By Staff
When I was a kid poison ivy wasn't that big a deal. Sure, there was enough around to warrant some caution but it wasn't a primary concern. Over the last couple of decades, though, I've been amazed at how prevalent it has become. Nowadays you're hard put to find a woodlot where you don't have to work your way around large patches of it. In many areas it's so thick you can't get through without walking in it. It's even beginning to routinely sprout up in city lawns and flower beds.
I've long been wondering what the heck is going on. Is poison ivy destined to take over the world? A recent, extensive research project suggests that may be so. It was found that increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) acts like a wondrous fertilizer for poison ivy. It increases the plants photosynthesis, water use efficiency, growth, biomass and toxicity. You know that global warming is well underway, caused largely by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. The study found that at CO2 levels predicted to be present by the year 2050, poison ivy grows 149 percent faster, three times larger, produces more urushiol (the oil that causes the rash) and, most frightening, the urushiol becomes much more potent.
This has implications far beyond the itch factor, too. As alluded to earlier, poison ivy is already working hard to become a predominant plant in many wildland areas. It's not fussy and can thrive anywhere from sand dunes to woodlands. At the mid-century enhanced growth rates predicted in the study poison ivy will seriously upset the balance of wildland ecosystems by crowding out other plants and trees. I can see it now, acres upon acres of nothing but Teenage Mutant Poison Ivy. The beckoning names of housing developments like Meadowbrook, Peace Haven and such will be changed to Itchy Shores, Rash Glen and Dig and Scratch. Trespassing laws will become obsolete for no one will dare venture beyond the sanctuary of their own lawns.
If you're among the 80 percent of humanity susceptible to poison ivy here are some tips for living with it. Prevention is far better than cure. Get to know poison ivy well. My eye picks up the telltale glossy, three leafed configuration like it's a beacon light. If you know or even suspect you've walked through it don't touch your pant legs, shoes or socks until wash water and soap is immediately at hand. Wash the clothing well and not with other laundry. Never mow poison ivy or cut it with a chain saw or weed eater. That sprays a mist of urushiol everywhere, including on the tools where it will re-infect you at every opportunity. Poison it with a strong herbicide but beware that even the dead plant parts remain toxic for years. If you must cut it do it with a set of loppers and wash the loppers thoroughly afterwards. Be sure to herbicide the stump or it will grow right back.
There are a number of products available now for poison ivy protection. Some like Ivy Block is applied to exposed skin beforehand to form a chemical barrier. It works if you can stand the filmy residue. Other products like Tecnu are far superior to plain soap in washing off the urushiol. Rubbing alcohol is a pretty good wash, too. The key is getting it quick, preferably within minutes of contact. After an hour or two the oil is well into bonding to your hide and by six hours or so your toast no matter what you do. There is no cure for poison ivy nor can the duration be shortened but the symptoms can be relieved – sort of. Oral Benadryl helps but can cause drowsiness. Topical Benadryl cream is also popular for itch relief as are the old standbys like Calamine Lotion and Caladryl (which is Calamine with a numbing agent added). Note that the oft used remedy of bleach is useless and can damage your skin. Prescription steroids are sometimes employed for severe cases but this greatly increases the risk of infection, especially from fever blisters which is a form of Herpes. Not good. Carpe diem.