It is most unpleasant to touch the seemingly harmless plant of poison ivy. Just a quick touch against its leaves is more than enough to leave your skin red, itchy and some times blistered for a long time. It may seem far fetched, but it is easy to just stay away from this painful plant. If you can just learn what the plant looks like, and how to avoid it, it will be much easier to stay itchy free. This way you can also help others who may not be as good at staying away.

The old and well remembered rhyme is “leaves of three, let them be!” This is the most easy and factual thing to remember concerning this plant. If you see a vine with leaves in groupings of three, this is probably a poison ivy plant. More vine like than resembling a tree or a bush, the vine curves like a rope. However, even though there are three leaves grouped together, some times there can be up to nine leaves together.

Another thing one should do is be aware of the color of this plant. It is either green in the summer or red in the fall. The length of the leaves are two to four inches, with pointed tips. The plant also will sometimes have a gray, waxy berry like fruit.

Although there is no way to be gone with all of the poison ivy that the woods contains, you can eliminate the plant that exists in your own backyard. A good way to do it is just to pull it out, like a weed. Do not forget that gloves are essential in order to do it this way. Keep in mind that you must remove not just the plant, but the whole root. The plant could easily grow back if you do not.

If the plant is growing on a tree, this is a little more difficult. First, cut the vine and remove it from the tree. Then apply an herbicide to the stems where you cut them to prevent continued growth.

Touching the painful plant is bad enough, but do not make the mistake of touching anything, especially another body part. The itching and painful blisters come because of the oil from the plant. The plant possesses an oil of a sticky nature that is transferred by touch. Be especially careful not to anything that may have been in contact with poison ivy, such as a dog.

The first thing to do if you think you may have come into contact with this plant is to wash the area with soap and water. Make sure the water is cold, warm water will cause the poison to enter the pores of the skin more easily. You may still get a rash from it but it will not be quite as penetrating and painful. If there is still a problem, talk to your doctor about a medication and treatment.

As scary as poison ivy may sound, it is actually fairly simple to avoid. Stay away from trios of leaves and avoid anyone who has the rash. Keep it out of your yard and wear long pants as you hike in the forest. If you are cautious, it is easy to be ivy free.

There is absolutely no doubting the fact that Poison Ivy is one of the most awful plants to come in direct contact with. Check out our super online guide on just how to treat Poison Ivy Rash as well as Poison Ivy Blisters .