Poison ivy covering a bench by the river.

I'm gonna have to start taking my pruning sheers with me on bike rides because the city/county has let the plant spread so much and since I maintain a patch of it at home (with leaves three times the size of these ones!), I know how to spot it from a distance and how to safely handle it even without protective equipment.

Devotional polytheist living a monastic lifestyle centered on curiosity, simplicity, and joy.  Exploring the intersection of technology and spirituality.

Apprentice to magic. Artist and aspiring maker. Building a scholarship nonprofit to send kids abroad. https://atlastravelfoundation.org/

For fun and spellwork.  It's symbolically great for boundaries - the plant is not toxic, it's just that most humans are allergic to it.  It doesn't release the oil that causes the reaction unless it's damaged.  So if you remain aware of your surroundings and recognize it, you're in no danger, but if you go crashing through it, you're fucked.  I can touch a leaf barehanded and have no reaction at all as long as there's no damage to the leaf!

Wait what, why do you maintain some at home??

I break out horribly when exposed to the oil.  Last time I had it was when I first stumbled on a patch in my yard in 2020. Lavender oil soothes it a lot, but it took weeks to clear.  Now I know how to handle it without it releasing the oil.

🤘🏼solarpunk artist  | gaming | cozy slow living | forgotten tech  🏴‍☠️✌🏼another world is possible! /sprout /rise-up /cryptids ⛩︎

Sometimes, but Tecnu poison ivy wash is better!  Pretty cheap, and handy to have on hand if you live in an area where the plant grows.  The tiny berries they produce in fall are a very important source of food for birds, and they spread the seeds in their droppings, so I find the plant all over next to the trails I ride on in my county.

I’ve heard hand sanitizer is great at neutralizing it if the oils do get in your skin