I'm one of the lucky few who don't get that stuff.
-Jason
I don't have anything to add to all the "treatment" info already posted - but as per the "identification" - I would like to add something. The "leaves of three - let it be" axiom is the BEST way to go. Even for very experienced outdoors people - the identification of poison ivy is more complicated than most people realize. Despite what you may think you know - poison ivy and poison oak are actually the exact same species of plant. When that plant grows in certain soil, water, alkalanity, mineral, sunlight conditions - it can come up looking like ivy (the pictures posted earlier in this thread). If it grows in OTHER conditions - it can come up with "oak" type leaves. BUT - the key here - is that it can come up looking like a VARIETY of leaf shapes in between these two as well - so the identification is far from clear cut. "Leaves of three - let it be". Also - As for those greyish "hairy" poison ivy vines that climb up trees and look lifeless without leaves (winter or not) ? ...DON'T touch them either. You can get the rash from these as well. Not everyone has an allergic reaction to the unseen oils (urshoil) that rub onto you from the plant. BUT one last thing is - with most allergies - an allergist can try to "de-sensitize" you to something you are allergic to by gradually increasing your exposure to it. BUT - With Poison ivy / oak .... the more you are exposed - the more likely you will be to start having an allergic reaction to it. (Many times you will hear folks say they could "roll around in it" as a kid - but have a bad reaction now as an adult)
Jack Daniels
I have suffered with PI most of my life. For whatever reason I am just really sensitive to it. The thing I have found that works the best by far is Jack Daniels. And no not internally. I rub it over the PI a couple of times a day and it dries it up in no time. This is especially effective if you get it right when it appears.Originally Posted by Astro
Leaves of three... is a good rule of thumb, but it's also just that, a rule... I was checking out my tomato plants a few days ago and I saw a little seedling sprouting among them, and noticed it had Leaves of three. I let it stay because I like to ID a plant before I pull it; as I looked at it, it looked familar...long story short, it turns out it is a Spanish Needle plant, which is edible and a great pollinator attractor, so I'm glad I didn't pull it.
Here's some pics of the "adult" Spanish Needle plant
1+ on the hot water - my dog got into PI, curled up on my bed pillows - I was covered . I'd get into the hottest shower I could manage - it makes it itch like crazy at first, but when you get out of the shower - instant relief for a long time. For small patches, (I had some later on my leg) I would hold my hot cup of coffee against it, or blast the hair dryer on the patch.
The funny thing is that in 30+ years as a nurse practitioner, I always advised patients not get get overheated - take cool baths etc. Boy was I dumb! heat is the best thing for itch relief - it causes a massive histamine release and then relief for hours.
probably just the alcohol. rubbing alcohol would most likely have the same effect, but better since it has more alcohol in it. the whole point is to dry it all out. alcohol is good at this.
Do you realize you followed the rule by ...Letting it be?
I may have missed your point though...
No, not the same -- I allow all unknown plants to grow.
I allow many plants to grow in my yard, many which others consider weeds, because acutally they are good for various things, but I only know this from not yanking them when I first find them and observe how they fit into my little eco-system.
However, there are a few (just a few) that I do consider a weed and poison ivy is one and I yank it out of the way when I see it. If I had deer around here I'd let it be and let them eat it.
One of my best weeds I've discovered is the Florida Betony (Stachys floridana) because it's a food source for so many pollinators as we come out of winter. If I were to yank that there'd be no food source early in the year when it's much needed. However, it's almost unanimous among growers that it's a weed, I disagree.
This lady found out the same thing I did: http://www.greenbasket.me/category/faith-and-food/
Excerpt:
When we moved into this house almost a year ago (a year!) I decided that the worst “weeds” in my yard were purple nut sedge and Florida betony. I spent countless hours digging the tubers and roots out by hand in my larger beds, pulling top growth constantly. I killed one established rose bush and two expensive golden rain tree seedlings with my vigorous weeding. Then we started sheet mulching, and though the deep sheet mulching suppressed the hated nut sedge, the Florida betony punched right through. There was nothing I could do except keep ripping out top growth- disturbing the sheet mulching layers would invite more weeds and grass to come through. One day my husband, ignorant of the war, commented “Those are pretty flowers, what are those?”
When we were walking around in the yard, checking on the plants. “Florida betony.” I gritted my teeth, angry that I had overlooked such a big clump. “Aren’t those native?” says my husband, knowing that I am pro-native plants. I made some noise of assent and we moved on.
Our mild, cool winter caused many of my plants to start shooting and budding early. Then in February we had our first hard freeze, and everything in my yard that was starting to bloom was frozen back… everything except the Florida betony. The Florida betony exploded into rapid growth, blooming like crazy despite the frost.
And the next sunny day, those small purple flowers were absolutely covered in bees. Big bees. Little bees. Bees everywhere.
So I left the betony alone in certain areas- around the front porch, along the edges of the food forest, around the duranta bushes that were struggling to come back after the hard frost in March. I realized that the Florida betony was the only plant of any number blooming in my yard. It was in fact, the major early spring food source for the bees until the citrus trees started blossoming.
2 years ago the southern half of the Smokies were infested with the stuff. Luckily on that section hike my allergies were already bothering me so I was taking Zyrtec or Allegra every day. As a result I didn't break out even though I'm sure I rubbed up against the stuff and definitely got my hiking poles in it.
I bought a tube of Zanfel based on some other recommendations via e-bay (about $16) but I haven't had to use it yet. Hopefully I won't ;-)
In 1984, I was working weekends for a landscaper in Natchez, MS. I spent most of time doing ornamental pruning. It seems that the day before I arrived at the job, a crew had removed a pick-up load of PI out of a couple of huge Juniper bushes. In July in Mississippi, I would work all day in just shorts and boots. Long story short, I got covered. Like 85%/90% of my skin was affected. In 3 days, I went to the doctor who wanted to put me in the hospital. I told him that was not an option for a verity of reasons. Reluctantly, he started me on a treatment plan. He gave me 2 shots, a box of some kind of antihistamine (I think) samples and a scrip for a prednisone. Told me to get this oatmeal bath stuff from the pharmacy and soak in the hottest bath I could stand at least twice a day. I went back to him every 3rd day for 2 weeks. Each time he would give me a shot. I could not tell you what was in those shots nor did I care. He was the doctor and said when I was done taking the shots I would be virtually immune. It took me nearly 2 years to pay that Doc what he was owed, but it was probably some of the best-spent money in my life. To date I have not had the first bump (Knocking wood) in all this time. I have a great deal of respect for the “leaves of 3” family of plants. I know most of the variants out there, and just stay away when I see it. It looks like there is a bumper crop in GA this year, so it is nearly impossible not to at least be brushed by something. Be careful out there.
Jack Daniels? Now this is something I can stand (or wobble) behind.
But like I said earlier... I'm one of the lucky souls that can roll around in that stuff and never itch.
-Jason
That is what I thought until right before I started this thread.Jack Daniels? Now this is something I can stand (or wobble) behind.
But like I said earlier... I'm one of the lucky souls that can roll around in that stuff and never itch.Be careful your time may be coming.
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
I hear people eventually become allergic to it though most of family isn't allergic to it to this day. Two of the people being my grandparents who are 88 and 92.That is what I thought until right before I started this thread.
That being said..... my Mom is so allergic to it that she can't stand down wind from the plant without getting it. So maybe my days are coming.... but lets pray not.
-Jason
Thank you for mentioning this. You reduced my ignorance today! I have concerns about applying this to skin as I think it's transdermal and even the deodorized MS can affect people with its vapors. Technu cautions against applying this product to oozing or broken skin too.
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