News & Tips

Don't play with poison ivy

Many would place poison ivy alongside mosquitoes at the top of the “What was Mother Nature thinking?” list, but it's a maddening fact of life for thousands of American farmers, gardeners, hunters, and homeowners. Poison ivy occurs in every portion of the U.S. and southern Canada except for the high-altitude mountains and deserts of the Far West. Some estimates say more than 90 percent of humans are susceptible to developing an allergic reaction if exposed enough times, and twice will usually do the trick.

A poison ivy rash is caused by an oil called urushiol that is found in the leaves, vines, and roots of the plant, and it can easily be washed off with water. The key, however, is timing. Research shows that if you wait 10 minutes, only 50 percent of the urushiol can be removed. After 30 minutes, only 10 percent can be removed. After an hour, you're pretty much out of luck.

Here are some answers to several persistent myths related to poison ivy:

• Poison ivy cannot be spread through the bloodstream of by scratching an existing rash and distributing the fluid found in blisters. Only direct contact with the urushiol oil will cause the rash.
• You can contract a rash from a dead poison ivy plant. Even when you kill the plant with a glyphosate herbicide like Roundup, the urushiol is still present for months and possibly years. Remember, it's not the plant you have to worry about; it's the oil.
• There are very few people who don't react at all to urushiol. It's a matter of time.
• You can't contract a rash just by being near poison ivy, but when people burn the plant the oil actually becomes airborne in the smoke. If you inhale it, it can seriously injure your lungs. Weed-eating a patch of poison ivy can also spray the oil all over you. If this happens, immediately find a shower or water source and wash off thoroughly.