Disaster Prep Wednesday: Things to Avoid in the Wild - Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac

A quick series of videos about identifying and avoiding outdoor nuisances that probably won't kill you, but can make your life miserable.









And a nice written guide here.

Atlantic Poison Oak range

You might note that there is an East Coast form of poison oak which actually appears in a fairly large area as shown in the adjacent map.

Poison Sumac range

Poison sumac is not a concern in the Western U.S. but can be an issue in the East:

Western poison ivy

Poison ivy comes in two varieties, Western:

Western Poison Ivy Range

And Eastern:

Eastern PoisonIvy

Eastern Poison Ivy Range

One other plant to be wary of Rhododendron (and the Azalea) - not dangerous to the skin, but you can get very sick or even die if you cook food using branches from rhododendron plants as skewers.

If, in the event of a disaster, you plan to take to the woods, it is a good idea to know what plants you should avoid.