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If my kids say “poison ivy” they get it. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but every summer someone’s covered from head-to-toe in poison ivy and I’m done. I have the natural remedies for poison ivy [2] down-I’ve had to use them so many times.
The saying goes “leaves of three let them be”. Learning how to identify poison ivy and then avoiding it is the best way to prevent an allergic reaction. It’s true that poison ivy always comes in “leaves of three”, but so do many other plants.
This summer I’m determined to avoid poison ivy like the plague.
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Here are a few guidelines to help recognize poison ivy. Follow along and then run…..
Where does it grow?
Everywhere in the US and southern Canada except the far west, deserts and at high altitude.
What does it look like?
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- Poison ivy is a cluster of three leaves at the end of a stem.
- The center leaf usually (almost always) has a small stem and the two side leaves grow directly from the vine and don’t have stems.
- The two side leaves are smaller than the middle leaf. The middle leaf will always stick out more than the other two.
- The three leaves are generally smooth and sometimes have shiny leaves – one extending from the end of the stem and two radiating from the same point a little farther down the stem
- Poison ivy leaves are generally fatter at the base of the leaf.
- Some poison ivy has jagged leaves, but not always.
- Poison ivy can be found as a vine on a tree, ground cover or as a bush.
- In spring the young leaves may appear bright green and shinny, but the color can fade and the leaf can become waxy later in the season.
- The leaves will change color in the fall and can turn red or orange.
Best advice: if you’re not sure avoid it!
Do you have any advice for recognizing poison ivy?
photo credit: PI – New and Old [5] via photopin [6] (license) [7]
photo credit: yoctotech [8] via photopin [6] cc [9]
photo credit: fyrefiend via photopin [6] cc [9]