Weeds
What can I do about poison ivy?
Poison ivy [Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Ktze.] and poison oak both occur in Mississippi, although poison ivy is the most common. Sap from either plant can cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. If you're immune, don't be fooled, since your susceptibility can change at any time. If you plan to remove poison ivy by hand, purchase a good pair of rubber gloves that you wash with soap and water after handling plants. Handling sap contaminated gloves can result in a poison ivy outbreak long after the work was done. Landscape fabrics can help minimize poison ivy emergence in flower beds. A 2 percent solution of Roundup can be used to control those plants that emerge, but caution must be used to avoid misapplication to the flowers. The time to apply Roundup to poison ivy for best control is after the plant blooms and starts to form seeds.
There are several other viney weeds that may be confused with poison ivy. Virginia-creeper [Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.] is often confused with poison ivy, but is easily identified as a nontoxic plant because it has five leaflets, rather than three. Other plants that may be misidentified as poison ivy include peppervine [Ampelopsis arborea (L.) Koehne] or redberry moonseed [Cocculus carolinus (L.) DC.]
