Poison Ivy, Mango and Pistachio...Oh, My!

  Down near the marsh edge, we let the tall pine trees grow.  I do not like them next to the Little Bayou House since any storm blowing through the area can snap the trees off and plummet them through the rooftop.  Hurricane Katrina did that.  In the midst of the storm, I heard a loud crash and found that we had a delightful "pole" in the middle of our living room.  Thankfully, no one was injured but it could have been devastating.  Since then, every pine tree near the house has been removed...except one and I have been after Mark to cut that one for years.  Better to be safe than sorry.

  The trees near the marsh are far enough away that they will do no damage if they fall or get struck by lightning (which the trees are prone to do.)   The pines do not seem to mind the brackish water around their roots so all is well..by them and me.  There is a third reason that I am glad the pines are not too near the house.  They seem to be a poison ivy magnet!  Each tree is literally covered with the vines!  Since the trees actually stand in the marsh, I refuse to go "de-ivy" them.  (Again, better safe than sorry!  I do not want to step on a cottonmouth while trimming a vine.)  

  Eastern Poison Ivy can take over just about anything that is handy to climb.  It does this by little, hairy root like structures that actually penetrate its host (even if that host is a brick wall).  The base of the vine can get up to around six inches in diameter and the vine itself can grow to a length of a hundred feet or better.  It will branch out and twist around the host until it is entirely covered.  Most people would be in misery if they tangled with such a vine as they are (as the name states) poisonous.  A mere touch can lead to a horrendous rash!   The itching seemingly is all consuming and never ends.  

  Humans are prone to having a reaction to the urushiol or oils found in all parts of the poison ivy vine...leaves, roots and stems.  The oils remain even after the plant is dead and contact can still lead to misery!  I was pondering today how squirrels can worm their way through the thick mass of vines and not be affected by the toxins.  After watching several squirrels racing up the ivy covered pine trees, I had to find out the answer.  It seems that only humans and a few other primates have problems with the toxins.  Critters can actually eat the berries, stems and leaves without problems.

  Now...a little known fact to most of us.  Poison ivy is not the only plant to produce the rash creating urushiol.  Of course, most of us know that poison oak and poison sumac do BUT did you know that mango, cashews and pistachios all belong to the same family as poison ivy? Both mango trees and cashew trees can cause a irritating rash to those exposed. Pistachios seem to be less potent but still can cause rashes in some people. So folks even get a rash by eating the peels of a mango!  So...be careful folks!  You best leave the wallowing about in the leaves containing urushiol to the critters.  I think the pine can keep its poison ivy vine to itself.  I had good intentions of chopping it out this winter but...nah, I'm good.

The "Killer Tree"

  Down along the marsh edge right next to where the Bayou makes a big bend, the trees grow thick and tall.  We cannot get in there to clear any of this area due to the many cottonmouths that lurk in the marsh.  I suppose we could do this in the winter when the snakes go in hiding but then, well, it is cold and I do not particularly like getting wet and muddy and shiver myself to pieces.  So, the whole area is left sort of wild and woolly.

  It is in this spot where the "Killer Tree" grows.  This tree is definitely "poison" and bad news for anyone that gets near.  Actually, I dubbed the tree by this name and by no fault of the poor tree.  You see, it is actually a pine tree.  It is a nice size pine that, by itself, has never done anyone one bit of harm.  It is just playing host to something that could potentially make one think the tree is out to get them.  From the bottom to the top, the entire tree is covered with a huge...HUGE...poison ivy vine.  So far, I have not had a reaction to the ivy (other than one time when we accidentally burned a vine) but, for those highly allergic, the vine covered tree could mean a heapin' amount of trouble. 

  In reality. this is the second such "Killer Tree" that was found on the hillside.  The first was nearer the shed and did present a problem for anyone that used my hiking trail.  I often pondered how to rid the tree of its wicked clinger but that problem was conveniently solved by Mother Nature, herself!  During one strong thunderstorm, a huge bolt of lightning struck and killed the pine tree and, consequently, killed the ivy vine.  Fried!  While this was not my first choice of a solution, it did work rather well.  Mother Nature for the win!  

  The Killer Tree and its clingy vine will just have to live as it is since I am not inclined to do much about it.  I do warn others not to get too close to the tree for both reasons...the ivy and the cottonmouths but, other than that, I ignore the problem.  Thankfully, it is far down in the marsh edge and out of the way.  

Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

  Poison ivy is one of those plants that is the bane of most hikers.  I have yet to come across anyone that joyfully proclaims "I just love poison ivy!"  I cannot imagine why anyone would love it. Aside from the most obvious reason of it being a rash producing plant, it is one vine that is difficult to extract from the garden.  Once the ivy gets hold to some plot of ground, most efforts to eradicate it are futile.  Other than literally digging out the entire root ball by hand, there is just not much you can do.  Mother Nature, on the other hand, can do just about as she pleases with poison ivy or any other plant, for that matter.  Mother Nature is good!

  That said, I have found the one surefire method of ridding the place of poison ivy although it usually involves killing an innocent tree as well. Here, we fall back on the tactics of Mother Nature and her propensity of tossing lightning bolts around wherever she pleases.  Lately, we have been bombarded with lovely thunderstorms complete with the most devastating lightning that I have seen in a long while.  Just this summer alone, we have lost nigh on a dozen pine trees to strikes.  The most recent was a tall pine right on the marsh edge that was entwined with not only grapevines but also poison ivy.   When Mother Nature zapped the tree during one of her temper tantrums, the tree died.  The jolt also killed both the grapevine and the poison ivy.  So, although I hated losing another tree, I was just as happy to see the poison ivy meet its demise! Gone!  Kaput!  Dead!  Yay!

  Now there is just one problem that remains.  Since the pine tree is dead and sits not too far from the shed, we probably should remove it.  While I do not mind using a piece of pine in the fireplace occasionally, it is not the ideal firewood.  Add to that, the ivy vine that wraps the tree from top to bottom and the wood is just not worth the effort or possibility of getting a bad rash.  Smoke from a burning vine can cause the rash to be quite nasty!  Hopefully, the grapevines will hold the tree in place until the top rots and falls. This should protect the shed from the towering tree and me from a nasty, itchy rash.

Itch..Itch..Scratch..Scratch!

I used to be one of those folks that had an immunity to the toxins in Poison Ivy. I could brush against it, pull it out by the roots or even hold it with no problems. Then one year, unwittingly, I placed a vine covered log in the fireplace. Not good! Never burn Poison Ivy vines! My face, throat and all exposed areas were almost instantaneously covered with the worst rash I have ever encountered! The itch was horrendous and try as I might, I could not stop scratching.. spreading the rash everywhere! Since I had previously been immune, I had no idea what to do to stop this. My first mistake was to burn the vine, second..not washing immediately and third..using an oil-based soap when I did wash. Oww! All that did was cause the toxin..urushiol..to spread creating more rash! I guess we learn by our mistakes! I did!

I have a habit of meandering around the property just looking at whatever there is to be seen. I find that with the recent bout of hot weather (in the 90s!), it is much nicer outside in the cooling bay breeze. So I walk..look..walk and take pictures of anything that is a bit interesting. Today's find..Poison Ivy! Yikes! Just the mere mention of it can make me scratch! Memories of the horrible rash came flooding back into my mind. Ugh! This particular vine was near the marsh. It had chosen a pine tree as its host and had twined itself around and around the tree almost to the top. The base if the vine was huge! It had the telltale "hairy" rope look, something that is a surefire identification tipoff that this was Poison Ivy. As I stood looking at the leaves, I noticed this vine already had set its berries. The tiny, green berries would turn white in the fall...another signal that this is not a fun vine. There is a saying.."Leaves of three..let it be. Berries of white..take flight!" Good advice! Speaking of these berries..as tempting as they may be (and I am being facetious here!)....DO NOT EAT THEM! Why would anyone ever want to is beyond me! Birds do eat them and are not bothered in the least. The seeds are then passed through the bird and replanted to start a new plant.

This plant will most likely stay where it is simply because I do not particularly want to tangle with it. It is far enough away from the house and far enough down in the boggy part of the marsh that not many people will encounter it. So..it can stay. If anyone does have the misfortune of coming in contact with Poison Ivy..there are several advisable actions to take. As soon as possible, remove all clothing and wash them. Wash yourself with an oil-free soap..I use something that is a degreaser..like dishsoap. Once clean, a good wipedown with alcohol to remove any remnants of urushiol from the body is advisable. Rubbing the exposed area with the leaves of the Ladyslipper plant will bring relief from the itching and help with healing the rash. If this is not handy, another home remedy is to use oatmeal baths to relieve the itching. I have even heard of some who use a wash of salt water. This is supposed to prevent the spread of the toxins. Then..there is always the old standby of Calamine Lotion! Actually the best remedy for Poison Ivy..avoid it at all costs! Do not assume that you are immune to the rash-inducing urushiol! Eventually, your luck will run out and you will be itch..itch..scratch..scratching and pondering what remedy will work!