When it comes to poison ivy
there's a lot to know

So we made this reference page for you.

About Poison Ivy:

  • Poison Ivy adapts to the environment very well.
  • It can have many forms.
  • It can grow along the ground as a vine, it can grow up trees 30 feet or more and it can look like a shrub.
  • Leaf sizes can range from half an inch to six inches long.

The one consistent attribute is that the leaves always come in threes. 

The leaves can be lime green, shiny green, dull green, yellow, orange, red and scarlet.

Three different colors

Three colors of poison ivy

Beautiful fall colors

Beautiful fall colors of poison ivy

Dull green

Dull green color of poison ivy

Is everyone allergic to poison ivy?

Some people are not allergic to poison ivy.  Some people are.  The people that are can range from barely allergic to severely allergic.  My brother says "Don't even say the words in my house, I'm that allergic." 

I am allergic to poison ivy.  So is everyone who works for me. It is our experience, preparation, and processes that allow us to do the work we do. 

Remedies For Poison Ivy

There are only two remedies that really work for me. 

One is to go to the beach and soak in the salt water.  My mother and I had REALLY bad cases of poison ivy once and we did not itch while we were at the beach.  I filled 4 gallon jugs of seawater and brought them home with me to continue the treatment.  It didn't work.  It just wasn't the same.  Being completely immersed in seawater was the only way to stop the itching

The other remedy was a homeopathic salve made from Jewelweed.  I slathered it onto my rash and the itching stopped, but it smelled SO bad that I decided I would rather itch and washed it off.

What can you do about the poison ivy problem in the environment?

The Poison Ivy Citizen Scientist Project at the Jelesko Laboratory at Virginia Tech wants your help mapping Poison Ivy. Their project is interested in recruiting the collection of text and image data about poison ivy.  You can learn more and submit an observation on their website. 

You can view the following websites to help you identify poison ivy and to learn more about it.
www.poison-ivy.org
Poison Ivy Identification Week

Getting a poison ivy rash AGAIN?

Go to SeeLeaf.com and buy these cloth squares that turn magenta when they come in contact with the oil from poison ivy that causes the rash.

These cloths are also the way to find out what IS poison ivy and what is NOT poison ivy. This is the way to solve the problem! Use these wipes on your gardening tools/shoes/dog and figure out where the urushiol oil is located! Just put on a disposable glove and wipe the cloth on the leaves you suspect are poison ivy. If it turns magenta, it's poison ivy. If the cloth stays white, it's NOT poison ivy! Simple!

I hand out a tube of Zanfel to every new crew member...

As a Poison Ivy Removal Specialist, Zanfel Poison Ivy Wash is a must. I use it on my rash and I get 6-8 blessed hours of no itching. It allows me to sleep all night! Zanfel removes the poison ivy plants' oil from the skin and starts the healing. Kelly, nine years on the job also swears by it. She says it takes the 2-3 week rash down to 2-3 DAYS. I hand out a tube of Zanfel to every new crew member. We could not work around poison ivy without it. Invaluable! 

Learn more at to https://zanfel.com

If you've read this far it's probably time to call us
so we solve your poison ivy problem.
603-831-4100