MIAMI VALLEY — It’s the time of year that has everyone itching to head outside.
Whether you plan to spend time doing yard work or taking a hike through the woods it’s helpful to know the signs of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.
All three produce an oil called urushiol that almost everyone is allergic to and develop an itchy skin rash, Kettering Health Network stated in a media release.
Poison ivy has three leaflets and grows as a shrub or vine. Depending on the season, poison ivy leaves may change colors. In the summer leaves are green, spring leaves are red, fall leaves are orange or red. Poison ivy has also been known to have white berries.
Poison oak looks very similar to poison ivy with its three leaflets, but the tips are rounded and fuzzy. The leaves are also lighter on the bottom than the top. Growing mostly in the western U.S., the shrub sometimes has white or yellow berries.
Finally, poison sumac grows mostly in wet swampy regions. Poison sumac grows as a tall shrub or small tree with drooping clusters of green berries. Each leaf has clusters of seven to 13 smooth leaflets arranged in pairs.
What you can do if you come into contact with a poisonous plant:
- Apply anti-itch creams
- Use antihistamines
- Take a colloidal oatmeal bath
- Use cold compresses