Leaves of Three, Let it Be

Poison ivy is a highly adaptable plant that is more prevalent in landscapes tended by humans than in the middle of the woods, according to microbiologist John Jelesko, a Virginia Tech associate professor. Would you recognize it on the grounds of your facility before a hapless employee walks through it and comes down with an itchy rash?

Although all poison ivy plants feature leaves that grow in groups of three, the leaves can be different shapes. Some poison ivy leaves have jagged or lobed edges, others have smooth edges. Poison ivy can grow as a bush, or as a vine that climbs up trees, especially in cities.

Follow these tips from the Plant Clinic at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL to remove poison ivy from your facility’s property:

• Protect yourself with long sleeves, long pants, socks, closed-toe shoes, and heavy disposable gloves.
  
• Pull up small plants by placing a plastic bag over them first. Put the bag, with the plant inside, into a trash bag.
  
• To remove larger plants, spray them with herbicide containing the active ingredients triclopyr or glyphosate. If the poison ivy is interspersed with plants you don’t want to kill, use a disposable paintbrush to apply the herbicide.
  
• For poison ivy plants climbing trees, prune as much of the plant as you can reach. Apply herbicide with the disposable paintbrush and wait for it to die completely before removing it.
  
• Even a dead poison ivy plant contains urushiol, the substance that causes a rash. Handle both dead and live plants carefully and never burn them as the urushiol can persist in smoke and be harmful if inhaled.
  
• Clean your pruners and other tools with mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol. Wear disposable gloves while you clean.
  
• Carefully peel off your gloves and dispose of them, along with your paintbrush. Remove your clothing without letting their outer surface touch your skin and launder them separately in cold water.
  

Wash your body with soap and water soon after handling poison ivy and watch for a streaky, red rash in the next few days. If you do contract a rash, soothe it with anti-itch or cortisone cream. If the rash is serious, consult your physician.