Plants That Cause Rashes: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and 7 Other Plants That Can Give You a Rash
What are the plants that can cause rashes? Learn about poison ivy, poison oak, and 7 other plants that can give you a rash.
Poison Ivy: The Infamous Culprit
Poison ivy is a well-known plant found across the United States. It can be encountered while hiking in the woods, but also grows along roadsides, on fences, and in backyards. Poison ivy leaves grow in clusters of three on vines that can climb up trees or trail along the ground. Every part of the plant, including the vine, roots, leaves, flowers, and berries, contains the compound urushiol, which is responsible for the notorious poison ivy rash.
The poison ivy rash typically appears a few days after exposure and can take up to two weeks to fully develop, especially if it’s your first time coming into contact with the plant. The rash is characterized by very red skin, swelling, and blisters, accompanied by intense itching. To manage the inflammation, a strong corticosteroid skin cream or ointment can be helpful. In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe additional medication to suppress the immune system or further reduce the reaction. Anti-itch topical creams may also provide relief.
Poison Oak: A Close Relative
Poison oak, while not actually related to oak trees, is another plant that can cause a rash. It is often found growing in dense patches near streams, along hiking trails, in ditches, and around farmland, especially in areas where the soil has been disturbed.
The stems of poison oak are singular, with few branches, and can grow up to 8 feet tall. The stems may be green or purple and may or may not have stinging hairs. The petioles (stem parts of the leaves) and undersides of the leaves also have stinging hairs.
The leaves of poison oak are longer than they are wide, dark green, and 2 to 4 inches long, with a tapered tip. Clusters of whitish flowers grow at the base of each pair of leaves along the stem.
Coming into contact with poison oak causes a sharp, painful sting, followed by a burning sensation and sometimes itching. The irritation can last for several hours and lead to the formation of hives near the site of contact, which can persist for up to 24 hours.
Stinging Nettle: The Sting That Lingers
Stinging nettle is the best-known member of the nettle family and is found throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The plant tends to grow in dense patches near streams, along hiking trails, in ditches, and around farmland, often where the earth has been disturbed.
The stems of stinging nettle are singular, with few branches, and can grow 6 to 8 feet tall. The stems may be green or purple and may or may not have stinging hairs. The petioles (stem parts of the leaf) and undersides of the leaves also have stinging hairs.
The leaves of stinging nettle are longer than they are wide, dark green, 2 to 4 inches long, with a tapered tip. Clusters of whitish flowers grow at the base of each pair of leaves along the stem.
Coming into contact with stinging nettle causes a sharp, painful sting, followed by a burning sensation and sometimes itching. The irritation can linger for several hours and cause hives near the site of contact, which can last up to 24 hours.
Baby’s Breath: Irritating When Dried
Baby’s breath is a common flower used in bouquets and floral arrangements. While it generally isn’t an irritant while it’s still alive, when it’s dried, it can irritate the eyes, nose, and sinuses, as well as the skin. It can also cause asthma in people who frequently handle it, such as floral industry employees.
The skin irritation caused by dried baby’s breath is usually minor and temporary. However, people who have become sensitized to baby’s breath and are experiencing asthma reactions should avoid handling it. Interestingly, double-flower varieties of baby’s breath tend to cause fewer reactions than single-flower varieties, so if you’re planting it in your garden or have a choice when ordering a bouquet, the double-flower option may be a better choice.
Giant Hogweed: A Dangerous Phototoxic Plant
Giant hogweed is an invasive plant in Europe and North America, and is considered a “federally listed noxious weed” in the United States. Coming into contact with the sap of giant hogweed can cause serious skin and eye irritation, blistering, scarring, and even blindness if the sap gets in the eye.
The skin rash caused by giant hogweed can resemble a second-degree burn and can leave you with long-lasting scars and sensitivity to sunlight. The sap of giant hogweed is phototoxic, meaning it requires exposure to ultraviolet light to cause a reaction. If you touch giant hogweed or think you might have, keep the exposed area away from sunlight for 48 hours and wash it with soap and cold water as soon as possible. If you get sap in your eyes, rinse them with water and wear sunglasses. Seek medical attention if you experience a reaction.
Giant hogweed can be recognized by its large size, reaching up to 14 feet high or higher, with hollow, rigid stems 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Its deeply lobed, compound leaves can grow up to 5 feet across, and its white, umbrella-shaped flower heads can be up to 2.5 feet across. The stems of giant hogweed are green with purple splotches and coarse, white hairs.
Other Plants That Can Cause Rashes
In addition to the plants mentioned above, there are several other plants that can cause skin irritation and rashes. These include:
- Poison sumac: A shrub that can cause a rash similar to poison ivy.
- Stinging nettles: As mentioned earlier, the stinging hairs on the plant can cause a painful, burning rash.
- Cashew nuts: The shell of the cashew nut contains a compound called anacardic acid, which can cause a rash in some people.
- Chrysanthemums: These flowers contain pyrethrins, which can trigger an allergic reaction in some individuals.
- Daffodils: The sap from daffodils can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis.
- Ranunculus (buttercups): These flowers contain a compound called protoanemonin, which can cause skin irritation.
- Primrose: The sap from primrose plants can trigger a rash in some people.
Preventing and Treating Plant-Induced Rashes
To prevent getting a rash from plants, it’s important to be able to identify them and avoid coming into contact with them. Wearing long sleeves, pants, and gloves when working in the garden or hiking in wooded areas can also help protect your skin.
If you do come into contact with a plant that causes a rash, wash the affected area with soap and water as soon as possible. Over-the-counter corticosteroid creams or ointments can help reduce inflammation and itching. In severe cases, you may need prescription medication or medical treatment to manage the reaction.
It’s also important to note that some people may develop sensitivity to these plants over time, so it’s a good idea to be vigilant and take precautions even if you’ve had no previous reactions.
Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and 7 Other Plants That Can Give You a Rash
Poison ivy is found across the United States. You can come into contact with it while hiking in the woods, but it grows virtually everywhere — along roadsides, on fences, in backyards. Poison ivy leaves grow in clusters of three on vines that can grow up into trees or trail along the ground. Every part of the plant contains the compound called urushiol, which causes poison ivy’s notorious rash — the vine, the roots, the leaves, the flowers, and the berries.
A poison ivy rash typically appears a few days after exposure, and can even take a week or two if this is your first time in contact with the plant. When it does, you’ll know it: You’ll see very red skin, swelling, and blisters, and you’ll feel a serious itch. A strong corticosteroid skin cream or ointment can help with the inflammation. Your doctor may prescribe other medication if the inflammation is severe, to either suppress your immune system or to help further reduce the reaction.
Anti-itch topical creams may also help.
RELATED: How to Treat Poison Ivy and Reduce Discomfort
2. Poison Oak: Not Related to Oak Trees
Stinging nettle is the best-known member of the nettle family. It grows throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The plant tends to grow in dense patches near streams, along hiking trails, in ditches, and around farmland, often where the earth has been disturbed.
The stems of stinging nettle are singular, with few branches, and can grow 6 to 8 feet tall. The stems may be green or purple and may or may not have stinging hairs. The petioles (stem parts of the leaf) and undersides of the leaves also have stinging hairs.
The leaves of stinging nettle are longer than they are wide, and dark green, 2 to 4 inches long, with a tapered tip. Clusters of whitish flowers grow at the base of each pair of leaves along the stem.
Coming into contact with stinging nettle causes a sharp, painful sting, followed by a burning sensation and sometimes itching.
The irritation can linger for several hours and cause hives near the site of contact which can last up to 24 hours.
Stinging nettle is sometimes gathered for food or to make into tea. It has long been a folk remedy for joint pain, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. Cooking deactivates the stinging properties of stinging nettle.
6. Baby’s Breath: Irritating When Dried
If you’ve ever gotten roses from a florist, chances are they were clustered with sprays of tiny white or pink flowers known as baby’s breath. You might also see baby’s breath in cultivated perennial gardens.
Baby’s breath generally isn’t an irritant while it’s still alive, but when it’s dried, it can irritate the eyes, nose, and sinuses, as well as the skin. It can additionally cause asthma in people who touch it frequently, such as floral industry employees.
The skin irritation caused by baby’s breath is usually minor and temporary.
People who have become sensitized to baby’s breath and are having asthma reactions ideally should stop handling it.
Interestingly, double-flower varieties of baby’s breath tend to cause fewer reactions than single-flower varieties, so if you’re planting it in your garden or have a choice when ordering a bouquet, go for the double-flower option.
7. Leadwort: Look but Don’t Touch
Giant hogweed is an invasive plant in Europe and North America and, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, a “federally listed noxious weed” in the United States.
Contact with the sap of giant hogweed can cause serious skin and eye irritation, blistering, scarring, and even blindness if the sap gets in the eye. The skin rash may look like a second-degree burn and can leave you with long-lasting scars and sensitivity to sunlight.
Giant hogweed sap is phototoxic, which means it requires exposure to ultraviolet light to cause a reaction. If you touch giant hogweed — or think you might have — keep the exposed area away from sunlight for 48 hours, and wash it with soap and cold water as soon as possible.
If you get sap in your eyes, rinse them with water and wear sunglasses. See a physician if you have a reaction.
You can recognize giant hogweed in part by its size: It can grow to 14 feet high or higher and has hollow, rigid stems 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Its deeply lobed, compound leaves can grow up to 5 feet across, and its white, umbrella-shaped flower heads, can be up to 2.5 feet across. The stems of giant hogweed are green with purple splotches and coarse, white hairs.
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Fact. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac grow in wooded or marshy areas throughout North America. The plants aren’t really poisonous.
They have a sticky, long-lasting oil called urushiol that causes an itchy, blistering rash after it touches your skin. Even slight contact, like brushing up against the leaves, can leave the oil behind. Poison ivy and poison oak grow as vines or shrubs. Poison sumac is a shrub or tree.
Myth. Poison ivy is the only one that always has three leaves, one on each side and one in the center. They’re shiny with smooth or slightly notched edges. Poison oak looks similar, but the leaves are larger and more rounded like an oak leaf. They have a textured, hairy surface. There may be groups of three, five, or seven leaves. Poison sumac leaves grow in clusters of seven to 13 leaves, with one by itself at the end.
Myth. It forms within 24 to 72 hours of contact, depending on where the plant touched you. It usually peaks within a week, but can last as long as 3 weeks. A rash from poison ivy, oak, or sumac looks like patches or streaks of red, raised blisters.
The rash doesn’t usually spread unless urushiol is still in contact with your skin.
Myth. It’s usually safe to breathe where poison plants grow. But if you burn them in your yard, the smoke could cause problems. When poison ivy leaves burn, they put out chemicals that can bother your eyes, nose, or lungs. You may need to see a doctor if you breathe the smoke. They’ll prescribe steroids to control your symptoms.
Fact. Keep your skin covered to avoid contact with these plants. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves, and closed shoes if you’re in an area where they grow. Tie the bottoms of your pants legs or tuck them into your boots. Wear gloves when you handle bagged mulch or bales of pine straw. Keep a pair of shoes just for outside use and keep them outdoors. Try a lotion that has bentoquatam. It acts as a barrier between urushiol and your skin.
Fact. Urushiol begins to stick within minutes. If you know you’ve made contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac, wash the area with lukewarm water and soap ASAP.
If there’s no water, rubbing alcohol or alcohol wipes can remove it. Keep the area cool, dry, and clean. Wash your clothes and clean your boots or shoes. Hose down any garden tools that might have touched the plant.
Myth. But using them along with over-the-counter medicine can ease the itch and keep you more comfortable. Once a rash appears, keep it clean, dry, and cool. Calamine lotion, diphenhydramine, or hydrocortisone can help control itching. Cool compresses or baths with baking soda or oatmeal can also soothe the rash. Don’t scratch. It won’t spread the rash, but can cause scars or infection. Your doctor may suggest other treatments for your symptoms.
Myth. If someone in your household has poison ivy, oak, or sumac, you can’t catch it from them, even if you come into contact with the blisters. Just because you’ve never had a rash from one of these plants doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Most people — about 85% — are allergic to urushiol.
You can be affected by it at any age.
Myth. See your doc if the rash is close to your eyes or is widespread over your body. If needed, they can prescribe medications you take by mouth that will help with swelling and itching. Head to the emergency room if you have severe reactions in addition to the rash, like nausea, fever, shortness of breath, extreme soreness at the rash site, or swollen lymph nodes. Call 911 if you have any trouble breathing or feel faint.
Fact. A dog’s or a cat’s fur usually protects its skin from urushiol. But it can stay on the fur and rub off on you. If your pet explores areas where these plants are found, bathe them with soap and cool water. Be sure to wear gloves.
Myth. Don’t burn poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Particles of urushiol remain in the smoke and can aggravate your eyes, nose, and respiratory tract, and can land on the skin. Instead, dress appropriately and dig out the plants, getting as much of the root as possible.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/rashes-from-caterpillars-3969706_V2-0fae0b454fa44159a2ef75bb421a8354.png)
Put them in a plastic trash bag and throw it away. Have someone else do this if you’re super-sensitive to the plant. Some plant killers may work. Read the label carefully and use it at the right time of the year. Be careful — urushiol remains active, even on dead plants.
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1) Panoramic Images / Cameron Newell Photography
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SOURCES:
American Academy of Dermatology: “Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac.”
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: “Poison Plants.”
Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA) Fact Sheet: “Working Outdoors in Warm Climates.”
University of Connecticut Integrated Pest Management: “Dealing With Poison Ivy.
“
University of Oregon Health Center: “Facts & Fiction About Poison Oak and Ivy.”
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10 poisonous plants to avoid
Likbez
Health
June 9, 2022
Burns, itching, allergies – this is not a complete list of troubles that await you with casual contact.
You can listen to the short version of the article. If it’s more convenient for you, turn on the podcast.
These dangerous plants are known less than nettles, although many of them burn much more. At the same time, they can be found in your favorite park, along the sidewalk along which you go to work, on the green lawn where you decide to have a picnic.
Which plants can be dangerous? 0003
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This giant “dill” with large white inflorescences on thick stems can reach three meters in height.
If you see one, don’t come close.
Hogweed juice contains furanocoumarins, which deprive the skin of UV protection. Therefore, burns and large blisters appear on the affected areas even under the gentle morning or evening sun. And if the juice gets on the mucous membranes of the eyes, you can go blind.
For the sake of fairness, let’s say that there are also non-dangerous species of hogweed. Some of them are even eaten. For example, for cooking borscht, hence the name.
But if you are not a botanist and you are not sure that specific umbrellas and the stems with leaves located under them are harmless, it is better not to risk it.
2. Meadow parsnip
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This is also an umbrella plant. True, smaller and with faded yellow inflorescences. Parsnip juice and pollen contain psoralens, substances that increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight./urticaria-symptoms-5b55f74746e0fb0037d9ef2a.png)
The result is burns (streaks, spots, rashes, blisters) that appear on the affected area within a day after contact. The most dangerous parsnip is considered to be during the flowering period, that is, in July – August.
3. Buttercup
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The name sounds gentle, even touching, but this plant is only external flower (yes, yellow, beautiful). Problems begin after contact.
Poisonous ranunculus juice causes severe skin irritation with itching and blisters. Once in the mouth and nose, the pollen of the flower provokes coughing and spasms of the larynx.
So it’s absolutely not worth collecting ranunculus bouquets and smelling them.
4. Larkspur (delphinium)
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This plant is also from an insidious family ranunculus, although it seems that its tall stems covered with small blue and purple flowers do not resemble a buttercup.
When in contact with the skin, the larkspur sap and pollen can cause irritation, similar to that which occurs when touching stinging nettles.
Sometimes delphinium flowers are bred as ornamentals. In this case, you can work with them only with gloves, and also drive away children and pets from the flowers.
5. Pasque (sleep-grass)
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Another relative of the outwardly harmless , but a predatory buttercup. Its juice contains poisonous alkaloids that cause inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, it is advisable to tear such flowers with gloves.
6. Poison oak
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This beautiful shrub with almost glossy, sap-filled leaves belongs to the genus Toxicodendrons, “toxic trees,” as the name literally translates from Latin.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/poison-oak--rhus-toxicodendron--sandy--xeric-soils--southeastern-us-h-139824214-5b248e103418c600375c6476.jpg)
Its leaves and stems contain urushiol oil. It irritates the skin and can cause severe allergies, an itchy, red rash with bumps and blisters.
According to experts from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), severe reactions even require emergency medical attention.
7. Poison ivy
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The closest relative of poison oak, and he has the same habits. It is easy to distinguish it from other ivy: each branch of the poisonous one ends with three glossy leaves. Depending on the season, the leaves can be both green and beautiful yellow, orange and even red.
8. Ash tree (burning bush)
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The ash tree forms a slender shrub with many beautiful flowers and is often used as a decoration in gardens. But this showy plant is dangerous. When its seeds ripen, a huge amount of essential oil is released. If you bring a match to the plant, a flame will break out over it. In this case, the ash tree itself will not suffer. Such a curious feature was the reason for the appearance of the second name – the burning bush.
Do not touch the ash tree without gloves and closed clothing. You won’t feel anything right away, but after about a day, burns with blisters may appear on the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe skin. Later, the blisters will burst, and scars will remain in their place.
9. Euphorbia
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All kinds of species of this huge plant genus are sometimes very different from each other: some look like wildflowers, others look like cacti.
One thing unites all representatives: caustic milky juice, which gave them their name.
This juice is toxic. On the skin, it leaves burns, and once on the mucous membrane of the eye, it causes a sharp burning sensation and temporary blindness. Later, symptoms such as fever, malaise and swelling may appear.
10. Castor bean
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This plant is the source of castor oil. But during the preparation of the oil, castor beans undergo a powerful steam treatment that destroys the toxins they contain. But if they are not removed, problems may arise.
You can touch castor beans. But you shouldn’t pick it: if you accidentally damage the skin of the fruit, you may get a dose of ricin. Once in the mouth (for example, from poorly washed hands), this substance can lead to the development of gastroenteritis, including death.
Additional side effects are neurological disorders and lesions of the mucous membranes of the eyes.
How to make sure that you have a poisonous plant in front of you
Distinguishing a dangerous plant from a safe one is quite difficult. Often only a professional botanist can cope with this task. Therefore, there is only one advice: if in doubt, it is better not to approach.
Letterheads can use the PlantNet app. Just take a photo of the plant, enter your location (to speed up the search) and get the most likely flower name.
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Price: Free
What to do if you touch a poisonous plant oh napkin.
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Burning “imprint”. What plants can be dangerous to humans? | HEALTH
Lilac Babaeva
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
2380
No. 25. “Arguments and facts in Western Siberia” 06/22/2017
“Imprint” from plants. What plants can be dangerous to humans? AiF
With the onset of hot days, more and more Tyumen residents began to turn to doctors with burns, blisters, redness after contact with herbs. The influx of such patients occurs only in sunny, hot weather, and up to seven people consult only one dermatologist per day.
Mostly summer residents suffer from phytophotodermatitis, but any person can have a reaction from contact with plants after walking outside the city, swimming in flowering water and even walking barefoot on the grass. Doctors expect mass appeals during haymaking.
“Phytophotodermatitis combines two reactions at once: to the sun and plants. They are combined because the sun affects the plants. In hot weather, under the influence of sunlight, they release essential oils, and when a person sweats, his sweat gland ducts expand, which contributes to the penetration of the allergen from plants into the skin. That is why such diseases practically do not occur in cloudy weather, ”says Lyubov Makarova, a specialist in medical prevention at the regional Dermatovenerologic Dispensary.
Backache ordinary (sleep-grass) causes burns on the skin. Photo: From the personal archive / Elena Kozhina
Most often, such a reaction is caused by sedge, cow parsnip, primrose and others.
These plants produce allergenic essential oils.
Without contact
As a rule, signs of illness appear immediately after contact with the plant or throughout the day, in some cases on the second or third day. After exposure to the allergen, edema may occur, after it – small bubbles, the opening of which leads to micro-ulcers with a clear liquid in the middle. Necrotic ulcers may appear on the skin, affecting not only the upper layers, but also extending deeper and leading to scarring. And after recovery, age spots may remain in this place.
Phytophotodermatitis blisters are often confused with signs of food allergies and even burns.
“Sometimes patients come and say that they apparently burned themselves somewhere and did not notice it themselves, but in fact it is phytophotodermatitis,” says Lyubov Makarova.
Most often, the rash appears on the feet, hands and knees – in those areas that come into contact with the grass.
The treatment of the disease is individual and depends on the area and depth of the lesion.
With phytophotodermatitis, the first thing to do is to stop contact with the plant that caused it. Most often, it is treated topically, with the help of ointments, lotions and powders. It is also forbidden to sunbathe at this time, both in the sun and in the solarium.
To prevent phytophotodermatitis, you should try not to contact the grass on sunny days, do not lie on it without bedding, try not to walk barefoot and not swim in a flowering pond.
Topic
Which herbs are better not to touch?
Hogweed
Its juice, if it comes into contact with the skin, can cause severe burns, up to I degree of severity. It is especially dangerous at the time of flowering in sunny weather. Sometimes, after a couple of minutes, under the influence of sunlight, in the place where the hogweed juice got into, inflammation begins and a bubble swells. With prolonged exposure, deep, long-term non-healing ulcers form, leaving scars.
Larkspur (Delphinium)
Poisonous plant from the insidious buttercup family. May cause allergic reactions (burning and itching) on contact with unprotected skin. If you are breeding delphiniums as ornamental flowers, wear gloves when handling them. And do not allow children to pick beautiful flowers.
Ash tree (burning bush)
Vapors of essential oil emitted during seed maturation in hot weather can severely burn even at a distance of up to two meters.
Meadow parsnip
Causes almost the same burns as hogweed. Once in the meadow, pay attention to light greens on 1.5-meter stems with inconspicuous flowers of the same color – do not touch it.
Buttercup
It is no coincidence that wild and domestic animals bypass these yellow flowers. The poisonous buttercup juice causes irritation, itching, and blisters on the skin. So it’s not worth collecting bouquets from them and even smelling them.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/itchy-rash-plants-2132244_FINAL-5b8943cac9e77c007b53f425.png)
Backache (dream grass)
Another relative of buttercup. Both wild and cultivated species are poisonous. The juice causes burns on the skin in the form of redness, blisters and abscesses.
Note
Which plants can cause phytophotodermatitis? Nettle, sedge, spurge, primrose, hogweed
See also:
- Irregular mushrooms. How not to cook them so as not to end up in the hospital →
- More and more Tyumen residents suffer from ultraviolet rays →
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