How to Identify Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy is a woody shrub or vine with thorny looking aerial roots. It grows up to 10 feet or more, crawling high on trees, walls and fences or trails on the ground. The complete parts of poison ivy, including the roots, are poisonous at all times and anywhere it is located.
POISON Ivy is usually confused with other plants. Here are the key variances to observe to determine poison ivy from other similar plants.
Poison ivy is three divided leaves with the center leaflet on a longer stalk. There are also white, waxy berries along the stem. The leaves on the other hand alternate on the stem. Poison Ivy can be an erect shrub or crawling vine
Fragrant sumac however, is three divided leaves center leaflets not on a stalk. There flourish red, fuzzy berries at the end of stem and it is an erect shrub
Box elder is another relative which has three to seven divided leaves. Its leaflets pinnate like a feather. The leaves are located opposite on stem and it is an erect tree
Virginia creeper which is also common has three to five divided leaves. Its leaflets palmate like an outstretched hand. There emerge blue-black berries along the stem and its main feature is it is trailing or climbing vine.
The toxin in poison ivy is oil called uroshoil which causes an allergic skin reaction on many people especially the young ones. The reaction, an itchy rash with watery blisters, is different in severity among people exposed to it. It can vary from year after year on the same person.
The poison ivy reaction can be decreased if you change clothing promptly and wash the skin that came in contact with the oil with soap and warm water. If you can wash all the oil off from the skin that was exposed to the toxin within 5 minutes of contact, no irritation will happen. Even water from a running stream or river is an efficient cleanser. The oil from poison ivy can remain potent on clothing and footwear as long as it could so be careful not to contact yourself to the oil again. The oil can also be spread on pet fur and in the fume of burning poison ivy.
You can utilize various products such as MultiShield used before to anticipated contact or Tecnu Skin Cleanser to clean exposed skin. However, the best means to prevent the allergic rash is being able to recognize poison ivy.
Poison Ivy is a problem to people but compensates by having valuable wildlife importance. The white, waxy berries are a known delicacy for songbirds during autumn migration and in winter when other foods are scarce. Robins, catbirds and grosbeaks really like the berries as a source of food. Many birds feed on insects hidden in the tangled and crawling vines. Small mammals and deer feed on the poison ivy foliage, twigs and berries. So during your stay in the woods leave the plants alone and just be careful not to get in contact with it.