Thursday, July 23, 2009

Identify Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Mother burned an expression in my skull - "Leaves of Three - let them be". This applies to poison ivy and poison oak but as I learned recently not Poison Sumac! If Yes after now that the excruciating, itchy blisters and rashes have started to disappear I thought we should get a little more granular than Mom's catchy phrase. Poison Ivy: Three leaves arise from each branch; the plant can grow in vine or shrub form. Its berries are white and leaves are typically shiny. Poison Ivy is found across the Entire USA and Canada. Poison Oak: Three green leaves (reddish in the spring) grow on a vine or shrub. The leaves resemble those of an oak tree but with rough edges. The plants berries turn white. Poison Oak strikes from New Jersey to Texas and along the West Coast. Poison Sumac: The easiest way to identify this plant is by its red stem. Poison Sumac can sport up to 13 leaves per stem and grows in the form of a tree or shrub. Green berries grow between the leaves and the branch rather than on the end of the branch. Good news for you West Coasters Poison Sumac is only found on the East Coast. Eradicate these pesky plant with the

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