
Keep Your Family Safe from Poisonous Plants this Summer
Poisonous plants, if touched, can affect the health of your family or pets. It’s important to check your yard for poisonous plants in early summer and remove them as soon as possible. If you’re wondering how to get rid of noxious plants, see our tips for identifying and removing poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and giant hogweed.
Poison Ivy
Stay away from poison ivy, as touching the plant can cause an itchy skin rash. Most people are allergic to poison ivy, so the appearance of a rash on the skin is common after coming in contact with this plant. A person’s reaction to the plant’s oil (urushiol) may vary. Some people get a rash just by standing near the plant on a breezy day because the wind easily carries the oil.
If you have a pet that ventures outside, they may brush against a poison ivy plant and get oil on their fur. The next time you pet your furry friend, you may touch the oil and develop a rash.
What does poison ivy look like?
Poison ivy grows as a bush, a single plant, or as a clinging vine. Look for dark green leaves that grow in groups of three.
All of the leaves have pointed tips. The middle leaf is attached by a small stem, while the two side leaves are attached to the vine.
Poison ivy plants produce clusters of white berries from spring to winter. The leaves will turn a reddish-orange color in autumn.
How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy – Non-Chemical and Chemical Methods
Ways to remove poison ivy without chemicals include:
Pulling plants by hand – To protect your skin from plant oil, put on gloves, protective eyewear, long pants, closed-toed shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt.
Pull the plant and place it in a garbage bag for disposal. Remove gloves and clothing, then wash clothing in hot water.
DIY A poison ivy spray –Mix 1 cup of table salt and 1 gallon of vinegar in a saucepan. Heat until the salt is dissolved, then let cool.
Next, add 8 drops of liquid dish soap and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the plant’s leaves with the solution.
Be patient. It often takes a few applications to kill the plant completely.
Remove poison ivy with chemical products:
Spray poison ivy plants with a systemic, glyphosate-based herbicide (Roundup). Or use a glufosinate-based herbicide (Killzall 365).
It takes a few days to see results.
Poison Oak
The foliage of poison oak looks very similar to oak leaves. Like poison ivy, exposure to poison oak can cause an itchy, stinging skin rash. You can also get a rash from touching an object with poison oak oil (urushiol) on the surface, like a gardening tool, piece of clothing, or pet fur.
What does poison oak look like?
Poison oak is commonly seen in the western United States. It may grow as a shrub or a climbing vine and is has light-green, white, or yellow berries.
Like poison ivy, poison oak leaves grow in three leaves. The leaf tips are rounded, and the leaf edges have a wavy appearance. The underside of the foliage is fuzzy and a lighter green.
In spring, poison oak has small greenish blooms which become berries in summer. The stems look grey and have tiny hairs on the surface.
When identifying poison oak, remember the old saying, “Leaves of three, let them be.”
How do I get rid of poison oak?
Ways to remove poison oak:
Like removing poison ivy, one method is to pull the plants by hand. Be sure to wear protection – gloves, protective eyewear, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and closed-toed shoes. When finished, remove gloves and clothing and wash in hot water.
Or, use a glyphosate herbicide to kill poison oak. Apply herbicide after you see berries but before the foliage changes color in fall.
Keep in mind that glyphosate herbicide is nonselective; it will also kill surrounding plants that come in contact with the spray.
Poison Sumac
Poison sumac grows in wooded, swampy areas in the southeastern part of the U.S. and Florida. It also grows in wet, wooded regions in the northern states.
Like Poison ivy and poison oak, poison sumac produces oil that can cause an allergic reaction (contact dermatitis). If you touch poison sumac, an itchy rash may develop on your skin.
If you believe you may have touched poison sumac, thoroughly clean any clothing, camping gear, or items that may have contacted the plant.
What does poison sumac look like?
Poison sumac can grow in tree form or as a shrub.
Poison sumac in tree form often has long, slender branches that droop downwards. The plant has double rows of six to twelve leaves on each stem, with one leaf at the stem end.
Each leaf is oval-shaped and tapers to a point. Poison sumac has red stems and clusters of green berries in summer.
How do I get rid of poison sumac?
Use the same methods to remove poison sumac as you would for removing poison ivy and poison oak.
Giant Hogweed
Giant hogweed was first imported to the U.S. and Canada as a specimen plant in Victorian gardens. Unfortunately, giant hogweed is now considered an invasive plant that thrives in New York, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and parts of Canada.
The sap of a giant hogweed plant contains photosensitizing furanocoumarins, which can cause serious skin inflammation.
Giant hogweed is an especially noxious plant as exposure can cause:
- Serious skin inflammation – burn-like lesions may form
- Painful blisters that become dark and pigmented
- Scars that can last for months or years
- Long-term sensitivity to sunlight at the affected area
What does giant hogweed look like?
Giant hogweed grows from 7 to 14 feet in height. This dangerous plant blooms in white, umbrella-shaped flower clusters that grow approximately 2 1/2 feet in width. The leaves are large (5 ft in width) and deeply lobed. Giant hogweed stems are green with purple splotches and white hairs.
How do I get rid of giant hogweed?
Giant hogweed can be removed by hand, with mechanical assistance, or with an herbicide. A combination of two or three methods is the best approach.
Protect your skin by putting on gloves, protective eyewear, long pants, closed-toed shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt.
Manual and mechanical removal methods include:
- Root Cutting
- Seed Head Removal
- Cutting and Moving
- Cut and Cover
Herbicide control methods:
- Spray a systemic herbicide such as glyphosate or triclopyr to kill giant hogweed.
Bonus Tip: Do not use a string trimmer or brush cutter when removing poisonous plants. The plant oil or sap may disperse or be picked up by the wind. It may land on your skin and cause a rash. In the case of giant hogweed, serious skin inflammation may result and may require medical attention.