Registered: 05/02/06
Posts: 929
Loc: Garden State
(69.127.20.141)
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So, this question from PNW got me wondering... WTF does this stuff look like...
I know Poison Ivy, it's all over and easy to spot (usually)... So, I did a quick search on our friend Wiki.
Turns out there are two types of Poison Oak in the US, Western Poision Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum or Rhus diversiloba) and Atlantic Poison Oak (Toxicodendron pubescens or Rhus toxicarium).
The Western variety grows along the Pacific coast from Canada down to Mexico. And the Atlantic variety grows in the Southeastern portion of the US from Texas and Oklahoma to Virginia.
So, it would appear that we are all safe at the Gunks from this nasty little plant!
I read/heard somewhere that the bushes on the ground are PI and the vines going up trees are PO. But they look like the same plant. Maybe they are here but not out West.
Anyway, I agree with the shout comments re. PI being quite easy to avoid once you can recognize it. Funny thing - 25 years ago, there was virtually no PI along Undercliff Road. Another climate/habitat change perhaps? Or maybe the Preserve didn't used to trim back the shoulder vegetation back then.
There are a bunch of subtle varieties of Poison ivy in terms of leaf shape, size and whether it prefers to grow in short or taller. All of them will form vines and climb trees. For some reason the copperheads seem to love the stuff, I guess for the cover and lack of foot traffic. Another reason to avoid Millbrook.
Registered: 07/10/00
Posts: 2721
Loc: Sandy, UT
(68.164.109.40)
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Originally Posted By: Mike Rawdon
I read/heard somewhere that the bushes on the ground are PI and the vines going up trees are PO.
Nope. PI can easily climb trees. Ever see the side of a stone or brick house covered with English Ivy? PI is an extremely similar plant, only with the addition of an irritant from Hell. At our CT house we had a tree on the edge of our property totally covered in the stuff. I cut PI woody vines an inch in diameter during the chemical warfare that was waged against it.
_________________________
- Marc
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community
science has determined that PI LOVES CO2 so the increases in atmospheric CO2 will lead to hardier and more toxic PI. Another benefit of messing with Ma Nature.