Stories | Poison Ivy Safety

Poison Ivy - The All-American Plant
by M. K. Sejbl

ivy oak sumac

Leaves of three, let them be; Berries white, run in fright
Folk Rhyme

A forest ranger was leading a nature tour for campers at the RV park where Woody and his family were staying. Pointing to a small plant near the trail, the forest ranger said, “That is poison ivy. It grows almost everywhere in the United States and nearly 85% of all people can develop allergies to it. Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac all have an oil called urushiol in their sap that causes people to break out in an itchy, painful rash when they brush up the plant and get the sap on their skin.”

Woody asked, “If poison ivy makes people sick, why don't campgrounds and forest preserves get rid of it?”

“First, little moose,” said the ranger, “People are almost the only animals that are allergic to the urushiol in the plants. Moose like you, elks, deer, and birds seem to be immune to urushiol and in many areas, poison ivy is a good source of nutrition for plant-eating animals.

“Second, getting rid of poison ivy is very difficult. Smoke from burning poison ivy carries the urushiol with it and can cause serious rashes inside of peoples noses, throats and lungs. In small areas, herbicides can kill the poison ivy, but herbicides need to be used carefully or they can cause serious damage to the environment.

“Thirdly, poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac provide ground cover and their root systems help prevent erosion.

“And finally,” laughed the ranger, “poison ivy is sometimes called the protector of the American wilderness. People who might not otherwise stay on paths to protect delicate ecosystems will stay on paths if they are afraid of getting a poison ivy rash.”

"Wow,” joked Woody, “Since I'm a moose, I think I'll have a poison ivy salad for lunch!”

woody with poison ivy pic
What to look for...

Poison Oak has two distinct species. Both types have fuzzy-looking leaves in clusters of three. The leaves look a little like the leaves of the oak tree. Eastern poison oak grows from New Jersey to Florida and as far west as Texas and Kansas. Western poison oak grows along the Pacific coast from Washington state to Mexico.

There are two closely related species of Poison Ivy. It grows almost everywhere in the United States except Nevada and parts of California. Poison ivy may look like a vine climbing up a tree, a bushy shrub or even a small tree. Poison ivy's leaves generally grow in bunches of three and, in the last summer and fall, there may also be tiny white berries growing in bunches from the stems. Poison ivy rarely grows at altitudes higher than 5,000 feet.

Poison Sumac's three- to four-inch-long leaves grow in clusters of seven to 13 leaves. The leaves are orange in spring, green in summer, and red, orange, or yellow in fall. The plants can grow as tall as 15 feet high. Poison Sumac grows in bogs, swamps and wet bottom land east of the Mississippi River. Poison sumac plants usually have red stems, may have long clusters of whitish berries in the summer and fall.

Prevention & Treatment...

• The best way to avoid getting a rash from poison ivy, oak or sumac is to stay away from the plants. You can't get a rash from just standing near a patch of poison ivy the urushiol oil in the plants, which causes the rash, can only transfer to your skin by direct contact.

• However, your pet can run through a patch of poison ivy, oak or sumac and get the urushiol on its fur. Then when the animal jumps up on you, or you pet it the urushiol can transfer to your skin. Dogs seem to be immune to the oil, but many a dog lover has developed a serious rash from the oil on his pet's fur.

• Avoid burning poison ivy, oak or sumac. Poison ivy vines often grow around trees and can be easily overlooked and tossed into a campfire. The smoke can carry the urushiol oil into your respiratory system causing serious allergic reactions inside your nose, throat and lungs. If you believe you have inhaled smoke from burning poison ivy, see a doctor immediately, the allergic reaction can be very serious.

• If you are going to be hiking in a wooded area where these plants live, wear protective clothing long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into your socks or boots and cloth or leather gloves. There are some barrier creams that have been shown to help prevent the oil from getting on your skin.

• If you get the oil on your skin, wash as soon as possible with lots and lots of cool water. The sooner you wash, and the more water you use, the less likely you will be of getting a rash.

• Although a number of studies have been done on treating the rashes, no one has proven that any home remedies really work. The most common suggestions are to apply calamine lotion to the rash or rub the rash with an ice cube. These remedies may or may not work, but they probably won't cause any harm.

• If the rash covers more than 20 percent of your body, or develops in sensitive areas like the eyes, mouth or genitals, see a doctor immediately. Physicians can prescribe steroids in either cream form or by injections that may decrease the allergic reaction. Extremely sensitive people may need to be hospitalized.

Excerpted from Woodall's Monthly Regional RV/Camping Publications.

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©2000. Woodall Publications Corp. All copy and images.

Poison Ivy - The All-American Plant by M. K. Sejbl


Leaves of three, let them be; Berries white, run in fright Folk Rhyme
A forest ranger was leading a nature tour for campers at the RV park where Woody and his family were staying. Pointing to a small plant near the trail, the forest ranger said, “That is poison ivy. It grows almost everywhere in the United States and nearly 85% of all people can develop allergies to it. Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac all have an oil called urushiol in their sap that causes people to break out in an itchy, painful rash when they brush up the plant and get the sap on their skin.” Woody asked, “If poison ivy makes people sick, why don't campgrounds and forest preserves get rid of it?” “First, little moose,” said the ranger, “People are almost the only animals that are allergic to the urushiol in the plants. Moose like you, elks, deer, and birds seem to be immune to urushiol and in many areas, poison ivy is a good source of nutrition for plant-eating animals. “Second, getting rid of poison ivy is very difficult. Smoke from burning poison ivy carries the urushiol with it and can cause serious rashes inside of peoples noses, throats and lungs. In small areas, herbicides can kill the poison ivy, but herbicides need to be used carefully or they can cause serious damage to the environment. “Thirdly, poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac provide ground cover and their root systems help prevent erosion. “And finally,” laughed the ranger, “poison ivy is sometimes called the protector of the American wilderness. People who might not otherwise stay on paths to protect delicate ecosystems will stay on paths if they are afraid of getting a poison ivy rash.” "Wow,” joked Woody, “Since I'm a moose, I think I'll have a poison ivy salad for lunch!”
	What to look for... Poison Oak has two distinct species. Both types have fuzzy-looking leaves in clusters of three. The leaves look a little like the leaves of the oak tree. Eastern poison oak grows from New Jersey to Florida and as far west as Texas and Kansas. Western poison oak grows along the Pacific coast from Washington state to Mexico. There are two closely related species of Poison Ivy. It grows almost everywhere in the United States except Nevada and parts of California. Poison ivy may look like a vine climbing up a tree, a bushy shrub or even a small tree. Poison ivy's leaves generally grow in bunches of three and, in the last summer and fall, there may also be tiny white berries growing in bunches from the stems. Poison ivy rarely grows at altitudes higher than 5,000 feet. Poison Sumac's three- to four-inch-long leaves grow in clusters of seven to 13 leaves. The leaves are orange in spring, green in summer, and red, orange, or yellow in fall. The plants can grow as tall as 15 feet high. Poison Sumac grows in bogs, swamps and wet bottom land east of the Mississippi River. Poison sumac plants usually have red stems, may have long clusters of whitish berries in the summer and fall.
Prevention & Treatment... • The best way to avoid getting a rash from poison ivy, oak or sumac is to stay away from the plants. You can't get a rash from just standing near a patch of poison ivy the urushiol oil in the plants, which causes the rash, can only transfer to your skin by direct contact. • However, your pet can run through a patch of poison ivy, oak or sumac and get the urushiol on its fur. Then when the animal jumps up on you, or you pet it the urushiol can transfer to your skin. Dogs seem to be immune to the oil, but many a dog lover has developed a serious rash from the oil on his pet's fur. • Avoid burning poison ivy, oak or sumac. Poison ivy vines often grow around trees and can be easily overlooked and tossed into a campfire. The smoke can carry the urushiol oil into your respiratory system causing serious allergic reactions inside your nose, throat and lungs. If you believe you have inhaled smoke from burning poison ivy, see a doctor immediately, the allergic reaction can be very serious. • If you are going to be hiking in a wooded area where these plants live, wear protective clothing long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into your socks or boots and cloth or leather gloves. There are some barrier creams that have been shown to help prevent the oil from getting on your skin. • If you get the oil on your skin, wash as soon as possible with lots and lots of cool water. The sooner you wash, and the more water you use, the less likely you will be of getting a rash. • Although a number of studies have been done on treating the rashes, no one has proven that any home remedies really work. The most common suggestions are to apply calamine lotion to the rash or rub the rash with an ice cube. These remedies may or may not work, but they probably won't cause any harm. • If the rash covers more than 20 percent of your body, or develops in sensitive areas like the eyes, mouth or genitals, see a doctor immediately. Physicians can prescribe steroids in either cream form or by injections that may decrease the allergic reaction. Extremely sensitive people may need to be hospitalized.
Excerpted from Woodall's Monthly Regional RV/Camping Publications.
Home \| Back to Kids' Camping Corner \| Back to Stories \| Top of Page ©2000. Woodall Publications Corp. All copy and images.