Poison Ivy

Discussion in 'Plant ID' started by film495, May 14, 2014.

  1. film495

    film495 Seedling

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    Looking to get a jump start on killing of the Poison Ivy that grows on the property. I think it is pretty well established, I sprayed a lot of it last year, and cut vines out of trees and some of that. This year, I've been watching and want to be selective in killing it. I want to make sure this is it. Is this it? Some of it looks like it grows as a small tree or bush. I was thinking of cutting the woody stems and treating the ends with Roundup or something like that. I also have the idea of just brushing it on the leaves to try to get it to suck up the poison and kill the roots out. I can't see pulling up all the vines, I'd have to dig up the whole property, so need another approach and some guidance. I think out of desperation, I just sprayed a ton of stuff last year, including things I think were not Poison Ivy, so I'd like to be as selective as possible this year and going forward.


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  3. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    While many plants start out with a reddish waxy look I see no poison ivy in the pictures you have displayed.

    As the crow just takes a few minutes to fly between our yards these photos taken in the nearby woods are representative of what you should also find in your area.



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    Poison Ivy 001 ( photo / image / picture from Jerry Sullivan's Garden )

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    Poison Ivy 002 ( photo / image / picture from Jerry Sullivan's Garden )


    Jerry
     
  4. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    I agree with Jerry. Poison ivy has clusters of 3 three leaves only. Pictures 1, 3, & 4 show plants with clusters of 6 leaves. I am not sure about picture #2.
     
  5. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    nope, don't think that is poison ivy. Poison ivy has 3 parts to each leaf. There is a saying..."leaves of three, leave it be" it also has a very "hairy" central vine, with which attaches itself to other plants with and becomes the roots sucking the life out of the cambium layer of the host tree. Now, the last picture...maybe, but I am not convinced.
     



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  6. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    I may trudge through the woodland haunts of poison ivy to the tree with the vine that traverses an oak tree in two places and take a picture. There is however, little comfort in such an endeavor as it only takes a sneaker brushing against a villain to encounter the plant's dreaded urushiol. There are, for the viewing, many official sights that depict the curse of the gardener that pulls weeds too fast. It is still early and the new leaves are deceptive. As the season wears on the leaves take on a more definitive shape. Even in the dead of winter a poison ivy vine is unforgiving says the victim of the tree coiling menace. :-( In the mean time I am content with my 99.87% poison ivy free yard.

    Jerry
     
  7. film495

    film495 Seedling

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    thanks for the input. my wife seems to get bad outbreaks, currently in one from digging up some vines to plant. I get it a little, but am lucky to not be so sensitive to it. I pulled vines out of trees last year, and sprayed anything that looked like it could be poison ivy. this year I'd like to be a little more mindful in my efforts. those pictures are a big help. in looking around, there are lots of things that have three leaves. Seen blackberry pushing through, Strawberry, I think Jack in the Pulpit, Trillium, all seem to have three leaves, but I don't want to spray them, probably did last year. The color on those plants is what got me, but you're all correct, they do seem to have 5 or 6 leaves. Our yard tends to be a few weeks behind everyone else, we're on the north side of a slope, so maybe it isn't quite showing its itch head quite yet.
     
  8. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    Jerry, If you eat the first emerging leaf of the season you will be inoculated against the rash...so I have heard. My neighbor used to do it until he said " I got sloppy one time and had it all over my face"...since then he hasn't done it. I am not allergic to it so I can't try the remedy. He calls me every year.."can you come look at this and see if it is P.Ivy? HE KNOWS what it is but knows I will pull it out for him.
     
  9. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    I think pictures 2 and 6 are Poison Ivy.
     
  10. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Carolyn--I don't get poison ivy very badly, but the last thing I would ever eat is a poison ivy leaf. I would rather eat Donna S's nest of baby spiders than poison ivy! Was your neighbor serious? Or am I being gullible?
     
  11. Donna S

    Donna S Hardy Maple

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    Rich got into poison ivy just last week. He has learned to wear gloves the hard way.
     
  12. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    Actually...it is true. He did it every year. I actually went to the dermatologist one year due to my itchy rashy outbreaks and she gave me a homeopathic pill and it was rhus...aka poison ivy. I had to dissolve them under my tongue. It didn't help me since I eventually had to do an environmental chemical patch test, but my neighbor did say it worked. I am not sure I would be brave enough to try it on my own, actually. I think I would be doing that under the supervision of a homeopathic doctor, really.
     
  13. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    All I can say is wow.
     
  14. purpleinopp

    purpleinopp Young Pine Plants Contributor

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    Urishiol oil can take up to 5 years to dissipate to harmless levels, so those sensitive can get poison ivy by touching 'dead' leaves and dormant vines.

    In addition to Toxicodendron (Poison ivy and oak,) and Rhus (poison sumac) which have urishiol oil on all surfaces, many other plants in the yard can cause a rash very similar to poison ivy when the sap inside them touches the skin of the unfortunate ones who are sensitive. Plants from the genus Euphorbia (spurges,) Ficus (fig,) Ipomoea (morning glory, moonflower vine, sweet potato vine,) Sonchus (dandelion,) Plumeria (frangipani,) Asclepias (milkweeds,) and others have latex sap. It's usually thick and white, but can be other colors, or clear. If any of these are in your yard, your wife should probably take precautions to not come in contact with the sap. Casually contacting the unbroken leaves or stems should not cause any problems (UNlike poison ivy, oak, sumac.)

    Other plants like Solanum dulcamara (nightshade,) Juniper, Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper,) can cause various forms of dermatitis from casual contact, though not usually a raised long-lasting rash like 'the poisons' and latex sap.

    Do you/she have any house plants?

    I'd be happy to help you investigate the possibility some other plant is the cause of your wife's misery. I suffered and investigated for 2 years before getting a handle on all of the plants to which I seem to have new sensitivities to, that didn't bother me before.
     
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  15. film495

    film495 Seedling

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    we do have house plants and a cat that goes out and may bring things home. she has it on her all over her arms, and even on her feet in between her toes. you'd think she took a bath in it.

    I've experienced several rashes from plants in my life, all similar or less than I get poison ivy; and not too bad so I just don't really worry about it. Just deal with a little rash if I get one. I've never had blisters or the like, my parents get it like that though so not sure who's genes I have. I remember getting poison ivy rash several summers as a youth on my legs, and then I just stopped getting it. I'm weird though, if I'm working in the yard and don't want to stop doing what I'm doing, I'll let the black flies just bite me and ignore it, they'll get in my eyes and I'll just leave them there until after i'm done.

    the worst thing I ever did was get some hemlock in my eye one summer in college when we were planting a ton of them. It made for a very difficult couple days.

    I can't imagine eating the poison ivy is safe to try on your own. Seems like an interesting idea, but I'll pass for now - just seems like it would end with a trip to the emergency room... lol
     
  16. Jerry Sullivan

    Jerry Sullivan Garden Experimenter Plants Contributor

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    As I have a friend who is a homeopathic dr., I will ask about the poison ivy pills the next time I see her.

    I save a generous supply of plastic grocery bags for the occasions I meet up with poison ivy. My annual poison ivy hunt is in June. In May I hunt lions.

    Jerry
     

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