Information about poison ivy, oak, sumac and the skin rashes they cause
My last blog post was about how poison ivy sometimes reveals itself with fall color. Here is a weird one where poison ivy is "pretending" to be part of a tree.
One interesting thing that happens in the fall is that, sometimes, poison ivy gets shown to be hiding in plain site. Here we have a poison ivy vine growing in a hedge. During the spring, summer, and winter, the ivy blends in with the hedge.
This is a pattern I have seen fairly often, where poison ivy leaves turn into spectacular fall color patterns. I have no idea why this pattern develops, but it sure is eye-catching.
Here is another good example of poison ivy showing its fall colors. This impressive vine is climbing a tree and spreading out its branches over 6 feet in all directions.
It is everywhere right now in the northern states: poison ivy is among most lovely fall color you will see, which will likely cause a few sad people to pick poison ivy leaves to decorate the house. The results can be really awful.
Staghorn sumac is as common as poison ivy; seen along almost all highways in the northeast. In the fall, it comes up with some of the most spectacular fall colors.
Here is a nice little story sent in by a visitor to the site, which makes a good reminder for the fall season:
There is plenty of poison ivy by the side of roads throughout New England and in fact, all over the Eastern US. But this mess was a standout. The patch of ivy is about 8 feet deep and about 50 yards long. You could not possibly get to that utility pole without wading through the poison ivy.
Our newest Hall of Fame member got this rash by wandering into some poison ivy while seeking a place to "commune with nature" after having a bit too much to drink.
A viewer sent in these photos of poison ivy growing on the fence between his house and his neighbor's house. This is one of the most impresssive poison ivy monsters I have ever seen, both in terms of the vine and the massive size of individual leaves.
