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.
It is usually just about this time of year, I get the notion that I want to clear a bit of the underbrush down by the marsh. My idea is that this would allow me to view a few more of the critters that live among the marsh grass or dwell in the brackish water that fills the marsh. Myriads of critters call this place home and with the underbrush filling the entire edge from my brother's property all the way back to the creek, I have a poor view of them. Not that I want to clear-cut the place nor even remove most of the brush, my efforts would clear small spots that I can use as vantage points. But, I have been reminded of something that I always used to tell the kids when they were younger. Son gave me a stern warning that it is the wrong time of year to be traipsing about in the marsh. Cottonmouth moccasins, snapping turtles and even large spiders are out and about during the warmer months. "Why didn't we do this during the winter?" he queried. Well, I did not think of it then! That being settled, I moved to a different spot. I would clear a new hiking path through the woods to the creek! Again, a shake of the head and a reminder that the Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac and Poison Oak were pretty thick this time of year. Well, drats! I will just have to be satisfied, pushing my lawnmower a bit further into the old path and hope for the best. All of this is probably just a subconscious way that my brain is trying to get out of canning any more peaches or picking any more blueberries!
But! Speaking of those poisonous plants....I agree about not wanting to mess with them. Even though I have only had one bout of poison ivy in my life and that was when my immune system was shot by a heart problem, there is just no use in pushing my luck. Son is like me. We can handle the stuff with no ill effects. Hubby, on the other hand, had better steer clear of that sumac! Just the mere mention of the plant can make him start itching! He has had bout after bout of allergic rashes brought on by contact with the bushes. Pop was the same way. I never knew much about the stuff until Pop cleared some fence lines that were thick with the bushes. By nightfall, he was in agony. Mom literally doused him with Calamine lotion until he was a nice rosy pink. Poor fellow...but he never complained and went about his work as if it was purely natural for him to be matching the roses in his gardens. It was then that he taught me to recognize the different plants that potentially could cause problems. I guess I was about 5 years old since I had not started school yet. It was a lot of important stuff for a tyke to learn but I am sure glad he took the time to show me. Life lessons are sometimes brought about by catastrophic events.
There is a small Poison Sumac bush between here and my brother's place. It is in a wide open space and can easily be seen so Mark usually can avoid that area with ease. I have warned him several times that I plan on leaving the bush simply because I like the way the setting sun makes the bush seem afire in the fall. With the leaves turning red by late September, I can look forward to seeing a bit of blazing color. However, I am treated to a bit of that glory even in the spring and summer months. In spring, the new leaves start out red and, occasionally, some never fully turn green. They just stay crimson. The bush stays, Mark stays clear and I cut the grass from around it. It is a win/win situation as far as I am concerned.
Poison Sumac causes allergic reactions in a lot of folks. The plant contains a strong rash-causing agent called urushiol. Since Poison Sumac is in the same family as Poison Oak and Poison Ivy, they all contain this gunk and while coming in contact with it will give you a nasty rash, breathing the smoke from a burning piece of the plant can cause major problems. The same rash that may get on your arms gets inside your lungs and creates severe respiratory problems. So...do not burn any of these three plants!
Now a tidbit of weird trivia about Poison Sumac! It is not even kin to the many other types of sumac in the world so do not even think about trying to make the sumac spice from Poison Sumac. All you will get is a rash not an interesting culinary flavoring to add to your spice rack.
With all of this mishmash of information about Poison Sumac, I suppose that my ambition will have to be geared to other projects. Clearing paths and nooks will just have to wait until the weather is not so warm. Snakes, spiders and Poison Sumac rule the day. I promise not to go mucking about in the marsh or creekbed for a few more months. I guess I will just pick more blueberries.
