Poison ivy is one thing the hikers and campers need to watch out for. It does grow on the Oregon Coast so you need to know what you are looking for.

They grow throughout much of North America except Alaska, Hawaii and California, and is normally found in wooded areas. It will also grow in rocky areas and in open fields.

We bought some acreage a few years back and did not know what it looked like. Well needless to say, my son Aaron and I were both allergic to it. We broke out in terrible rashes. It did not bother my husband and 2 daughters. We found out real fast what it looked like!

The plant flowers in May to July and has a pretty little bloom. I have heard of people picking them for decoration because they are quite pretty. They produce mature fruits by August to November.

The ivy grows as a shrub up to about 4 ft tall, as a groundcover or as a climbing vine. Older vines on substantial supports send out lateral branches that may at first be mistaken for tree limbs. It is listed as a noxious weed in the United States.

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The leaves are ternate with three almond-shaped leaflets. The berries are a grayish-white color and are a favorite winter food of some birds. There is an old saying ”Leaves of three, let it bee; Berries white, danger in sight.’ and it is so true.

The color ranges from light green on younger leaves and dark green on mature leaves and turn bright red in fall. The leaflets of mature leaves are somewhat shiny. Each leaflet has a few or no teeth along its edge and the leaf surface is smooth. Leaflet clusters are alternate on the vine, and the plant has no thorns.

With these three characteristics;

• Clusters of three leaflets.
• Alternate on the vine.
• Lack of thorns.

are sufficient to positively identify the plant.

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If you happen to be unluckly enough to be around the plant there are some things that you can do. Once it begins, the rash will sometimes clear up on its own by 14-21 days. You need to control the itching and that is pretty hard to do on a child. We had the best luck with cortisone creams over the counter.

Compresses with cool water or Burow’s solution (available without a prescription) can help dry the ooze from blisters faster. There are now many different products that are suppose to help with the rash. You can ask your pharmacist for what he recommends.

The best thing is to learn what poison ivy looks like and stay away from it. If you are allergic to it, it is no fun, so watch when you are hiking or camping and stay away.

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