Vine on tree, is this poison ivy/oak

11 years ago

Well, thanks to all for the help with my previous ganoderma issue.

However, now I have a new question. In my backyard, on an unrelated oak tree which resides next to a very large and lush peach tree, I ran into a grey squirrel family that ate every one of my peaches (hunderds of them). I found that they were gaining access to the tree via this oak tree behind my fence which is in a city owned green belt.

So what did I do, I sawed off an entire branch that came over my fence. Thought nothing of it, and I did it manly style with no shirt, basketball shorts and sandals.

For reference, this tree cutting parade occurred on May 29th.

The following day, I went on a business trip, returning the day after. By Friday, June 1st, I noticed itchiness on my left hand. It got progressively worse and by Tuesday of this week (June 5th), I thought I was having shingles or something. Having had poison oak before, I started thinking I came in contact with something, but I looked at the tree and didn't immediately see anything. Well through yesterday, it seems I"m having more reactions, which is unusual for poison oak/ivy, usually after 3-4 days new stuff doesn't come. So I was confused.

This morning I took a closer look at the tree, and I think I found poison ivy vines wrapped around the trunk and possibly branches I cut down.

Here's the picture:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/112537/ivy.jpg

Hopefully I've just been recontaminating myself, since I hadn't initially thought it was from plant contact. Now I've basically sanitized everything, washed everything, etc.

I'm hoping someone can clarify that picture is of poison ivy. Also, how do you recommend I decontaminate my saw?

Finally, I'm slightly fearful that since I was cutting into vines and being careless, I may be having a systemic reaction, since more legions are forming.

However, my overall legion count is respectable, only two have turned into very minor blisters, so I think my overall case is considered mild. Having had poison oak from California as a child, this case is much less severe, although the finding new legions this late in the game is concerning me, hopefully it's just from recontaminating myself.

Thanks all

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Comments (11)

U235
Original Author
11 years ago
Link to picture here.

Also, Austin, TX and the tree is a live oak

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:370980}}
ghostlyvision
11 years ago
Are you putting Calamine lotion on the affected areas? It'll help. I can't identify whether or not that's poison ivy but I've had two simialr outbreaks of blistery, itchy rash that continued up the insides of my arms for some days before new ones stopped appearing and figured it must have been poison ivy.
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Iris GW
11 years ago
Poison ivy attaches to trees with a fine network of thin aerial rootlets, resulting in a very hairy looking vine. This vine does not look like poison ivy at all.

I am not sure about poison oak, but one might guess they would act similarly.
U235
Original Author
11 years ago
Maybe oak then but the leaves are oily and three leafed. Certainly looks the same as google images of poison ivy leaf and poison ivy vine. Theres a pretty significant vine wrapping all around the tree. Oaks don't do that on their own.
U235
Original Author
11 years ago
Here's another photo

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:370981}}
Sara Malone Zone 9b
11 years ago
Looks like poison oak - if you had an in focus close-up of a leaf cluster we could tell for sure. There is a product called Tecnu that I remember working reasonably well to deal with the skin reaction issues back when I lived on a property with poison oak.

Soap and water should take care of your saw.

I had a case in the early 80's bad enough to send me to the ER for a prednisone shot - my eyes were swollen shut!

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tecnu
Iris GW
11 years ago
I googled pictures of poison oak vine and they certainly are very smooth looking, similar to your picture.
U235
Original Author
11 years ago
I stand corrected, it does appear to be poison oak. For whatever reason, I thought poison oak only grew west of the rockies. Considering my allergic reaction that fits the timing of hacking at those vines, I think it's safe to assume whatever it is, it has that Urushiol in it.

I've been using cortizone, and I bought that really expensive $40+ Zanfel stuff which really helped on the blisters.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
i cant even tell .. from your pix.. if its LEAVES OF THREE ... and in LEAVE IT BE ...

I DEALT WITH SUCH ONCE..

created my own full body hazmat type suit ... long blue jeans ... taped to work boots [what nut cuts trees in flipflops???] ... long sleeve shirt.. again taped to rubber gloves ... ...

and then.. i cut at the ground.. and applied 100% roundup to the cut ... and then i cut it.. as far above as i could.... and left it all hanging in the tree ... riddle me this batman.. why does it need to be pulled down????

and then put all the clothes.. sans tape into the washer on high heat and heavy bubbles ...

and then spent the next 3 years.. cutting every sprig that popped out of the ground.. and hitting it with roundup again.. until it finally died ...

and then i found out.. it was an underground vine.. as big as the thing going up the tree .. and it had the ability to compartmentalize the killer .... dying back only so far.. and then sprouting again ...

eventually i won.. but for the idiot birds who continue to plant babes all over the property ...

i got quite a chuckle over your manly parade.... lol ...

ken
U235
Original Author
11 years ago
Ken, you crack me up.

Sorry the picture is bad. I have to take the photo from 7 feet up to clear my fence, and I don't want to get too close.

It's an iPhone as well. First those leaves come off of small branches coming off the vines. The oak leaves are shaped and color significantly different.
franktank232
11 years ago
When we were younger, a buddy and I were out fishing on the Mississippi River. We had to make a fast run to a nearby forested island for a bathroom stop. This island must have been named poison oak island, because not long afterwards, both of us were covered in poison oak (this was right before I was leaving for Canada on a fishing trip). I had it in every spot imaginable. Don't mess with any of it...I haven't had it since and hope to never have it again. Ugly stuff.