I'll try to remember that. Was itching just before I read this. To my knowledge, I've never had it. My parents thought a blister on my leg was that and I think it was calamine lotion then, but I'm not sure it was that now. All I remember, but there are probably many varieties, is that there are three leaves, ovate, non-serrated and shiny, sometimes curl a bit and are pendulous. But I pulled some stuff the other day, then a kid was here w/his Dad and were worried about it. This was a lighter green, I didn't think it was PI but told him not to touch it. I pulled some with my bare hands the other day and came right in and washed with soap. You can think you have never had the weed, don't think I ever have, but it flies in and there it is. The OP must have had a terrible, systemic allergic reaction to it. My ex got in awful shape when he was in the Army with poison oak, was off for a month, wasn't getting better so I insisted he go back to the doctor. It finally went away, don't know how. Reaction to either PI or PO tends to be inherited genetically, but you can't always be sure.

Are you looking for information on killing poison ivy? Right now nothing is growing yet in New England. WeÂve got a few 4-6 inch diameter poison ivy vines in my yard that will have to be cut with a saw at some point. We also have many smaller vines. Anything small enough to cut with garden snippers, I cut the vine at the base of the tree, and then pulled up the roots. If you want to do the removal yourself, I suggest that you wear long plastic bags up your arms, held on with rubber bands. On top of that wear latex gloves over top of gardening gloves. Do not let any of the poison ivy touch your clothing, because the oils will soak through. Have a second person wheel a large trash can around behind you. That person will also be necessary to help you get into the shower afterwards without touching doorknobs or other surfaces around your house. Scrub your skin thoroughly afterward, and donÂt be surprised if you still manage to get a rash. The roots/runners of poison ivy do come up from the ground easily, at least. I suggest that you wait until the Autumn to do your pulling, though, because poison ivy is at its most potent in the Spring. Safer still, wait until it has lost its leaves.

Nobody asked, but in the absence of Fels Naptha (brown soap of yore) Tecnu is excellent for removing the oil from skin. It takes time to cleanse, cleanse, cleanse and rinse but I've not had PI in the years since I used it. I consider it among the first line first aid products. I was cutting back huge overgrown rhodies for a client, and my arms were all scratched. Must have encountered PI, and got it into the scratches. Virtually innoculated myself with poison. Finally had the Doc had to pull out the big guns just so I could sleep. Bad memory

No, I didn't scatter bird seed, though I do feed the birds. This is taken along the roadside near my home and there is another patch of the same plant about 1/8 mile away also on the roadside. Thanks! Joanne