Poison ivy leaves are easy to miss among those of other plants. This poison ivy vine, with groups of three leaflets, is climbing a tree trunk along with Virginia creeper. (Morton Arboretum)
In the sanctuary of your yard, danger may lurk in the form of poison ivy.
This woody vine, which can cause a nasty rash on contact with bare skin, is often found in home landscapes, said Julie Janoski, manager of the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.
“It’s easy to miss among the other green leaves,” she said. Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) can grow as a bush, a low seedling that is ankle- or knee-high, or a vine climbing a tree or a fence. Yards often are a good poison ivy habitat because, in nature, this native plant tends to flourish among the undergrowth at the edge of the woods in the eastern U.S. — an environment very similar to a typical suburban landscape.
The rash is an allergic reaction to an oil called urushiol that is present in every part of the plant. “That’s what causes the blisters and the itch,” Janoski said. Some people don’t get the allergic reaction, but for the majority who do, it’s a miserable experience that can linger for weeks.
Only contact with the oil — not contact with the rash — will cause a reaction, but it doesn’t take much.
You might want to read more here before venturing out in your property in shorts.
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