Wild Harvest Tour Special Edition
Just to let you all know, the next few blog posts will be covering things that were exclusively seen on the Wild Harvest Tour, these are plants found in the woods of North Carolina. Some of these plants are good, some are bad but they are things you need to know about. I hope you enjoy the focused content folks.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Sandhills-Wild-Harvest/61557940700225/?sk=photos
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| This is Poison Oak, not to be confused with Poison Ivy. Note the free-standing upright form this plant takes. |
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| This picture was taken at the end of April, notice the flower clusters, berries will soon follow. |
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| Poison Ivy spreads by rhizomes that move near the soil's surface but below the leaf litter, this isn't one singular plant but a colony of them. |
Common Name: Poison Oak
Other Common Names: Atlantic Poison Oak, Eastern Poison Oak
Botanical Family: Anacardiaceae (The Sumac Family)
Botanical Latin Name: Toxicodendron pubescens
Description & Habitat: Poison oak is a native species that is deciduous and has an upright form that means it is considered a low-growing shrub. This is in direct comparison to its cousin Poison Ivy (T. radicans) which is a vining plant. This plant can grow upwards of 10 feet tall but it usually averages at about 2-4 feet. The specimens photographed for this entry were all about two feet tall. This plant is common in the coastal plains of North Carolina but can be found in wooded areas in the eastern states of the United States. Typically this plant is not found in urban areas, it is instead found in dry sandy areas in forests, natural undisturbed areas or in thickets. Although it does have a role in the wilderness of our state’s forests it is not something you want in your garden. Poison Oak spreads via rhizomes and can form large colonies as we found out on the tour. The specimens photographed were ten or more feet apart and were probably part of a large colony that spread out across a hundred feet or so. You can identify Poison Oak by its upright habit and the slightly fuzzy green, alternate leaf arrangement. Unlike with Poison Ivy Poison Oak leafs tend to be around the ends of their stems leaving bare stalks closer to the ground. In spring the flowers are a yellowish green (seen in pictures) and they are followed by tannish-white fruit which are called drupes.
Remember one critical thing when identifying this plant or its similar-looking cousin having three leaflets is not always accurate as many other plants that are not poisonous have three leaflets. Some examples of plants that have three leaflets or similarly shaped leaves are Virginia Creeper (most often mistaken for poison ivy), Strawberries, Barren Strawberries, Ash, Boxelder, Aromatic Sumac and even Boston Ivy. So relying on the number of leaves and their shape is not the best decision. The old rhyme from the boy scouts says: “Leaves of three let it be” and that’s where folks tend to stop. However the full rhyme has two more lines, “Berries white, flee the site, hairy rope don’t be a dope” and so ideally you want to look for two or three identification features to verify that the plant you are dealing with is dangerous. In the case of Poison oak you will find the three leaflets and the berries are close to the noted color but no ‘hairy rope’. Two is good enough to keep you safe but three is ideal, but use your best discretion in the woods.
All parts of Poison Oak contain a biologically active compound called Urushiol which is the same hazardous compound found in Poison Ivy (T. radicans) and Poison Sumac (T. vernix). This lovely compound is poisonous and will cause severe skin redness, itching, blistering, and swelling. Symptoms can come from direct contact, or cross contamination from clothing or tools that have been in contact with the plant. Even when in a state of dormancy there is a risk of contact causing health problems. Additionally contact with the smoke from burning this plant or its two aforementioned cousins may cause severe skin and or respiratory conditions and may require a trip to the emergency room. If you even think you have come into contact with this plant I urge that you thoroughly watch your hands clothing and tools with soap and water. At a minimum I suggest using Dawn dish detergent, but at best there are products like Tecnu which can be used as a laundry detergent and a body wash to get the Urushiol oils off your skin and out of your clothes safely.
As a final note on what the Latin name of this plant means, Toxicodendron is a combination of ‘toxicos’ meaning poison, and ‘dendron’ meaning tree. The specific epithet ‘pubescens’ means covered with fine hairs. The name alone tells you to look but do not touch, also you should keep your pets away as they can bring it in on their fur.
When & What to Harvest:
Just to be clear, there is nothing to harvest in the case of this plant. It is dangerous and should be noticed, avoided and left alone.
Poisonous Lookalikes: Poison Ivy (T. radicans) is often called Poison Oak, but their growth habits and leaf morphology are very different. They are not the same plant and Poison Ivy is the one that typically is found in urban settings.
Related Edible Species: None.
Recipe: None, you really don’t want this in or on your body.
Additional Information: (If applicable)
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/toxicodendron-pubescens/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicodendron_pubescens
With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog. In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the Hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.
For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.
Summer Vegetable Plants (NEW!)
Tomato – Sungold
Tomato – Midnight Snack
Tomato – Sweet 100
Tomato – Chocolate Cherry
Tomato – Lemon Boy
Tomato – Black Krim
Tomato – Paul Robeson
Tomato – Cherokee Purple
Tomato – Brandywine, Suddeth’s Strain
Pepper – Ancho/Poblano
Pepper – Ghost
Pepper – Carolina Reaper
Herbs (New!)
Bee Balm
Garlic
Hairy Balls Milkweed
Lemon Balm
Oregano
Sweet Genovese Basil
Garden Plants
Daylilies
Walking Iris
Coming Soon:
Dahlias
American Aloe
Yucca
How to stay in Contact with Us!
Our group’s online presence has migrated to Nextdoor.com. All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.
Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville
Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:
The Videos: Look Here
>Newest videos (1): Sweet White Violet
Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is May 4th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
