Purplecrane
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When I was in training for backcountry emergency medicine, out of a class of 200 eager students only 15 were able to identify even one of the three most common poisonous plants in the area. These three plants grow on most of North America and varieties grow in parts of Europe and Asia. (I am sure Australia and Africa have their own poisonous things to worry about.)
Toxicodendrons produce a skin-irritating oil called urushiol, which can cause a mild to severe allergic reaction depending upon the extent of exposure. Not every person reacts to urushiol (approximately 15% of Americans are immune) however if you're one of the 85%, being unable to identify these plants could ruin your day (or week.)
Please take note:
- Poison Ivy has serrated leaves in groups of three
- Poison oak has undulated leaves in groups of three
- Poison Sumac has a red stem with an odd pinnate leaf structure
Stay itch-free this season, Imgur.
WhatAreTatersPrecious
Fun fact. I'm not allergic to poison ivy. Found out when my brother and I were clearing some out of my dads back yard.
cluckythehorse
I feel itchy
theycallmethumper
"Hairy vine is no friend of mine". Also dawn dish soap cuts through the oil it leaves on skin. Also also some people (me) aren't affected.
raptorsgottanewalpha
Poison ivy leaves are rarely serrated in the Midwest
caunphety
I frolicked through poison ivy and yanked the vines of the other 2 as a kid. Quickly became immune to it.
Iliveforcats
At a bonfire we accidentally burned some poison ivy. I inhaled it and had to go to the hospital, they told me not to shower for three weeks.
hofbrauhauss
I had sumac all over my body last year. Started on my leg, spread to the other then slowly up, then arms then chest...then my pee pee
MissAizea
Learn to wash your hands
hofbrauhauss
If only it was that simple. I scrubbed every inch of my body and washed every item of clothing and bedding. Allergies man.. allergies.
ApophisTheFalseGodIsDead
Thanks!
AniTheCrazy
OI. I didn't know what Poison Sumac was until just now, but I had taken a picture of it before!
tuxedobob
Shiny leaves are bad.
UrbexSpider
Leaves of three let it be. Not 100% but not a bad baseline.
SgtChowdown
Curious George taught my kids "Leaves of three, let it be, but if it's hairy? It's just a berry!"
Relicanth
I was about to say strawberries have an uncanny resemblance to poison ivy minus the berry thing.
furiouslumberjack
People with past rashes may have them reappear if they eat mangos, since they share a compound. Wife found this out recently.
heterochromiairidum
Relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/443/
Emjayen
And then you have Australia with the Gympie-gympie plant, of which's sting reportedly caused a man to commit suicide to escape the pain.
eljefegrande
Poison ivy doesn't have true berries, but it does have drupes that are berry-shaped. Birds love 'em, humans not so much.
pobody
Last time I got in that crap it was two months and 3 rounds of steroids before my knee stopped swelling like a basketball.
tobucks
Well, crap! Now I'm itching!
RobertEmmet
Jewel weed often grows near Poison Ivy, and if you crush up the JW stems and rub the juice all over the rash, it soothes it a bit
NuclearGuy
Anybody hear of scorpion weed from dessert south west of North America? Fuck that shit...
MissAizea
I think maybe I'm immune, I grew up in nw ca, practically lived in the forest and ate any berry I came across. Never had an issue
Purplecrane
Actually CA is one of the states wherein these plants seldom grow
MissAizea
Ca is rampant with poison oak.
mikalove
NOOOO. POISON IVY HAS BERRIES. "Berries of white, run in fright." It also has "hairy" vines, which are the aerial roots.
KingOfTheAnarchists
Yeah, the hairy vine got my friend real bad while we were on mushrooms. Just wanted to pet the fuzzy tree, man...
raptorsgottanewalpha
And it rarely has serrated edges in the Midwest
raptorsgottanewalpha
It looks like this
sghoul13
I find that staying in my house prevents me from having to remember any of this :)
TheOriginalBenson
Relatable
crann
And if you do get into some, there is a scrub that works wonders: Tecnu. Most pharmacies will have it.
wildcatfan4life
It's also sold at any major chain store like Wal-Mart or Target, most of the gas stations around me sell it in summer also.
lindydanny
Scrub with a cloth using almost any soap will get rid of the oil.
fragmentedfire
This stuff is legit. My wife gets bad rashes from poison ivy. Tecnu and steroid shots are the only thing that stop it.
ChunkyFart
Washing the oil off with soap and water within about 15 minutes of contact can stop the rash
mikeatike
I take a shower immediately after mowing the lawn due to this. Ivarest cream works good as well. http://www.ivarest.com/
crann
Absolutely! That's is the best option. But if you get a rash, Tecnu is the shit. Saved my ass a time or two when i was doing tree work.
yourbassist
I had poison ivy all over my dick last year. Probably the worst week and a half of my life.
Everythingisracist
So it wasn't worth it, Batsy?
halborski
yourbassist
Try waking up at 4am with an itchrection
MmmCookiePoops
Wish I wouldve known at 7 yrs old before I army crawled under some "bushes"
Purplecrane
I fell out of a tree and into some "bushes." I was in the hospital for 3 weeks. They were perplexed and even tested me for scarlet fever.
justanotherimgurianbidenhistime
I'll just walk through them and touch someone's face. I'm immune. Muwahaha!
RiddlingVenus0
Rub some all over your dick and then have sex.
justanotherimgurianbidenhistime
Muwahahaha!!
MmmCookiePoops
Yeah, I hear ya. Ive had summer breeakouts on the same spots 20 yrs later. There has to be a real fix.
Purplecrane
Is that why I'm still 'allergic' to everything?
ChadderJaw
Could be, my family never had a problem with ivy, but my dad got into poison sumac 1 year and now the lightest touch is a hospital visit.