I want to start out that I am not an expert when it comes solely to poison ivy. However, I thought a few reminders would be good as this common plant can be quite the pain.
Poison ivy has leaves of three, and little roots that come out of the vines. A couple of sayings that can help to identify poison ivy while out and about are:
- “Leaves of three, let it be”
- “Hairy vine, no friend of mine”
Poison ivy can be found just about anywhere. But it is more common near naturalized areas. But I have also seen it in the middle of suburbia in the middle of a landscape bed with no naturalized areas around.
Something to remember about poison ivy is that all parts of the plant carry the chemical that can cause adverse health reactions. You can receive a rash from touching anything from the roots of the plant all the way to the stems, leaves, and berries. The chemical that causes the rash is actually a resin called urushiol. Urushiol is produced by the plant to help the plant hold water in.
Now some people are more allergic to poison ivy than others. But that can change through the years. If you were not too allergic in the past, the next time your come across poison ivy, it may be completely different. So it is best even if you have not had any problems in the past just to avoid poison ivy at all costs.