Toxicodendron Species, Eastern Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy

I dislike this plant - as a additonal note: Here in Minnesota the poison ivy here tend to be subshrub - commonly less than 1 foot even th...Read Moreought I have seen one plant go to 3 feet! The vine form is rare or absent here. Subshrub means that it grows from a single woody stem. I have seen poison ivy from zone 3b (they seem to hate -30 degree rocky acidic soil so you will never see them in boreal forests) to the Everglades in Florida!

I've sprayed, pulled then bagged these little demons for over a month now. I have been collecting the remains in a yard waste bag for di...Read Moresposal... However, after reading the warnings about burning this weed I'm concerned that I may be endangering someone by leaving this bag for curbside pickup (our local power plant burns trash).

I've read tons of suggestions about killing this weed but I haven't really seen a good recommendation for its safe disposal.

Nightmare plant. I have a small tree line behind my house and it is over-run with the stuff. It is so robust in this area, I had one vi...Read Morene that was easily 30 to 40 years old and had transformed into something of bonsai bush when the tree that supported it died and rotted away!

To begin to clear it out, my husband and I must have cut over 100 vines last fall, many go up 20ft. or more so getting them off the trees is not possible. Now the under-story is now flooded with seedings, some from the major roots, and others from seeds. What makes this even worse is that both my husband and I develop a nasty ITCHY WEEPING RASH from handling the stuff, even sometimes from the air. If it is burned the evil oil floats in the smoke and can invade the eyes, nose, ears, even the lungs. It will be years before we can consider this killed off. For me, this is the nastiest thug in the yard, and we have Virgina Ceeper and Chinese Pivet to deal with as well. I hate it so...

Fortunately, I have never been allergic to this plant, though there is always a first time.

If you do get into a patch acc...Read Moreidently, look around for Jewellweed as it is a remedy for Poison Ivy. Crush the plant and rub it on the areas that were exposed. Jewellweed often grows with Poison Ivy.

I love to hate this plant, its invasive and even though I'm not as affected by it, I still hate it because I get that itchy little rash.<...Read Morebr />
The only reason I am less affected is because my body learned how to protect itself when I was young. when i was 8 I had a bad rash that resulted in going to the children's hospital.

It's impossible to kill. this plant could survive a nuclear war. Humans are the only known animal to get a reaction.

I just moved to an area in Ohio called Avon Lake. I think this is the mecca for poison ivy. Yes, I am allergic like so many. As a profess...Read Moreional gardening landscaper, I can't help wonder why would anyone want to propagate this horrific plant.

There are so many other vines that do not irritate and are much more handsome. I heard a story of a guy that was showing off to his friends that he was not allergic by rubbing the foliage all over his skin. Then he proceeded to really impress them by ingesting one. I guess after his throat started closing up they were all awe struck. P.S. for those who may not know, never burn firewood that may have the ivy attached to it (very bad for throat and lungs). And the vine is active in the winter and for a period after it is dead as well. I prefer to kill poison ivy when it's near my work.

I'll give this a neutral because of the things in my yard that I hate even more. Like greenbriers. Porcelain berries. Virginia creeper. ...Read MoreHoneysuckle. Boxwoods. After dealing with all these, the poison ivy isn't half bad.

Except for its supposed importance to wildlife, I find absolutely nothing to recommend this plant. It spreads strongly & prodigiously, c...Read Morelimbs high up into treetops here, eventually producing vines inches thick that can damage them.

That said, although it has little to no effect on me, my husband is HIGHLY allergic to it; thus I pull it out or apply a Roundup-type organic product to it whenever I find it. I can't imagine anyone purposely encouraging its existence, & doubt any wildlife depends on it solely for survival.

Did you know you can bonsai just about any plant? This includes poison ivy. ALTHOUGH THE UTMOST CARE MUST BE DONE--AS IT HAS VERY ALLERGI...Read MoreC CAUSING SECRETIONS--personal protective equipment such as heavy gloves, goggles, and boil utensils after use. Incredibly, it makes a beautiful bonsai tree. Just don't touch it. The vine itself IS quite beautiful. (Yes you can make bonsai trees out of any vine, including english ivy, and whatever else you can think of!)

Poison ivy is practical too:

As long as you have no children or pets, this actually makes a good "watch plant"--that is, using nature's attributes to help protect yourself. Why is poison ivy poisonous--to protect itself. It is *defense*. It IS a very pretty vine and as potted plants hung near windows with roses and bougainvillea to add awesome pricks, makes a very effective defense to protect yourself. I have never had poison ivy get out of control when put in containers. A very innocent looking vine, it has its fangs out at all times to help with personal protection.

That's what I like about plants that has a bite or sting. They are, simply put, protective mechanisms that can be harnessed for one's own personal safety.

And since the homeowner knows what the plant is, special care is taken for watering needs, etc. Poison ivy is definitely low maintanence.

Most burglaries are committed with windows, and this combination (bougainvillea and/or roses with poison ivy) will make most efficient deterrents. (actually in pots they won't grow huge at all.)

If you cannot grow roses and bouganvillea at a certain place, you can be certain poison ivy will grow there. That, and stinging nettles, as well as blessed thistle, which too make very pretty plants. Blessed thistle sting. What defense when combined with poison ivy.

Poison ivy has awesome colours during Autumn. I would say even poison ivy, with this consideration in terms of crime prevention, is a very useful plant.

I know this sounds crazy, but after days of contemplating what to do about a patch of poison ivy, I decided to make friends with it (read...Read More book "Growing Myself- A Spiritual Journey Through Gardening" by Judith Handelsman--very enlightening perspective).

I have two young boys (4&5) that only saw poison ivy in OK at Grandma's house until we moved here to Louisiana from Colorado.

Every chance I get I show them the leaves and describe the itchy reaction dramatically (from personal experience)! So far my warning has been heeded, as I stare at the bright green leaves encircling the base of a live oak tree. I know the birds did it (Which birds? 'mock'ingbirds, probably--hee, hee!)

"How little we know as yet of the life of plants----their hopes and fears, pains and enjoyments!" (John Muir, "A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf"--1916, from above book referral).

I'm another person who has a severe allergy to poison ivy.

Just have to add to look CLOSELY at ALL the pictures you see ...Read Moreanywhere. This plant can look remarkably different in different areas.

I live in the Catskill mountains where poison ivy is endemic. I am highly susceptible to the rash and did my best to avoid it until I too...Read Morek up night hunting with hounds for raccoons. Before then, I had several bouts lasting longer than the doctors said was possible and have scars to prove it. Since taking up hunting in the dark, though, I haven't been able to avoid poison ivy. But, other hunters showed me how to keep it to a minimum:

Before gardening or hunting, grease up with cold cream, Vaseline, or whatever greasy stuff is handy. This prevents the toxic oils from penetrating to your skin as quickly. If I am careful to wash thoroughly when I get back--and put my outer clothing directly in the washing machine--I don't get the rash. I have occasionally gotten the rash from sleeping with my hound, but a quick shower in the morning is enough to get rid of a light dose of second hand oil.

Yes, short haired dogs certainly can get a rash from poison ivy. Our dachshund's belly was covered with it after running through a patch...Read More growing on the ground. Mother Nature

I have six acres of this plant, and although I am 1/8 Native American, Cherokee tribe, I am highly allergic to it. I love my property, b...Read Moreut this plant and the also highly toxic (to me) trumpet creeper have made gardening here very miserable for me at times. After over 25 years as an organic gardener, I have had to finally resort to Roundup (after reading everything I could on the internet about it) as there is no way to pull up the ever present roots physically without getting some of the plant on me. This plant also keeps me from petting my dog, as dogs do not have reactions to this plant, but I can certainly get it from her just by petting her.

My son is also allergic to it, and he gets it every time he visits, and he told me to use Dawn dishwashing detergent and don't use alcohol, because the alcohol will spread it.

I've always been fortunate not to be allergic to any of the 'leaves of three' plants. I am a Native American and wanted to pass on this o...Read Moreld wives tale. I was told that if, in spring, you ingest a small amount of the leaf, that it would render you immune to the plant for the year. I don't advise this, as it is a highly dangerous plant, especially if you are allergic.

I once lived in a small house that had a roof problem. To get to the roof, I'd climb the tree in the back using these huge vines for handhold and footholds. when we hired someone to fix the roof, he asked how I got up to the roof. He was neither immune nor amused when he got covered head to toe with the rash.

Even though I took this plant's name as my Dave's ID, I did so because I figured it was so despised that no one else would be using it, n...Read Moreot because I like the plant. I have had many severe reactions to the toxins in this plant, both from skin contact and smoke inhalation (The latter almost killed me as a child, my throat nearly swelled shut, along with my eyes. It took 3 weeks to get over that episode).

It is true that birds like the seeds. Because of that, new seedlings come up all over the place if you allow seed bearing size plants on your property. I have been nearly overrun with this plant everywhere I have lived in this part of Missouri. Every hiking, camping, and fishing trip is one long ordeal of trying to avoid the plant. I used to try pulling it up, roots and all, but I would inevitably get brushed by a wiry piece hitting my face and get a miserable rash.

Finally, my reactions got so bad I had to go to the doctor each time and get cortisone shots and pills to keep it from taking over my body. So, for a long time, I just gave up a big section of my property to the poison ivy and stayed out of it. That was a big mistake. The birds (and I LOVE birds) spread the seeds everywhere and I started getting it in my garden and flower beds. Now I am using a fine spray of Roundup on a good sunny day in May to kill a little more of it each year.

Some of the vines have reached tremendous size by the creek and have to be sawed down. My advice is to get rid of this plant as soon as you see it if you are allergic to it. Plant something else for the birds.

Why would anyone want this poisonous plant on or near their property? It is very striking in the fall when the foliage has colored up. ...Read MoreBut this has lead to many a person getting infected by picking fall foliage. The old boy scout warning about leaves in groups of threes is true. Do not touch, burn or eat any part of this plant.

It is a plant that has been put here on earth for a reason. It does have a nice fall color.Other comments about not being bothered by thi...Read Mores plant may explain why I am not very susceptible to its poisons. I am of Native American ancestry on my maternal grandmother's side of my family.

I don't usually advertise a product, but several people said that Zanfel helps with the itching and pain:

It grows luxuriantly and has pretty red fall color. It's suitable for poor soils, or just cracks in pavement, in urban areas. No one pl...Read Moreants it, but its good for growing on a fence to dissuade climbers. It feeds birds... but I still pull it out whenever I find it in my back yard. I just thought someone should have something nice to say about it.

Dave Ewald

The leaves at any stage, the stems, and the roots are all poisonous. Never burn to destroy! The smoke inhaled can kill!

"Leaves of three, let it be!" This member of the cashew family emits toxins through its foliage that are highly irritating to many peopl...Read Moree. Sometimes the rash will not show up for several hours or even days; but if you have a brush with poison ivy, prompt action can avoid an outbreak. Ideally, within within 10 minutes swab the area with rubbing alcohol (washing with soap and water may just spread it around further.)

When eradicating poison ivy, think twice about burning the cuttings, as the toxins will transmit through the air, causing severe irritation to lungs and nasal passages of anyone nearby.