RADIO TRANSCRIPT
June 26, 2023
Taylor Campbell

This is Taylor Campbell, horticulture extension agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Burke County Center. Today’s program is on poison ivy. Now that we are all spending more time outside, it is important to know how to identify poison ivy. We’ve all heard “leaves of three, leave it be”, but there is more to identifying poison ivy. Poison ivy grows in a vine, with clusters of three oval-shaped leaves that range in color from green to orange. The leaves have a waxy surface. The oily resin on the leaves causes many people to experience an itchy rash characterized by small clusters of red bumps. While I can’t speak to controlling the itch, I can recommend measures on controlling the growth of poison ivy.

The first method of defense is manual removal. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves for this process, and to wash up afterwards. If there is too much poison ivy to manually remove, you can use a contact herbicide such as RoundUp. Spray in late summer to early fall. You can also create a barrier using cardboard or a dark colored cloth to cover the plant and prevent it from getting sunlight. Keep in mind these two practices could harm other plants in your landscape.

This has been Taylor Campbell, horticulture extension agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Burke County Center. For more information on invasive plant control, visit our website, or call us at 764-9480.