Plants to Know Before You Hike!

Hiking trails through the woods hunting for deer or morels was common place in my family. Being just as comfortable in nature as on the easy chair my father always had a keen sense of which plants were okay and which would leave you bathed in calamine for weeks. Not every family has someone so in tune with nature, but that does not mean you have to stay away from the trails.

Before taking that hike this summer take a little time to learn all there is to know about the Top 6 Itchiest Plants.

PENCIL CACTUS (EUPHORBIA)

These beautiful plants though most common in tropical regions have been found in many places in the United States with temperate climate. The sap or latex is caustic and can cause severe inflammation of the skin especially that near the eyes and other mucous baring surfaces.

POISON IVY

Classic skin irritant, poison "ivy" (it is not really an ivy at all), contains a substance called urushiol which is an allergen to approximately 85% of humans. Upon contact a skin rash can appear almost immediately or over a period of days depending on the level of allergic reaction. The rash can usually be treated with over the counter anti-itch medications but in severe cases and cases of inhalation, further medical attention may be necessary.

POISON OAK

There are actually two different genus of poison oak. The Atlantic and the Western Poison Oak both contain the same chemical as poison ivy, urushiol, and again causes skin irritation. The Atlantic version only inhabits the eastern United States while the Western version stays on the Pacific coast.

POISON SUMAC

A cousin to the poison ivy and the poison oak the sumac is far more virulent than any other version of poison plant. The urushiol levels are far greater in every part of the plant. When burned, inhalation of the smoke has been known to cause severe diarrhea and internal irritation.

STINGING NETTLE