Poison Ivy Real Name

The climbing  poison ivy’s real name is toxicodendron radicans, and the non-climbing variety of poison ivy is scientifically called toxicodendron rydbergii, or simply Rydberg’s poison ivy.  In the Southeastern United States, there’s also a variety called eastern poison oak.  It’s debatable whether eastern poison oak is indeed a form of poison ivy, but the two are so similar and cause the same effects nonetheless.

Whatever poison ivy’s real name or variety, it’s a nuisance all the same.  It contains a chemical that can cause a person’s skin to develop a large, red, blistery, and itchy rash.  The rash can be extremely irritable and hard to get rid of.  The active ingredient that causes the rash and itchiness is called urushiol, and it’s present in every part of the plant—especially in the sap. Urushiol is so potent that just ¼ oz. of it can cause a rash on every single person on earth!

Identifying poison ivy can be somewhat difficult.  Not all plants with red leaves or red vines contain urushiol.  Some plants in North America, such as pepper vine, are poison ivy lookalikes.  Pepper vine, however, isn’t known to cause itching rashes.  For those who aren’t familiar with either plant, it may be hard to tell them apart. 

Poison ivy’s leaves can be compound.  This means that each leaf on the plant is distinct, and is made up of distinct leaflets.  Although the shape of the leaves varies, the pattern of the leaflets does not.  The one thing that is constant for all poison ivy plants is the pattern of the three leaflets.  The three leaves always form a triangle with each other, and there are never any additional leaves on the same stalk.  The three leaves can each be shaped differently, however.  Also, despite common myth, poison ivy plants are NOT always shiny!

Mostly everyone is allergic to the rash caused by poison ivy.  The real name of the skin irritation is rhus dermatitis.  The irritation problem usually starts with itching, and within a few hours, blisters will begin to form.  For some who usually don’t suffer from allergic reactions, the problem doesn’t worsen any more than that.  However, for those who do suffer from allergies, a severe, inflammatory rash will open, and horrible sores will develop.  Some cases are so severe that a visit to a doctor is required.

Depending on the severity, treatment can be anything from regular cleansing with water to antihistamines.  There are also ointments and moisturizers that can be applied to reduce the itching and redness.