For those good at identifying poison ivy I could use some input. Is this stuff currently climbing one of my trees and taking over a corner of my yard poison ivy? If so how do I kill it?

It looks like it - especially that vine on the tree. I had some and sprayed Roundup on as many young, growing leaves as I could find. The dog and I went on a poison ivy safari with my Roundup squirt bottle every couple of weeks. It eventually all died.

X2 on Jim's post above. Wear gloves and cut the main vine near the base of the tree to immediately kill the vine in the tree. Spray a dab of Remedy on the stub of the vine coming from the root in the ground

Remedy will kill the tree if applied as a basal application so use very carefully around the tree. The poison ivy will be dead in a couple of days. Remedy is a potent brush and tree killer.

I have a quart spray bottle mixed up and just hit any poison ivy or poison oak with a snapped shot while mowing. Don't have any on my acreage any more.

If my old tired eyes are seeing your pictures good I see three leaves, shiny and oily sheen to leaves, sure looks like it to me. There is another vine that looks similar to poison ivy but the leaves are not shiny and usually are in clusters of 5 but I have seen them in 3s The stuff grows as a vine (poison ivy) and as a stand alone plant (poison oak) but both are really the same plant. We have it in abundance in both varieties here in Alabama. I have a patch of woods not that it grows heavily in, unfortunately it's not fenced so I can't turn the goats in to clean it out. A good herbicide will knock that stuff right out. Here on the farm I use a woody plant herbicide called Crossbow mixed with a strong concentration of Roundup (Industrial/farm grade) and 2-4-D to spray fence rows and along the woods and it does a good job of knocking it out. Lowes usually has a Poison Ivy spray that does a good job. If you are going to try to dig and pull it out wait till cold weather and it is less likely to affect you. I just hope you are not as allergic to it as I am. Stuff can cause some serious pain and suffering. Good luck on getting rid of it.

Yep, just remember "leaves of three, let them be". Even after you kill the vine, it will still be able to cause you trouble as the oil will still be active until the vine has dried up.

Poison ivy is my kryptonite. Never really bothered me as a kid running and playing in the woods. Until one day I guess I got the magic does that did it. Looked like someone had poured hot grease on my arm, it looked so bad. Since then, I give it a wide berth.

And even after you kill that, it will maintain the oils that give you a rash.
I've pulled the dormant vines down early winter and still got some slight irritation. Lather up good, twice, to get the oils off you skin and most people will be good to go.

Yeah, that's PI.

quote:

Originally posted by low8option:
There is another vine that looks similar to poison ivy but the leaves are not shiny and usually are in clusters of 5...

That's Virginia Creeper, the OP has poison ivy. Pretty easy to kill with any number of applications available at Lowes or hardware stores, may take a couple applications.

Yeah, that's the nasty stuff.
When we moved into a new place when i was a kid, there was an ivy vine running up a tree that was six inches across at its base. The ivy vine I mean, not the tree.

Sadly, I still can't identify it even though I have seen it.

As others have said, you could have a reaction even from dead plants.

Here is a great video to assist with aftercare if you suspect exposure:




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyoDRHpQK0


Be careful.

The state flower of Pennsylvania.

Whatever you do, if stricken with an immediate urge to take a dump, don't throw the rag you are about to wipe with down on the ground on top of the ivy while you do your business. Trust me, this is sage advice.

When I have been working in areas where poison ivy is located I always take a washcloth soaked in 91% rubbing alcohol and go over my skin.The alcohol removes the oil residue the ivy leaves on the skin.

Also if you are burning brush that may contain the ivy vine,do not breathe in the smoke. I have heard of people getting the rash in their lungs.

quote:

Originally posted by BRL:
Whatever you do, if stricken with an immediate urge to take a dump, don't throw the rag you are about to wipe with down on the ground on top of the ivy while you do your business. Trust me, this is sage advice.

A high school friend of mine had a passionate moment with his girlfriend out in alfalfa field (cow country). It wasn't all alfalfa. He got the better end of the deal as at least all his irritation was still external.

crossbow, brush killer or the generic equivelant mixed with diesel fuel. Follow the label directions.

When it is dead I would highly suggest you buy one of those Tyvec hazmat suits to wear as you remove the dead growth. Throw it away when you're done. If you are highly allergic that may not be enough, or if like me it's overkill. But, if you don't know and are of the former camp...

It's some truly evil shit for those highly sensitive individuals and not to be trifled with. Do not burn it even on a bet.

Yes. Here I am next to a 7-foot high bush of it at one of my fishing spots.

"Leaves three, leave it be."

Keep in mind that even after you kill it, and it is dried and shriveled, it will still give you a bad infection if you touch it. Do not burn it. Cover all exposed skin when you do pick it up. Take a shower immediately after.

A really bad infection with poison ivy is nothing to trifle with.

I got a blood infection from it when I was younger. Now I'm hyper sensitive to it. Haven't been in the woods and have a few tiny spots on my legs right now. Even with topical steroids, it takes a few days, or more, to get rid of it.

Last spring I was clearing out creeping charlie from a portion of my yard and it gave me a rash.

Never burn it.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by BRL:
Whatever you do, if stricken with an immediate urge to take a dump, don't throw the rag you are about to wipe with down on the ground on top of the ivy while you do your business. Trust me, this is sage advice.

A high school friend of mine had a passionate moment with his girlfriend out in alfalfa field (cow country). It wasn't all alfalfa. He got the better end of the deal as at least all his irritation was still external.

I figured no way could it be worse than what I had to deal with. Apparently I was wrong.

I'll say the worst part, or the most memorable anyway, was during the healing process and the turtle shell like scab I had on my backside and how it would crack with movement or worse yet when sitting. That was about 3 weeks + of healing and misery.

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
Also if you are burning brush that may contain the ivy vine,do not breathe in the smoke. I have heard of people getting the rash in their lungs.

As a child I was helping my grandfather burn brush in winter and got downwind for a few moments. Any place the smoke got into had a wonderful rash next day. Fortunately not my lungs.

You could always take some leaves to clean your bum. In a day you'll know for sure.

I agree its poison ivy. Vines like that overwhelmed what had to that point been a near total immunity to poison ivy and nailed me really bad. So bad I was sick on leave at home, with large lesions that looked like I had a cross between a second degree burn and advanced leprosy. It took weeks and massive doses of steroids to cure.

Plan to get it all done in one day.

Before you go hands on, don long sleeves, trousers, gloves, dust mask, hat, eye protection. I do not care if its 110 degrees. Wear the protection. Ideally all of these items should be disposable.

Put it into 33 gallon, 6 mil plastic bags. Don't overfill the bags, you don't want any holes.

Once its down, do not under any circumstances burn that shit.

Good luck.