And that’s not all you should know about poison ivy…here are some more of the rash-inducing plant facts -

Poison Ivy (toxicodendron radicans):

• is native to North America
• grows as a shrub or vine
• every part of the plant, including the roots and stem, contain an oil called urushiol
• urushiol oil can give you an itchy rash if you come in contact with it
• even in winter, when the plant is dormant, you can still receive a rash as the urushiol oil is present all year long.

Recognizing Poison Ivy in the Winter
Although the plant will be without its distinctive three leaflets, you can still recognize it by the brown and hairy looking bare vines it wraps around tree trunks.

And beware of the trees this ivy chooses to cling to! Even if you have successfully removed the poison ivy vine from the tree the urushiol oil can still remain on the bark. If you’re using firewood that had a poison ivy vine wrapped around it, you can get a rash. Don’t burn any poison ivy vines. The smoke contains urushiol, if breathed in, the oily smoke could cause extreme sickness.

The urushiol oils will get on any object it comes in contact with including: clothes, garden tools and even the fur on your dog. This oil can remain active and can cause a rash months or even years later. So, it’s important to wash your tools, and any clothing that has or may have come in contact with the plant. The urushiol oils also remain active for several years on dead poison ivy plants.

What to Do if you Come in Contact with Poison Ivy

If you come in contact with poison ivy, wash with soap and cold water immediately. Do not use hot water because hot water can open your pores allowing more oil into your skin.

You may also want to keep some anti-itch creams around the house or the garden shed, such as
Repel Sting Eze the ultimate in pain relief from the itch and swelling of bug bites and stings, poison ivy and poison oak for older kids and adults, or Classy Kid Itchy-Boo Anti-Itch Cream which relieves pain and itchiness from insect bites, scrapes, and minor skin irritations. This kid-friendly first-aid cream also dries out oozing rashes associated with poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

So, when your outside getting your garden or yard prepared for spring planting or even cutting down brush to extend your garden take care and look out for poison ivy. If you get a poison ivy rash, be sure to follow the instruction above.

If you find your garden has been taken over by poison ivy, you can try to eradicate it using a product such as Bonide Poison Ivy Killer (safe and effective, it contains Trimec for effective weed control to the roots. easy-to-use quart, RTU systemic, rainfast after drying).