Avoid The Scratching And Itching Caused By These Three Plants In Summer

Summer is around the corner in the Tri-Cities and that means better weather for hiking and outdoor activities. It's all fun and games until you encounter three plants that could bring your summer fun to a screeching halt.

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Hiking Trails In Washington Can Turn Deadly If You Come Into Contact With Poison Ivy

There are three plants that you might encounter out on the trails in Washington State and they look pretty harmless until you touch them.

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We don't want you to have a bummer summer so we've compiled the three plants that you will want to avoid this summer.

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Our first obvious plant is Poison Ivy. 

According to Wikipedia: Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis is the allergic reaction caused by poison ivy. In extreme cases, a reaction can progress to anaphylaxis.

Around 15 to 25 percent of people have no allergic reaction to urushiol, but most people have a greater reaction with repeated or more concentrated exposure. Poison Ivy can have an allergic reaction to those who come into contact with it.

Poison Ivy can cause blisters and lesions and be quite painful. If you see Poison Ivy in the wild, best to leave it alone.

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Another plant you'll want to avoid is Poison Oak. Poison Oak according to Wikipedia can cause Toxicodendron diversilobum.

Ssin contact first causes itching; then evolves into dermatitis with inflammation, colorless bumps, severe itching, and blistering.In the dormant deciduous seasons the plant can be difficult to recognize, however contact with leafless branches and twigs also causes allergic reactions.

Urushiol volatilizes when burned, and human exposure to T. diversilobum smoke is extremely hazardous, from wildfirescontrolled burns, or disposal fires. The smoke can poison people who thought they were immune.Branches used to toast food over campfires can cause reactions internally and externally.

Urushiol is also found in the skin of mangos, posing a danger to people already sensitized to T. diversilobum when eating the fruit while it is still in the rind.

Poison Oak is our second plant you'll want to avoid this summer.

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Our third and final plant to avoid this summer on the Washington trails is Poison Sumac.

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Poison Sumac is perhaps the most deadliest of the three plants to avoid in Washington State.

According to Wikipedia, in terms of its potential to cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, poison sumac is more toxic than its relatives' poison ivy and poison oak.

Dermatitis shows itself in painful and long-continued swellings and eruptions. In the worst case, smoke inhaled by burning poison sumac leads to life-threatening pulmonary edema whereby fluid enters the alveoli.

If you are headed out on the trails this summer, be on the lookout for these three plants and avoid them if you can.

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