Another question on poison ivy
 

My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?


Thanks in advance!

Dean

In article . com, "dean" wrote:
My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

*All* of it. Leaves, vines, roots, everything.

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

If you're sensitive to it, you should assume "forever".

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?

I wouldn't worry about it - but then I'm pretty nearly immune to the stuff.
Your mileage may vary. :-) I doubt there'd be much residue on the wood, but if
you're really concerned about it, wear gloves, debark the wood with a hatchet,
and discard the bark along with the vines.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

On 18 May 2005 10:43:22 -0700, "dean" wrote:

My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?


Thanks in advance!

Dean

I've always been able to handle poison ivy without having a
reaction. My wife, however, has a severe reaction from the smallest
exposure. I've climbed trees covered with it and stood and warmed
by the fire made with it, breathing the smoke - all without a
reaction. That seems to indicate that your answer greatly depends on
your allergic reaction to it.

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article . com, "dean"
wrote:
My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

*All* of it. Leaves, vines, roots, everything.

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

If you're sensitive to it, you should assume "forever".

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?

I wouldn't worry about it - but then I'm pretty nearly immune to the
stuff.
Your mileage may vary. :-) I doubt there'd be much residue on the wood,
but if
you're really concerned about it, wear gloves, debark the wood with a
hatchet,
and discard the bark along with the vines.

I would agree pretty much with what was said. However, people who are not
sensitive to it (it is not a matter of immunity, as there is no toxin
involved; some people are allergic, and some aren't) should eat large
quantities of it raw to protect that insensitivity.
(Well, not everyone; just Doug)

"JimL" wrote in message
...
On 18 May 2005 10:43:22 -0700, "dean" wrote:

My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?


Thanks in advance!

Dean

I've always been able to handle poison ivy without having a
reaction. My wife, however, has a severe reaction from the smallest
exposure. I've climbed trees covered with it and stood and warmed
by the fire made with it, breathing the smoke - all without a
reaction. That seems to indicate that your answer greatly depends on
your allergic reaction to it.

I could roll in the stuff with no ill effect. Then one day when I was 42...
It is best to stay away from it, because repeated exposure can trigger
allergies.

It may not be poison ivy. But you should learn to identify what is
and what is not poison ivy. It can look different, but generally is
the three-leafed plant. That is as far as I will go in trying to
give a word description of it.!! :-)
What you describe does not sound like poison ivy to me. But get
someone who knows to check it out with you. --Phil

dean wrote:

My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?


Thanks in advance!

Dean


--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

Phil Munro wrote:

It may not be poison ivy. But you should learn to identify what is
and what is not poison ivy. It can look different, but generally is
the three-leafed plant. That is as far as I will go in trying to
give a word description of it.!! :-)
What you describe does not sound like poison ivy to me. But get
someone who knows to check it out with you. --Phil

That's what I thought when he mentioned the hairy vine growing up the
tree trunk--could be poison oak, could be a creeper of a zillion sorts,
but it ain't poison ivy.

But poison ivy is a vine. It has the three leaves (a pair and then a
single in front). This is an untouched forest so I guess they have been
growing there a while. What else can it be? Its all over the forest
floor too.

Here's a link to a site that shows what it looks like (although mine
are not pulled away from the tree like that):

http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/picq...d=1050&wid=486

Dean

Duane Bozarth wrote:
Phil Munro wrote:

It may not be poison ivy. But you should learn to identify what is
and what is not poison ivy. It can look different, but generally is
the three-leafed plant. That is as far as I will go in trying to
give a word description of it.!! :-)
What you describe does not sound like poison ivy to me. But get
someone who knows to check it out with you. --Phil

That's what I thought when he mentioned the hairy vine growing up the
tree trunk--could be poison oak, could be a creeper of a zillion sorts,
but it ain't poison ivy.

It sure is typical of the poison ivy we got up in Connecticut. Sometimes
those sucker would get massively fat but always covered with fine "hairs"

See: http://www.cattail.nu/ivy/ivy_index.html contains a link to this
picture http://www.cattail.nu/ivy/ivy_tree2.jpg with the description
"Notice the very large hairy-looking brown vine growing up the left side
of the tree. It's trying to hide, but it's a good indication that the
three-leaved plant in the front is poison ivy. I would also suspect some
of the smaller vines just behind the leaves are poison ivy, though I
wouldn't stick my nose in it to get close enough to see the hairy roots.
See the slight lobes on the leaves here."

Better picks of a huge hairy Poison ivy vine are he
http://www.donnan.com/poisonous.htm




John
--
Remove the dead poet to e-mail, tho CC'd posts are unwelcome.
Mean People Suck - It takes two deviations to get cool.
Ask me about joining the NRA.

Guess I was wrong! My experience was lacking!! A search (I used
dogpile.com) brings up lots of nice pictures. Here is a link I liked:
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/img/pictures/pi-pics-may/index.php
I do know that poison ivy can look very different and grow as a vine
and field plant, depending on time, place, etc. --Phil

wrote:
Duane Bozarth wrote:

Phil Munro wrote:

It may not be poison ivy. But you should learn to identify what is
and what is not poison ivy. It can look different, but generally is
the three-leafed plant. That is as far as I will go in trying to
give a word description of it.!! :-)
What you describe does not sound like poison ivy to me. But get
someone who knows to check it out with you. --Phil


That's what I thought when he mentioned the hairy vine growing up the
tree trunk--could be poison oak, could be a creeper of a zillion sorts,
but it ain't poison ivy.

It sure is typical of the poison ivy we got up in Connecticut. Sometimes
those sucker would get massively fat but always covered with fine "hairs"

See: http://www.cattail.nu/ivy/ivy_index.html contains a link to this
picture http://www.cattail.nu/ivy/ivy_tree2.jpg with the description
"Notice the very large hairy-looking brown vine growing up the left side
of the tree. It's trying to hide, but it's a good indication that the
three-leaved plant in the front is poison ivy. I would also suspect some
of the smaller vines just behind the leaves are poison ivy, though I
wouldn't stick my nose in it to get close enough to see the hairy roots.
See the slight lobes on the leaves here."

Better picks of a huge hairy Poison ivy vine are he
http://www.donnan.com/poisonous.htm

John

--
Phil Munro Dept of Electrical & Computer Engin
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, Ohio 44555

dean wrote:
My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be
unsafe after its been seasoned for a year?


Thanks in advance!

Dean

1. Wear clean-room suit.
2. Remove vines.
3. Rinse logs.
4. Remove suit
5. Carry logs to clean area.

Phil Munro wrote:
It may not be poison ivy. But you should learn to identify what is
and what is not poison ivy.

Good advice, as with all plants. How else will you be able to tell if
those mysterious plants growing in the flowerbed under your kid's window
aren't cannabis...

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
dean wrote:
My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be
unsafe after its been seasoned for a year?


Thanks in advance!

Dean

1. Wear clean-room suit.
2. Remove vines.
3. Rinse logs.
4. Remove suit
5. Carry logs to clean area.
Sadly, rinsing is inadequate. The PI resin will remain after years of rain.

There are other 'poison' plants besides poison ivy. I even
tried removing it in winter temperatures around 10 degrees F.
Don't do it without extreme protection, is what I learned.
Even the stems have those oils.

The active ingredient in poison ivy, et al is an oil
chemically described very similar to oils in chicken fat. But
even detergents that are good on such grease still did not
stop oils from causing damage (itch). Those oils are also why
burning is bad. Dig a deep hole and bury the stuff when it
is clearly dead. And be prepared to go after stragglers that
pop up their evil little leaves later that (and the next)
year. Clearly poison ivy, et al come from the dark side - with
all its powers.

Yes, even those vines climbing into trees can be another
member of the Lord Vader family.

dean wrote:
Here's a link to a site that shows what it looks like (although mine
are not pulled away from the tree like that):

According to dean :
But poison ivy is a vine.

Yes it is. But the stems aren't "hairy". Not hairy at all.

Larger/older ones have woody stems.

It has the three leaves (a pair and then a single in front).

Well, so do Trilliums ;-)

If the three leaves aren't (usually) symmetrical (so you wouldn't
say "a pair and a single"), it's probably not PI.

[Generally speaking the three leaves are on stems from the same
node - the leaf stems are all the same length and start from
the same place.]

"Leaves of three" is simple to remember, but there are many things
with three leaves that _aren't_ Poison Ivy (even if symmetrical).
Secondly, leaf shape on Poison Ivy varies a lot - more than
descriptions or even pictures of it would suggest.

I recognize it by having had one extremely knowledgeable person point
out a "guaranteed" PI plant. From then on I'm going on overall impressions
of leaf colour/size/sheen/veining/margin, plant/leaf/stem proportions & colour.

I don't think I've been wrong yet.

We're a little too far north for it to "vine" appreciably. Yeah!

This is an untouched forest so I guess they have been
growing there a while. What else can it be? Its all over the forest
floor too.

I can't think of something specific (that could be called a three leaf
vine), but there are others.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Well where I live the woody parts that attach to trees as the vine
climbs up are very hairy! Call it what you want, stem or whatever, it's
hairy.

Chris Lewis wrote:
According to dean :

But poison ivy is a vine.


Yes it is. But the stems aren't "hairy". Not hairy at all.

Larger/older ones have woody stems.


It has the three leaves (a pair and then a single in front).


Well, so do Trilliums ;-)

If the three leaves aren't (usually) symmetrical (so you wouldn't
say "a pair and a single"), it's probably not PI.

[Generally speaking the three leaves are on stems from the same
node - the leaf stems are all the same length and start from
the same place.]

"Leaves of three" is simple to remember, but there are many things
with three leaves that _aren't_ Poison Ivy (even if symmetrical).
Secondly, leaf shape on Poison Ivy varies a lot - more than
descriptions or even pictures of it would suggest.

I recognize it by having had one extremely knowledgeable person point
out a "guaranteed" PI plant. From then on I'm going on overall impressions
of leaf colour/size/sheen/veining/margin, plant/leaf/stem proportions & colour.

I don't think I've been wrong yet.

We're a little too far north for it to "vine" appreciably. Yeah!


This is an untouched forest so I guess they have been
growing there a while. What else can it be? Its all over the forest
floor too.


I can't think of something specific (that could be called a three leaf
vine), but there are others.

In article , "toller" wrote:

I would agree pretty much with what was said. However, people who are not
sensitive to it (it is not a matter of immunity, as there is no toxin
involved; some people are allergic, and some aren't) should eat large
quantities of it raw to protect that insensitivity.
(Well, not everyone; just Doug)

Alright, Mr. Picky: I'm not sensitive to it. I think most people understood
what I meant when I said I'm immune.

I thought you had me killfiled...?

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

In article .com, "dean" wrote:
But poison ivy is a vine. It has the three leaves (a pair and then a
single in front). This is an untouched forest so I guess they have been
growing there a while. What else can it be? Its all over the forest
floor too.

Well, where is this forest? That's the first thing we'd need to know. What the
vine *might* be could be *very* different, depending on whether you're in
Florida, Maine, Illinois, or Bolivia.




--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

In article , (Chris Lewis) wrote:
According to dean :
But poison ivy is a vine.

Yes it is. But the stems aren't "hairy". Not hairy at all.

You may have a different variety up there in Canada from what we see here in
the US... most of our poison ivy looks hairy, if it's old enough. Young
plants, no. Old vines... yeah. Really hairy.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

"dean" wrote in message
ups.com...
My questions a

1) Are the big hairy vine stalks that attach to trees covered with the
nasty stuff, or is it just the leaves?


All parts of the plant. Took a survival course form an ex-army guy who
taught survival skills in the army. Basic rule- if the vine is hairy, assume
it is poisonous.

2) If they are bad, how long after one has been cut and killed (for
example on a fallen tree) does it retain potency?


Pretty much forever. Samples over 100 years old have been found to be
active.

3) What I'm doing is collecting wood from my neighbors land after he
cuts down trees, and some of them have the vine attached. If I just
pull off the vine, is the wood safe to handle or not? Will it be unsafe
after its been seasoned for a year?



Do you really want to risk it?

Thanks in advance!

Dean