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Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Poison Ivy: Leaves of Three...
poison ivy in the fall

Leaves of three, let them be!
Poison ivy (Rhus radicans) grows plentifully along roadsides, trails and the edges of fields and parking lots, as a vine or a low shrub. The leaves are red in early spring (above), shiny green in summer, and an attractive red or orange in the fall. Each leaf consists of three leaflets.

Most people are sensitive in varying degrees to the sap of this plant, which makes skin itch, blister, and swell.

 
Prevention
• Avoid contact with all parts of the plant
• If exposed, wash the affected skin with soap and water as soon as possible. It takes several minutes for the sap to penetrate the skin.
• Remember: Leaves of three, let them be!

• Do not burn garden clippings or campfire "deadwood" that is entangled with poison ivy leaves or vines. Soot from the fire can carry the sap through the air, and cause serious distress in the eyes, nose, and throat.

 

Fact Sheet

Poison Ivy & Rhus Dermatitis (including sketches of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac) from the National Park Service Public Health Program.

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A low long steamboat passing a riverbank with canoes on it

Did You Know?
... that a century before this recreation area was formed, the Delaware Water Gap was touted as a Wonder of the World, and drew vacationers via rail lines from Philadelphia and New York City. There were trails to stroll, verandas for viewing the gap, and a steamboat for moonlight cruises.
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Last Updated: March 01, 2011 at 14:52 MST