Cooperative Extension Service • Michigan State University • Extension Bulletin E-1517 (Major revision) • June 1988

IB

Poison Ivy ControlDouglas O. Lantagne, Department of Forestry

andJames J. Kells, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Poison ivy (Toxicodendronradicans) is found in nearly

every part of Michigan. It isknown by several differentnames, such as three-leavedivy, poison creeper, climbingsumac and poison oak. Al-though it can grow as a self-supporting, erect woody shrub,its usual growth habit is as aslender vine running along theground, or growing on shrubsand trees. The vines can grow toseveral inches in diameter overa period of years.

Poison ivy has three leafletsoccurring alternately along thestem. Leaflets are usuallysmooth, but may be either a dullor glossy green. Leaf margins(edges) can be smooth, toothed,and/or lobed. Leaves on thesame vine often have a numberof color and leaf margincombinations. It is possible,however, that all leaves on avine will have the same generalcharacter. Because there are nodistinguishing characteristicsto warn an unsuspectingindividual that a vine is poisonivy, the old saying of "leafletsthree, let it be" should beremembered.

The flowers of poison ivy aretypically inconspicuous andarise in clusters above theleaves. The berrylike fruit has asmooth waxy appearance and

is gray to white in color. Afterthe leaves drop in the fall, theberries are a distinct identifier ofthe poison ivy plant. As a vineclimbs shrubs and trees, itproduces numerous "aerialroots" which attach to the treeor shrub. The "aerial roots" givethe vine a characteristicappearance often described aslooking like a "fuzzy rope."

Poison ivy is often found infence rows, railroad embank-ments, roadsides, transmissionlines, in parks, nature preservesand many other wooded areas.Always be on the lookout forthis plant in these areasregardless of the season.

Poison ivy plants produce anoil called urushiol, which is

usually capable of causingsevere skin irritations the yeararound. There is always thepotential of transferring someof the oil present in the leaves,stems, fruit, roots or flowers ofthe poison ivy plant to the skin.Although contact with the plantis normally the method ofexposure, an individual canalso be exposed by handlingclothing, tools, objects oranimals which have becomecontaminated with the oil or bysmoke from burning the plants.

Symptoms ofPoisoning

The symptoms associatedwith poisoning usually appear

Poison ivy as it appears in the summer months.

within 12 to 24 hours, but mayappear in as little as 3 or 4 hoursor be delayed for several days.The time span is dependentupon an individual's sensitivity,the amount of oil that contactedthe skin, and the season. Springand summer are the times ofgreatest potential for problems.Damaged leaves exude the oil,which is easily transferred toskin, clothes and objects.Symptoms are itchiness, skininflammation, swelling and theformation of blisters. For severecases of poison ivy, a doctormay prescribe a cortisone skincream or other medication tohelp reduce swelling anditching. For less severe cases,soak the affected area insolutions of potassium perman-ganate, baking soda, Epsomsalts or very hot water toprovide some relief. Over thecounter skin creams with corti-sone are also available in moststores. Bathing the contami-nated area with a strong,alkaline, non-oily soap,immediately after contact, mayreduce the severity of the skinreaction.

Control MeasuresTwo general methods of

control of poison ivy arecultural and chemical. Culturalmethods should not be attemp-ted unless the individual istolerant to poison ivy. Indivi-dual sensitivity to poison ivyvaries greatly. Natural immu-nity is originally present in allpersons, but is lost after the firstcontact with the oil. Subsequentcontact with the oil will result inskin irritation, althoughseverity of the reaction may

vary. Therefore, always takecare when attempting toeradicate this plant. Individualsmust also be careful when usingchemical methods so thatdesirable plants are notmistakenly killed or injured.ALWAYS READ ANDFOLLOW LABEL INSTRUC-TIONS FOR ANY HERBICIDEUSED AROUND THE HOME.

CulturalBurning is not a

recommended method foreradication. Burning producessoot particles which carry the oilinto the air. Individuals comingin contact with the smoke willexperience severe cases ofpoisoning.

Poison ivy can usually be dugout when the soil is wet andthere are only a few plants.However, attempts to removeroots from dry soil are futile.Pieces of root remaining in thesoil may sprout and replace theoriginal plants. Plowing is alsoof little value, since thedisturbed root systems willsprout. Repeated cutting of theplant back to the ground surfacewill eventually starve the rootsystem and the plant will die.

| However, repeated cuttingincreases the chances ofexposure to the toxic oil.

HerbicidesSeveral herbicides are

effective in the control of poisonivy. Most of the products listedin this bulletin can be found inpremixed or easily usedformulations at local home andgarden centers. Other chemicalproducts will control this plant,but may not be registered foruse around the home and are

designated as Restricted UseProducts (RUP). If thesechemicals are required, contactyour local county Extensionoffice for procedures onbecoming a certified applicatorand for the location of a localcommercial pesticidedistributor for productavailability.

There are numerous companyand store brand names for theherbicides which control poisonivy. The different brand nameswill use one or more of thechemicals described in thispublication. The majordifference among the brandswill be the amount of the activeingredient found in theproduct. The label on eachproduct will list the name of theactive ingredient and itsconcentration. If the chemicalwill control poison ivy, it will bestated on the label. Always readthe label to confirm that anychemical you buy will controlyour specific pest. The labelshould list poison ivy and givethe proper rate to be applied,along with other details onproper application procedure.

Several commonly usedherbicides that controlpoison ivy are:

Glyphosate

This product is sold under thetrade names of Roundup andKleenup. It is applied to thefoliage of poison ivy, but istranslocated throughout theplant, including the roots.Glyphosate has no soil activity.It will kill or injure all plantscontacted by the spray,including grasses. Apply nearthe foliage and green bark of

desirable ornamentals withextreme caution. Do not applyGlyphosate when rain isexpected within six hours ofapplication because itseffectiveness will be reduced.After treatment, do not disturbthe vegetation for at least 1week. Remember, dead poisonivy still contains toxic oil.Handle it with care. WhenGlyphosate is the activeingredient listed on the label, itis identified as Isopropylaminesalt of glyphosate.

AmitroleAmitrole is sold under the

trade names of Amitrol-T (RUP),and Amizol (RUP), amongothers. It is applied to thefoliage and is translocatedthroughout the plant. It isnonselective, therefore it willkill or injure any plant to whichit is applied. It also remainsactive in the soil for severalweeks after application, so it isimportant not to use it nearother desirable plants. The soilactivity also prevents theplanting of new vegetation forat least 4 weeks. Do not use it inareas where food crops will beraised or animals grazed. Whenamitrole is the active ingredientlisted on the label, it isidentified as 3-Amino-l,2,4-triazole.

2,4-DThis product is sold under

many tradenames and is oftenmixed with 2,4-DP to improveits effectiveness on woodyplants. It is not the mosteffective treatment forcontrolling poison ivy, but itdoes not kill grass. Repeatedtreatments are usually required

because the chemical seldomkills the entire root system.

Ester formulations of 2,4-Dare more effective than amineformulations because they moreeasily penetrate the planttissue. However, esterformulations are also moresusceptible to volatilization anddrift and so require more care toinsure that other desirableplants are not damaged. Amineformulations are thereforerecommended for use aroundthe home. Do not apply 2,4-D ifrainfall is expected within six toeight hours. When 2,4-D or 2,4-DP are the active ingredientslisted on the label, they areidentified as 2,4-Dichlorophen-oxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxypropionicacid (2,4-DP).

Some plants are extremelysensitive to very small amountsof 2,4-D and 2,4-DP. Manyplants can be affected by thetrace amounts of thesechemicals remaining in sprayequipment after cleaning. It isrecommended that a separatesprayer be used for 2,4-D and2,4-DP applications. If thesprayer must be used for otherpurposes, rinse it at least twicewith household ammonia, at arate of 8 teaspoons per gallon or1% by volume. Follow theammonia rinses with threerinses of clean water. All rinsesshould include spraying thesolutions through the entirespray system, including thenozzle(s).

TriclopyrThis product is sold under the

trade names of Garlon, Brush-B-Gon and others. It controls

many annual and perennialbroadleaf weeds, includingpoison ivy. The best resultsoccur when the application ismade on the foliage of activelygrowing vegetation. Protectdesirable ornamental shrubs,trees, and crops such as grapes,vege-tables, and flowers fromany spray mist. Use a coarsespray to minimize drift. Do notplant trees in treated areas for aperiod of at least six months.Grasses are not affected by thischemical. Triclopyr is listed onthe label as the activeingredient.

SummaryOther chemical products may

also be used to control poisonivy. Although they may not beregistered for residential use,they are available for use inother situations, such as alongfence rows, in fields, or inwooded areas. These productsinclude dicamba (Banvel), hexa-zinone (Velpar), 2,4-D ester +2,4-DP ester, picloram (Tordon),and sulfometuron methyl(Oust). For specific recom-mendations on the use of thesechemicals, contact your localcounty Extension office.

Many other Extensionpublications are available onweed control. Call, write or visitthe Cooperative ExtensionService Office in your county formore information. Following isa list of related publicationsavailable there or by writing tothe MSU Bulletin Office, P. O.Box 6640, East Lansing, MI48826-6640.

E-0791, Problem Perennial Weedsof Michigan ($1.90, for sale only)E-1662,21 Common PoisonousPlants (55t, for sale only)NCH-39, Weeds and Weed ControlSystems — What is a Weed? (free)

MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Op-portunity Institution. Cooperative Exten-sion Service programs are open to allwithout regard to race, color, national

origin, sex, or handicap.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extensionwork in agriculture and home economics, acts ofMay 8, and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with theU.S. Department of Agriculture. W.J. Moline,Director, Cooperative Extension Service, MichiganState University, E. Lansing, Ml 48824.

This information is for educational purposes only.Reference to commercial products or trade namesdoes not imply endorsement by the CooperativeExtension Service or bias against those not men-tioned. This bulletin becomes public property uponpublication and may be reprinted verbatim as aseparate or within another publication with creditto MSU. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse oradvertise a commercial product or company.

PESTICIDE EMERGENCYINFORMATION

(Please post in an appropriate place)

For any type of emergency involving a pesticide, the followingEmergency Information Centers should be contacted immediately forassistance. This Cooperative Extension Service Bulletin is the latestinformation available as of July 1988, and replaces all previous listingsof similar information.

HUMAN PESTICIDEPOISONING

Eastern Half of Michigan

within the Detroit City proper

*(313) 745-5711

within the 313 area code

* 1-800-462-6642Poison Control CenterChildren's Hospital of Michigan3901 BeaubienDetroit, Ml 48201

Western Half of Michigan

within the Grand Rapids City proper

*(616) 774-7854

statewide

* 1-800-632-2727

Blodgett Regional Poison Center8/odjett Memorial Medical Center1840 Wealthy. S.£.Grand Rapids, Ml 46506

Upper Peninsula of Michigan

within the Marquette City proper

*(906) 225-3497

Upper Peninsula only

* 1-800-562-9781

U.P. Poison Control CenterMarquette General Hospital420 West Magnetic StreetMarquette, Ml 48955

SPECIAL PESTICIDEEMERGENCIES

Animal PoisoningYour Personal Veterinarian

and/orAnimal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. Michigan State University

(517)353-1683

Pesticide FireLocal Fire Department

andFire Marshal Division, Michigan State Police

(517)322-1924

Traffic AccidentLocal Police Department or Sheriffs Department

andOperations Division, Michigan State Police

*(517) 337-6102

Environmental PollutionPollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS)Michigan Department of Natural Resources

* 1-800-292-4706toll free for environmental emergencies

Michigan Department of Natural ResourcesWaste Management Divison

(517)373-2730for information on pesticide disposal and local pick-up days

Pesticides & Plant Pest Management DivisionMichigan Department of Agriculture

(517)373-1087

Telephone Number Operated 24 Hours

2P-7.5M-6:88-TCM-UP-Major revision, destroy previous editions. Price 35 cents.

F i l e 34 .13 (weeds).

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