Poison ivy or.......???

[jeff127]

I have lived at my house for 2 summers now and after the last 2 times weed whipping the outskirt edges of the 2.5 acres I own I have come down with poison ivy blisters all over and cannot for the life me find poison ivy anywhere on the property. I am at a loss here. Is poison oak or sumac a possibility????. Everything with 3 leaves I have found were either raspberries and strawberries. Any help would be appreciated

[skocsuhs]

could be wild parsnip, looks like a dill plant and will give you nasty blisters...google wild parsnip and see if thats what you have around, terrible plant...

[jeff127]

Thanks for the reply. I checked the property and couldn't find any of the wild parsnip....I did find what I thought was poison ivy but ended up being a young box elder. I'm still stumped and now one of my sons has poison ivy rash on his legs.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Could it be you picked it up from somewhere else?

I'll get the oil on my clothes and then onto my skin later.

If I get it on my legs, then scratch my legs through my socks / pants while working, I have to throw those socks away, as the oil doesn't wash out in the laundry.

I get poison ivy every year, sometimes 2-3 times / year so I'm quite susceptible to it now.

[Trashguy]

Do you have the regular "Stag-horn Sumac" (not poison sumac) growing in your yard? Every time I used to trim the new young sumac growth that would start hanging over my lawn, I would get big time blisters just like Poison Ivy. After learning my lesson, I now wear long sleeves and gloves.

[jeff127]

I don't think I have the staghorn in my yard but it does grow nearby. I definitely got it after weed whipping as that was the only yard work I had done prior to both outbreaks on exposed skin...it is all over both arms and my neck and is twice as bad as the last time.

I'm ready to napalm my yard!

[masoct3]

Poison Ivy has three leaves. Also, it is different that Poison Oak.

[dairyman]

take a picture of what you think is the culpert and post it here....somebody should be able to give you a positive ID

[jentz]

Sure its poison ivy blisters??How long does it last? what do you put on it to ease it? Does it spread when you rub it.

[jeff127]

This was definitely poison ivy and it lasted close to 2 weeks each time I got it.....I have yet to find any hint of it on my property.

I have been thinking more about what I did in the days prior to both outbreaks....after both times whipping the yard I brought my sons shore fishing on a local lake. I wouldn't think poison ivy would grow in the spot we fished but I am going to stop by and check it out to see. I actually hope it is growing there so I can resume my yard work.

[Stick in Mud]

Interesting (but unfun) issue....I'm curious about what it turns out to be.

In my personal experience, I've never had that kind of reaction from poison ivy, but not everyone reacts the same way, so my experience doesn't help.

I hope you do figure it out. And let us know what the answer is...

[EBass]

I've had poision ivy once and that was enough.

I didn't think poision oak and sumac grew this far north. I'll google the home range of those plants and see what I can find.

Yup found a map on the CDC site. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/plants/

No poision oak, but poision ivy and sumac are hear.

[jeff127]

I spend ALOT of time in the woods at all times of the year and have never had an out break like the last 2. Completely covering my right arm to my sternum, in between all fingers on left hand, on neck and face, and a sprinkling on my legs. I guess the more you get it the worse it gets.

[jeff127]

Well after many hours of combing my yard for the elusive poison ivy I just found the reason for my outbreaks. The spot I was bringing my kids shore fishing was COMPLETELY covered in poison ivy. I would have never thought it would grow there but it does. Both boys were getting their lines tangled in the 4 foot tall "bushes" and I was in there untangling; ripping off leaves and branches. My one son who didn't get any reactions was even rolling around in it several times after falling off his chair.

I can now id this demon plant with ease so future outbreaks will hopefully be few and far between.

Thanks for everyone's help on my wild goose chase.