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Mostly, i feel pretty good about being able to identify lots of plants.
It’s just something i enjoy, as a rank amateur.

But, in my life, Poison Ivy, and the other poison plants,
Poison Oak and Poison Sumac, escape me!

i read, i study pictures, i have no confidence!
This winter, i tried a little harder to get it. Still, no confidence.

i honestly wonder if i have a mental block over it?

Saturday Night Quiz: Poison Ivy!

https://www.poison-ivy.org/poison-ivy-quiz



i worked outside today. felt sure i was trimming and handling poison ivy.
i had a container of my untried DIY weed killer, i kept dipping my hand in it, hopefully, to prevent poison ivy rash.

DIY Weed Killer: Spray mixture
1 Gallon Vinegar
1 Cup Epson Salts
1/4 Cup Original Blue Dawn dish detergent

Mayo Clinic says probably 12+ hours before rash shows up.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20376485

I think the hard part is that poison ivy doesn't always look the same and other plants can look similar.

There are some online quizzes that look helpful. Here's one.

https://www.poison-ivy.org/poison-ivy-quiz

Poison Ivy has the 3 shiny, smooth leaves.

Wash with soap and water IMMEDIATELY after coming in contact with poison ivy. Soap up and rinse at least twice, maybe 3 times. Depending how sensitive you are to poison ivy - take a shower, and turn your clothes inside out as you take them off. Throw them into the washer without touching the outside of the contaminated clothing - wash your hands again!

Can you tell I've had experience with poison ivy?

Somebody wrote:Poison Ivy has the 3 shiny, smooth leaves.

Wash with soap and water IMMEDIATELY after coming in contact with poison ivy. Soap up and rinse at least twice, maybe 3 times. Depending how sensitive you are to poison ivy - take a shower, and turn your clothes inside out as you take them off. Throw them into the washer without touching the outside of the contaminated clothing - wash your hands again!

Can you tell I've had experience with poison ivy?

I usually don't catch it but know plenty who do. The easiest and best washing is with a mechanic's hand cleaner, such as Go-Jo.

Bootstrap wrote:I think the hard part is that poison ivy doesn't always look the same and other plants can look similar.

There are some online quizzes that look helpful. Here's one.
https://www.poison-ivy.org/poison-ivy-quiz

Yes, it has a common look, AND, it doesn’t always look the same, in addition to seasonal changes, color, flowers, berries. This is making me crazy in my advanced years. i think, by now, i should know it! i don’t.

The quiz is the same as the OP quiz. i think it is helpful.

Somebody wrote:Poison Ivy has the 3 shiny, smooth leaves.

Wash with soap and water IMMEDIATELY after coming in contact with poison ivy. Soap up and rinse at least twice, maybe 3 times. Depending how sensitive you are to poison ivy - take a shower, and turn your clothes inside out as you take them off. Throw them into the washer without touching the outside of the contaminated clothing - wash your hands again!

Can you tell I've had experience with poison ivy?

Do you feel anything at contact?
i have read about horror stories, and witnessed different people battling rashes. Not good.

i have a few wild viney-things that want to grow around my house.
one, like the OP (left) picture, looks very like the OP picture of poison ivy (on the right).

i planted Boston Ivy on the front/south side of my house a few years ago.
it’s thriving! i like it. mostly, i planted it to help insulate from the summer sun. ihink it helps.
it needs trimming. my house is not big, one level, so Boston Ivy is really too big for it.
i plan to keep it trimmed back.

i find wild viney things want to grow in it. i do not appreciate that part.
last year, i noticed milkweed growing in it! i’m going to try to let it be. Monarch butterflies!

no rash this morning, so, maybe i dodged that bullet. i hope.
i’m afraid to feel confident.

Jim
I usually don't catch it but know plenty who do.
The easiest and best washing is with a mechanic's hand cleaner, such as Go-Jo.

i must not be terribly sensitive to it, or, surely i would have gotten into it in my life.
i have no idea. i fear it. like ticks.

On the OP quiz page, there’s a link to a shield product:

“AITEX: YOUR SHIELD AGAINST POISON IVY
Regular price $19.99

Aitex is the outdoor lover's best friend after a hike, hunt, or disc golf tournament.
Just put it on and wipe it off and you can forget about poison ivy!

Aitex is pet-friendly and can be used to help remove poison ivy oils from fur before your pets spread it to you and your loved ones.” .. ..
https://getaitex.com/

i’ve not known anyone who used a “shield” like this. ^^

No, you don't feel anything on contact. It will show up the next morning if you got into it. I just got 2 thumbprint sized patches of poison ivy just below my elbow after pulling weeds in my asparagus patch. Apparently there was a little plant growing and I didn't notice it. And I didn't use enough soap or didn't wash all the oils off. Had a few itchy days, but its mostly gone now.

For me, if the area affected is large, the skin opens and weeps a yellow clear fluid. As a child, several times I needed to go to the doctor for prednizone to clear it up. I learned to watch for poison. My youngest son is the same way. He had one big, bad episode - face swelling included - and on 4th of July weekend, so the doctors weren't in the office. Thankfully I could call & leave a message and she returned my call. She also was willing to call a prescription in to the Pharmacy without us having to run in to see her first.

If I know there is poison ivy, and the plant is small, I will get a plastic grocery bag and use it as a 'glove' to pull the poison out, then turn the bag inside out with the poison ivy plant inside. Throw it in the trash. And then I go wash my hands - maybe I'm paranoid, but I'd rather NOT get poison ivy!

temporal1 wrote:The quiz is the same as the OP quiz. i think it is helpful.

Oops - I didn't see the link in your post. I was wondering why the subject said "quiz". Sorry!

Somebody wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 9:41 am No, you don't feel anything on contact. It will show up the next morning if you got into it. I just got 2 thumbprint sized patches of poison ivy just below my elbow after pulling weeds in my asparagus patch. Apparently there was a little plant growing and I didn't notice it. And I didn't use enough soap or didn't wash all the oils off. Had a few itchy days, but its mostly gone now.

For me, if the area affected is large, the skin opens and weeps a yellow clear fluid. As a child, several times I needed to go to the doctor for prednizone to clear it up. I learned to watch for poison. My youngest son is the same way. He had one big, bad episode - face swelling included - and on 4th of July weekend, so the doctors weren't in the office. Thankfully I could call & leave a message and she returned my call. She also was willing to call a prescription in to the Pharmacy without us having to run in to see her first.

If I know there is poison ivy, and the plant is small, I will get a plastic grocery bag and use it as a 'glove' to pull the poison out, then turn the bag inside out with the poison ivy plant inside. Throw it in the trash. And then I go wash my hands - maybe I'm paranoid, but I'd rather NOT get poison ivy!

Be careful out there!