Poison plants?

[Por_sha911]

Help. Something gave me a bad rash back in the spring. I don't want to go through that again but I have a hard time distinguishing plants but I bet there are some folks here that can easily ID this stuff.
#1 (Doesn't fit the normal descriptions of oak, ivy, sumac but I don't want to take any chances)

2.

3. (I think the thorns mean not poisonous)

4.

5.


TIA for the advice.

[PorscheGAL]

1. Ivy
2. Virginia Creeper
3. blackberries
4. grape vines
5. Poison Ivy or Oak-This is your culprit

[Por_sha911]

Thanks.
Just to be clear, #1 is regular and NON poisonous ivy?

[mreid]

Non-poisonous.

Just looking at that last picture gives me the creeps!

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by mreid

Just looking at that last picture gives me the creeps!

And I'm the one that went to the doc in a box this morning and have a prescription for prednisone for the next 14 days, since I've got poison ivy rash up both arms and down both legs from a little bit of "weed" clearing last Saturday.

[john70t]

I usually wear latex gloves.
You can pick the stuff without protection by going in sideways underneath, and bending the stem away from you. Then pull up.
Small stuff I rub into the ground.
Big stuff is easy to pull.

P.I. stays dormant in an underground root system and it will pop up a hundred sprouts next year, but if you keep at it it'll be minimized.

[Evans, Marv]

I did pretty well getting rid of poison oak by spraying with RoundUp w/ some agricultural detergent mixed in. Never had a problem with the stuff, but I don't care to take a chance.

[PorscheGAL]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

Thanks.
Just to be clear, #1 is regular and NON poisonous ivy?

Yes, number 1 is fine, non poisonous, English Ivy. Number 5 is the one that will get you.

[TimT]

#1 English Ivy is poisonous..not to the extant of poison ivy or oak, but it can make your life miserable for awhile...

I was clearing a bed of it in my yard, cutting it pulling it, etc... the next day my ankles. wrists, forehead, and neck were red and itchy..but never exhibited the same symptoms as with poison ivy... blisters etc.. it was like a really mild case of poison ivy.. Calamine for a day or two and I was ok...

I did a little research and found that English Ivy is in fact poisonous...

10-common-plants-you-didnt-know-were-toxic/

English ivy stems,
leaves and berries are poisonous when ingested in large quantities, and severe skin irritation may occur when
skin comes in contact with the sap.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by john70t

I usually wear latex gloves.
You can pick the stuff without protection by going in sideways underneath, and bending the stem away from you. Then pull up.
Small stuff I rub into the ground.
Big stuff is easy to pull.

P.I. stays dormant in an underground root system and it will pop up a hundred sprouts next year, but if you keep at it it'll be minimized.

I always used nitrile gloves to pull. I did't touch stems or leaves or anything. The tiny brush of a leaf can give you a spot. Most spots last about 2 weeks for me. Wash thoroughly with soap if you get or think you got any on you. Find a product called Tecnu, it's supposed to be great for washing the stuff off. I found some several years ago packaged with calamine lotion. I needed both.

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

Yes, number 1 is fine, non poisonous, English Ivy. Number 5 is the one that will get you.

You can buy #1 a just about any store/nursery that sells plants.

Yep, over the last 10-15 years, I've learned to spot that stuff in my sleep. We used to get it all along the fence in our back yard. It was about 3 years before I realized that I had it and the occasional rash was coming from it.

Here's a great document that gives lots of detail about how to positively identify poison ivy. I wish it was a link instead of a PDF.

http://www.arbordale.com/Sure-Fire.%20ONLINE%20%20with%20cover%20copy.pdf

[masraum]

Originally Posted by TimT

#1 English Ivy is poisonous..not to the extant of poison ivy or oak, but it can make your life miserable for awhile...
< blah, blah, blah >
< good links to interesting info >

Wow, good info. I had no idea.

That's why I love this place

[fintstone]

Yes, #5 is the poison ivy. #1, english ivy will probably only affect you if allergic or if you eat it.

#2 is Virgina Creeper-harmless

#3 looks like a raspberry plant. Wear long pants when in these (picking berries) or risk chiggers which will also make a very annoying rash that looks similar to poison oak symptoms after you scratch the heck out of the bites.

Number 4 looks like a variety of wild grapevine. Harmless.

Remember the saying used to identify...leaves of three...Let it be!

If you google...there are lots of images of the three plants that cause the problems. Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac. Don't burn it and breathe the fumes/smoke...acts like a blister agent.

[sprio]

Tecnu has saved me many times - another tip - when you wash, use cold water - hot water will open your pores to the oil, and cause a worse rash.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by masraum

Wash thoroughly with soap if you get or think you got any on you. Find a product called Tecnu, it's supposed to be great for washing the stuff off.

Always thought that this spreads leaf oil into a bigger patch on the skin.

Was told: 'Cover and soak up with cotton gauze'.

[Z-man]

Thanks for posting #5. I am so sensitive to poison ivy that I've already broken out in a rash merely by looking at your pic!!

-Z

[Jolly Amaranto]

Originally Posted by john70t

Always thought that this spreads leaf oil into a bigger patch on the skin.

Was told: 'Cover and soak up with cotton gauze'.

I have found that Tecnu works best if I lather up exposed areas first before using any water and soap. I think it sort of dissolves the poison ivy oils and mobilizes them. I then wash off with soap and water. Rubbing alcohol works the same way to but not quite as well in my experience. I even have used WD40 in a pinch when I know I have brushed up against the leaves. It seems to neutralize the oils also. Soap and water by themselves just seems to spread the oils around and makes things worse.

[Laneco]

#5 - bad juju.

"Leaves of three - let them be..."

Or in my case, as I'm pretty sensitive to it... "leaves of three - woe is me..."

Nothing worse than a tumble of the mountain bike through a patch of it. Also, a little tip I've learned the painful way is that the oil stays on metal objects (like a tool or a bicycle frame) for a long, long time unless you purposefully clean it off... Water by itself will NOT do it.

angela

[Tobra]

Whatever you do, don't use a fire to dispose of yard waste that may have Poison Ivy/Oak/Sumac


Long sleeve shirts and long pants will help some too

[porsche4life]

As others have said, #5 is your culprit...

Thanks for the refresher pic. I'm terrible about looking for the stuff as it doesn't bother me. Dad and I both spent all day walking through the crap fishing several times and neither of us broke out.

[M.D. Holloway]

I have never had an issue with any of those plants. I've cleared plenty of brush as well growing up. While others got it I didn't. I did get hives from hay once. That's it though.

Is it possible to be immune to the plant toxins?