.. Yes, it is here in Indiana, and can be found at Pokagon. The chemical in PI is the exact same chemical in poison sumac - urushiol. Any doctor that says he can tell the difference in the rash is in error. I used to do programs on contact dermatitis with a local dermatologist. He admitted what I said above. They may know about medicine, but are not experts on native plants.

The jewelweed never worked for me. Great on nettles, ineffective on ivy.

Alcohol also dissolves and breaks down urushiol, but dries out your skin.

Some people will always get PI. Some never will. Some who get it young will grow out of it. Some who are immune when young will get it when they get older. Depends on your immune system. Animals don't get it, just people.

The plantain is an important part of the relief elixir.

 

[DCR]

The roots also contain the Urushiol that cause the rash.

Learned this the hard way many years ago transplanting some daylilies. Spent 4 hours digging them up without gloves, went to use the bathroom twice. Yep, you got it.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Learned this the hard way many years ago transplanting some daylilies. Spent 4 hours digging them up without gloves, went to use the bathroom twice. Yep, you got it.

So that's what you told your wife? Its OK. You're among friends. You can tell us where that rash REALLY came from. (so we know to avoid her)

Just remember this old wive's tale:
If your palm itches, you're going to catch something soon.



If your crotch itches, you already caught it.

 

[wcd]

What is the proliferation of poison Ivy? Everyone is referring to? I thought it had become extinct? Well at least around our place it has. Goats will eat up it all of it.

 

[StayTrue76]

I saw a medium amount of PI this year. A few years ago I found out I'm super sensitive and should def. stay away. Read the post above, for sure do not burn it (I didn't try). As a kid, I never had any bad luck with it, but as adult, I'm super paranoid now about stepping in weeds if my legs are not covered.

 

[Butch627]

Now that we have had several nights of overnight frosts, have the leaves lost any or most or all of their strength? No more direct skin contact from wearing shorts but is the oil still going to get on my pants and shoes? If so best way to wash them?

 

[spencer rifle]

Now that we have had several nights of overnight frosts, have the leaves lost any or most or all of their strength? No more direct skin contact from wearing shorts but is the oil still going to get on my pants and shoes? If so best way to wash them?

The oil is present in all parts of the plant, including freshly fallen leaves, stems, roots. If you get into vines with no leaves you can still get it. With some people it takes considerably less exposure than others.

For some very sensitive people, handling Japanese lacquerware will cause a reaction. The lacquer is based on sap from a sumac relative.