poison oak

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i've never been sure what poison oak looks like. certainly know what poison ivy looks like. i was surprised a few years ago to see it made it's way into my garden somehow. the moment i spotted it i knew it right away from the 3 shinny reddish leaves. grabbed a plastic bag and pulled it fully out of the ground and too the bag and pulled it over the leaves and roots to be sure i didn't touch any of it. i've never had a reaction but i've never tried touching the stuff to find out if i would.

good luck Mama! hope you find a good solution!

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Thanks Moma, the leaves look just like oak leaves and it also has the 3 leaves. By the way, the loveage you sent me has sprouted (I forgot to water the first batch because they were on top of the fridge) and I'm so happy! I'll put it out in the herb bed when it's a little bigger, plus have lots of seedlings to share with friends. Thanks again.

 

[so lucky]

I have spent my whole long life thinking that poison oak and poison ivy looked alike except that poison oak has 5 leaves, while poison ivy has 3. I have been told in the last few years that the plant I have always thought was poison oak is in fact Virginia Creeper. It grows very high up walls or trees, turns red in the fall. Regardless, I will not touch that 5-leafed plant, or the 3-leafed variety. I used to get poison ivy terribly, till I got it from burning the vines in a camp fire. That was, to me, the mother of all poison ivy cases, but it still wasn't as bad as MarshallSmythe's case! However, after that time of inhaling the burning oils, I have been pretty much immune to it. I did get a small patch on my hand after my goat nuzzled/chewed on my hand after eating poison ivy. He sure did like that poison ivy, tho!
Back in the 70's, people who worked for the utility company used to get a course of treatment for prevention of poison ivy/oak. You would take a small vial of medicine every day for 5 days or a week, I think. Then you would not get poison ivy that year. My former spouse knew someone who knew someone--we were able to get the medicine to take also. No side effects that I know of. This was after the camp fire incident, so I may have not have gotten it anyway. Mama Chicken, I have heard of people who suddenly bacame alergic to poison ivy/oak, after a lifetime of not being alergic. Best for you to take caution, too!
(just my 2 cents worth)

 

[897tgigvib]

Poison Oak and Poison Ivy are just different varieties of the same species. They cross. I think most patches are mixed and crossed versions.

Their Family name is Anacardiaceae. Cashews are in the same family, and Cashews get a special treatment to remove the toxic oils before we buy them in cans at the store. Djaknowthat?

Sumac Landscape shrub is also related.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

Yes, I did know that, that's why you never find cashews in the shell like other nuts. I love random bits of trivia.

 

[so lucky]

I didn't know that! It makes sense that if you eat enough cashews, you would not catch poison ivy, then. Doesn't it?

 

[momofdrew]

I didnt know that either we have poison sumac in our woods but it looks different than regular sumac

 

[chris09]

Mama,
For the Poison Oak that your DH has you could try a bar of Fels-Naptha Soap or a lye soap like Grandma's Lye Bar Soap and a good Antihistamine.

For the Poison Oak Plant I second the use of 2-4D.


Chris

 

[nachoqtpie]

I am DEATHLY allergic to Poison Sumac. I got it one time when I was really young, running through the woods at my aunts house. Oh my WORD! It was terrible! They had to admit me to the hospital and tie my hands to the bed so I would quit itching! LOL My daughter has almost the same effect with poison ivy. She seems to get into it despite us CONSTANTLY telling her to watch out for poison ivy. Sometimes it gets so bad on her hands that she won't be able to close her hands!

When she gets into PO... we IMMEDIATELY wash her down with Tecnu. It helps wash the oils. It can be picked up at any pharmacy. My dr told me about it one time when Buggy had it. It can also be used on clothes and on animals.

 

[chris09]

I am DEATHLY allergic to Poison Sumac. I got it one time when I was really young, running through the woods at my aunts house. Oh my WORD! It was terrible! They had to admit me to the hospital and tie my hands to the bed so I would quit itching! LOL My daughter has almost the same effect with poison ivy. She seems to get into it despite us CONSTANTLY telling her to watch out for poison ivy. Sometimes it gets so bad on her hands that she won't be able to close her hands!

When she gets into PO... we IMMEDIATELY wash her down with Tecnu. It helps wash the oils. It can be picked up at any pharmacy. My dr told me about it one time when Buggy had it. It can also be used on clothes and on animals.

Kerosene in a Rx. bottle.
Tecnu works so well because the main active ingredient is Mineral Spirits which is a Paraffin AKA Kerosene.

It good for the skin also. My Grandfather used straight Kerosene for poison ivy all the time.


Chris