Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac or Poison Oak (Gorham, Fairfield: real estate, house)

[family first]

How prevalent is the Poison family in Maine. I'm familiar with Poison Oak living on the West Coast, but it is usually found at elevations at 3500 feet and lower. When I look at real estate in Maine (Gorham, Belgrade Lakes, Windham, Winthrop, Readfield, Wayne, China) and I see a few acres and a house, do I have to worry about these plants??? Is it throughout the state or in certain regions or elevations? I went Moose hunting up around Houlton one trip and I thought I saw the palnts...but luckily did not end up with the rash.

Thanks for the help, I'm starting to scratch just writing about it.

[RANGER.101ST]

its out there.i have heard that once you get it you never forget it.im one of the rair people who can roll around in it and not be affectid my wife on the other hand can be driveing down the road and see some and get it.

[Maineah]

There is lots of poison ivy around the Southern part of Maine. The Casco Bay islands are absolutely covered with it. There is also a cure for it usually growing in close proximity, It is Jewell Weed. It has a small orange orchid like flower and a trunslucent stem The seed pods pop when you brush them with a finger. The sticky fluid in the stems is a great cure for poison ivy, oak,and sumac.

[Zymer]

There is also another vine that doesn't look quite like the poison ivy, oak and sumac, some people call it peppervine. It is much worse than the others- even those like myself who seem to have some immunity to the ordinary stuff are severely affected. I've seen it from MA as far north as Ft. Fairfield.

My current property has a considerable amount of it and I've begun an eradication program using heavy-duty brush killer. This stuff is nasty and there is a three day delay between exposure and symptoms, which can last for a couple of weeks. And if you unknowingly spread any of the oil around your house you keep getting it back.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

When I bought my place back in 83, there was a little patch of poison ivy beside the lower barn. I saturated it with Roundup and it never came back.

Let me add a caution. I know of two people who nearly lost their lives to poison ivy. The first was burning leaves and brush containing poison ivy and inhaled some of the smoke. The second was running a chipper/mulcher and inhaled some atomized sap. This was back during my advanced life support EMT days. Scary stuff. Just don't touch it. Spray with Roundup. End of problem.

[hartermcp]

Does anyone have a picture of the Poisonous Plants in Maine? I have poisonous something or other in my back yard and do not know what a good picture of it looks like.... HELP, cant stop scrathing

[tcrackly]

Originally Posted by Maineah

There is lots of poison ivy around the Southern part of Maine. The Casco Bay islands are absolutely covered with it. There is also a cure for it usually growing in close proximity, It is Jewell Weed. It has a small orange orchid like flower and a trunslucent stem The seed pods pop when you brush them with a finger. The sticky fluid in the stems is a great cure for poison ivy, oak,and sumac.

In addition to jewelweed ( or "pale yellow touch-me-not" as it's also called) I'm told that sweet fern, which is not a fern but a scrubby weed that grows in wast places, can also relieve the itch of the oil from poison ivy type plants, urushiol.

Identifying Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac through Pictures - (www.poisonivy.us)
Sweet Fern, Comptonia peregrina
Poison ivy Cure from Nature, Jewelweeed Pictures