Skip to main content

Four Quick Steps For Identifying Poison Oak

It's that time of year again, and poison oak leaves are sprouting out all over the Bay Area. Getting poison oak is no fun, so if you don't know what poison oak looks like, today is your day to learn! 

Poison oak, you say...
So first, why is poison oak so poisonous? It's not that it's actually poisonous, but it does contain urushiol, an oil that can irritate the skin, causing rashes or blisters. The frustrating thing about poison oak (well, one of many frustrating things) is that it's hard to know immediately if you've had contact with the plant. It normally takes 24-36 hours for any skin irritation to appear.


I have a quick four-step system to identify poison oak. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. (Remember, I am not a medical professional. This is not medical advice. :))

The four-step system

Step 1: Listen to the old adage, "Leaves of three, let it be." Poison oak has clusters of three leaves on the entire plant. While many plants have clusters of three leaves, poison oak always does. 

Step 2: Shiny leaves. Poison oak leaves aren't always shiny, but they can be. They can red red and shiny, green and shiny, or not very shiny at all.

Step 3: To distinguish poison oak from other plants with clusters of three leaves (like blackberry), remember that poison oak leaves have smooth, rounded edges, rather than jagged ones.

Step 4: Poison oak has smooth branches with no thorns. If you're looking at a plant with thorns, it's definitely not poison oak.



While just one of these steps can't help you decide whether a plant is poison oak, combining all four steps  can get you well on your way to preventing a very un-fun rash.

So what if you've been exposed? 
On official trails, you are unlikely to come into direct contact with poison oak. If you think you have been exposed, wash your clothes and your skin as soon as you can. Products like Tecnu are also handy to have around as they can remove poison oak oil from your skin—but if you're near soap and water, a good scrub will do the trick too.

Stay safe out there, urban hikers! Now you can impress others with your poison oak identifying skills.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Visiting San Francisco's TEN Mosaic Stairways

San Francisco is home to TEN beautiful mosaic stairways ( see map here ), but they were all inspired by one. The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project (2005) The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps project began in early 2003 when Sunset residents Jessie Audette and Alice Xavier decided to bring people together while beautifying their neighborhood. Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher were chosen as the project artists. The 163-step mosaic features a landscape that spans from the bottom of the ocean all the way to the sun in the sky. The inspiration for the steps came from SelarĂ³n’s staircase , a mosaic staircase in Rio de Janeiro named after artist Jorge SelarĂ³n. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on August 27, 2005–which the mayor’s office proclaimed “16th Avenue Tiled Steps Day.” Location: Moraga Street between 15th and 16th Avenues Hidden Garden Steps (2013) Inspired by the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, the neighboring Hidden Garden Steps were conceived in January 2010 and completed in November

Two Great Hikes Near Cavallo Point and Fort Baker

L ast year, I went to a wedding reception at the Cavallo Point Lodge and my boyfriend and I decided to spend the night there. The morning after the reception, we wanted to take advantage of our location and get some exercise, so we decided to explore some local trails. I revisited these trails again recently and wanted to write about them so you can take advantage of them, too. Hike 1: Cavallo Point Loop 
1.9 miles, 300 feet elevation gain Shortened version on the trail on Relive     Strava route to download or duplicate From outside the hotel’s main building (where the valet stand is) walk diagonally across the large lawn to reach the intersection of Murray Circle and Center Road. There you'll see a (small) trail sign for the Bay Trail. Head straight here onto Moore Road and then take your first left onto Sommerville Street. Start walking along Horseshoe Bay.  When you reach the Presidio Yacht Club after about 0.1 mile, take a wood walkway in front of the buildi