Poison Ivy?

Messages
102
Reaction score
5
Location
Zone 5a Illinois
USDA Zone
5a
What about a Poison Ivy? I have my trees outside and during a summer or 2 ago I had a female friend ask if my trees are real. well she snatched off a few leaves without asking, (not a friend anymore) but i decided to curb people's need to get a quick feel of my trees. so while I was helping a friend rid them of this pesky vine( I'm immune to them) I decided to give it a go. An I now have a cascade that has a red flush in the fall, and a red flush for all whom touch without asking !!!
 

Stan Kengai

Omono
Messages
1,172
Reaction score
1,330
Location
North Georgia
USDA Zone
7a
I say go for it if you're not allergic because poison ivy has great fall color. The great color is why I have a cascade of Virginia creeper as sort of an accent plant (many people somehow mistake it for ivy, ignorance I guess). People always wonder why I'm growing a vine, until they see it in the fall next to a yellow crabapple or hawthorn.

If you're serious, I think you'll be able to reduce the leaves, if you want to, because I've noticed naturally dwarfed ones growing in rock around here. Just don't let them seed, or you'll end up with more than you bargained for.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,181
Reaction score
22,178
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
"I'm immune to them"

FYI, immunity can change with poison ivy. Just because you've never had the rash, doesn't necessarily mean you won't get it. Wearing latex gloves when working on your tree is probably a wise thing to do...

http://www.poison-ivy.org/html/faq.htm

From Poison Ivy.org:
"Some people appear to be immune, others become immune. HOWEVER, you can gain or lose immunity, so to assume you can't get it if you never have before is foolish. People change as they age. I would never assume that I was immune at any time no matter what my past experience was."
 

Bob O

Mame
Messages
171
Reaction score
4
Location
Tidewater, VA
USDA Zone
7B
Rock gives some good advice about this.

For many years I could handle it without worry and then maybe ten years back I waded through a patch while wearing shorts, by the next day I was really sorry. Wear the gloves & enjoy your "poison" bonsai.

Bob O
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
Rock gives some good advice about this.

For many years I could handle it without worry and then maybe ten years back I waded through a patch while wearing shorts, by the next day I was really sorry. Wear the gloves & enjoy your "poison" bonsai.

Bob O

Ditto that, and a bad case really really sucks.
 
Messages
102
Reaction score
5
Location
Zone 5a Illinois
USDA Zone
5a
Thanks Stan and All,
Just got done a few hours ago "Watering" my temperate trees. Yes, watering. I looked at my poison Ivy in its drab plastic container and now am thinking about a training / final pot. Styled in a semi-cascade. I'll go with a deep pot but with the leaves turning a red, I'm wondering about a glazed or natural pot?
Any suggestions?
 
Top Bottom