Itching to learn more about poison ivy?
While “Nature Notes” has generally been about the animals here on Daniel Island, we have plenty of plants worth talking about, too. Some are beautiful, some are fascinating, and some need to be treated with a little respect. A recent experience while cleaning up after Irma brought back some old, painful memories. It also served as a fresh reminder that being aware of our surroundings can prevent some very unpleasant consequences.
One beautiful morning in the mid-1970s, my mother declared a yard clean-up day at our Isle of Palms home. My primary job was, with my friend Andrea’s help, to clear out the scrub and underbrush from our flower beds and to remove the many vines, which were climbing our pines, oaks and magnolias. Several hours of machete, hatchet and trimmer work later, we were proud of our progress and Mom seemed happy with the job we had done. There was a head-high pile of limbs, shrubs and vines along Forest Trail that attested to our efforts.
It wasn’t too long, though, before the itching started. What soon became clear was that Andrea and I had hacked, chopped and cut dozens of poison ivy plants that day. In doing so, we had covered nearly every inch of exposed skin with the oils that make this plant notorious, and we were in trouble. We had poison ivy on our eyelids, in our ears and nasal cavities and almost everywhere else. As I recall (this was over 40 years ago), I required cortisone shots and she ended up in the hospital.
Given my past experiences, I always survey my surroundings when working outside. That is why I was quite mad at myself when I broke out from my wrists to my shoulders after cleaning up from Hurricane Irma. While I wore boots, long pants and gloves, I did not wear long sleeves, which I would always do if I had identified any poison ivy in the work area.
Poison ivy is a plant of the sub-family Anacardioideae, which includes, of all things, cashews. How could something so good and something so bad be so closely related? More specifically, Toxicodendron, or the poison sumacs, includes poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. All three exist in eastern South Carolina, but the poison ivy plant is the most common here.
The photo above shows the characteristic three-leafed plant, but be aware that the colors and, to a lesser extent, the shapes do vary. There are volumes of information online for those who want to see the many different appearances of this plant, which may be a few small leaves, a shrub or a vine. For a real-time study, take the trail, which becomes a boardwalk, south from the new pool on Oak Leaf Street in Edgefield Park. There is poison ivy of endless shapes, sizes and colors growing on the ground and climbing the many trees on your right as you walk.
Finally, there is a lot of misinformation around about these irritating plants. Many people think that scratching will spread their rashes. The bumps and itching we experience are the results of contact with urushiol, the oil from the plants. Like a sunburn, the rash is a result of exposure to the irritant. It cannot be spread by scratching unless the oils are still present. Additionally, once the oils are removed, poison ivy cannot be caught from another person. It is not contagious. Many people swear they have individual stories contradicting these facts. Ultimately, though, science refutes these. The onset of symptoms may vary due to some areas of skin being more sensitive than others or because of different levels of exposure. Also, oil can remain on clothing, yard tools, a pet’s fur, or under the fingernails for a long time. Re-exposure to the urushiol is common.
If you might be working or walking in proximity to these plants, do your best to avoid them. If you cannot avoid them, cover exposed skin. Shower and launder your clothing afterward. Not doing so can make for some long, uncomfortable nights.