Shumac...Sumac...It does not matter. You still itch.

  Growing up on the farm, Pop used to warn us of plants that were "not so nice".  Things like poison ivy, poison oak and "shumac".  Yep. Shumac.  All of my life, I called the small bush with a bad attitude, a shumac tree.  A few years back, I found that it is actually a sumac tree...not a shumac tree.  I pondered why Pop never took the time nor effort to correct himself.  Well, it turns out that he had "hand-me-down" information.  Back in the day, commonsense things were handed down from generation to generation.  Since poison sumac can cause a major rash and, sometimes, respiratory problems, the wise words of "Don't mess with shumac!" slipped from a lot of mouths.  There is no telling how long the word had an added "h" making it "shoo mac" instead of "soo mac".  In fact, all of my uncles and aunts called the plant by the same name.  Perhaps it was more of a local pronunciation as I hear it from other "old-timers" (yes, I fit that category).

  This morning, I made a mental note to grab the snips some time this week and rid the path of a poison sumac bush. The thing sprouted up in a clump of palmettos near the edge of the walking trail.  Not that the bush bothers me as I seem not allergic to the oils but poor Mark starts scratching if he hears the name!  More than once, he has come in contact with the shrub while mowing and suffers for days on end with a horrible rash.  It is best I clip the thing before he gets back on that tractor!

  I have to admit that even though we do not get the beautiful fall colors like our neighbors to the north, we do have sumac trees that try their best.  Even after the leaves fall, the stems stay a lovely red for a number of days.  Couple that red with the unusual shape of the twigs and you know you have fall!  Sumac...fall...about as close as we get!  Just so you will know the oils that make the tree a hazard are even present in the winter.  Urushiol is not only found in the leaves but every part of the tree.  It is best to use care when coming in contact with this bad boy!

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!