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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Don't touch that plant. 6 vines, bushes, shrubs to avoid this summer in Michigan
If you're heading outdoors this summer, it pays to know the difference between poison ivy, poison oak and other rash-producing plants that will leave you itching and scratching — or worse. Most Michiganders are familiar with poison ivy in its various forms, but plants such as poison sumac grow in swampy areas, and invasive giant hogweed and wild parsnip can cause more significant, long-lasting health problems, according to state's Invasive Species Program. "It can be difficult to determine whether you're looking at hogweed, hemlock or parsnip, but all of these plants have several things in common: contact may cause unpleasant, potentially deadly, reactions," the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said. Poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak can cause a red, bumpy rash from its transferred oils called urushiol. Ingesting other native Michigan plants, the nightshade plant for example, can be deadly in small doses, according to Michigan State University's Extension. As residents explore the outdoors, here are six poisonous or toxic plants to identify and avoid: The plants may be identifiable by their large size — they can grow up to 14 feet tall. Hogweed is native to Asia and typically grows in open areas, but can be spotted in various habitats, according to Michigan's Invasive Species Program, a joint effort of the departments of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; Natural Resources; and Agriculture and Rural Development. Hodgweed is an invasive species in Michigan, but has become established in the state, the website notes. The plants contain toxins called furanocoumarins. These are mostly found in the sap as well as throughout the plant's tissues, according to WebMD. If you come in contact with the plant's sap, it can cause an allergic reaction called photo dermatitis or photo sensitivity: Your skin becomes sensitive to sunlight and may blister when exposed to light. WebMD says you can develop symptoms in as little as 15 minutes. Severe cases can cause scarring for up to six years. Getting the sap in your eyes can cause permanent blindness. "The toxin is most problematic if it gets into your eyes. Immediately wash your eyes for 15 minutes straight if you think that they've been exposed," WebMD says. Here's how to identify: White flowers in an umbrella-shaped cluster up to 2.5 feet across. Plant is 7 to 14 feet tall. Stems are green with purple splotches and visible, coarse, white hairs. Leaves are up to 5 feet wide, lobed and deeply incised. In Michigan, there are two types of poison ivy growing throughout yards and forests: eastern poison ivy, which grows throughout the Lower Peninsula, and western poison ivy, which grows mostly in northern areas, including the Upper Peninsula, according to Michigan State University's Extension. All poison ivy contains an oil called urushiol in the leaves, stems and roots of the plant, the Mayo Clinic said. When touched, the oil creates an allergic reactions in the form of a red rash. All poison ivy (western and eastern species) has certain qualities, MSU Extension and the American Museum of Natural History say, including: The stalk of the middle leaflet is much longer than the stalks of the two side leaflets. Surface of the leaves can be glossy or dull. There are three leaflets, and the edges can be smooth or coarsely toothed. Some have a prominent "thumb-like" lobe. The leaf arrangement alternates. In the fall, leaves turn turn red with some yellow. Greenish flowers appear with five petals about 3 millimeters in diameter. Flowers appear in loose branching clusters and arise from where the branch or leaf attaches to the stem. Berries/fruits appear in loose drooping clusters and contain a single seed, and are hard and whitish. Western poison ivy grows upright and does not have aerial roots. The plants grow in patches on the ground. Eastern poison ivy grows as either a plant on the ground or as a vine on trees or buildings with aerial roots to secure itself around trees or other objects. Poison oak is a relative to poison ivy that contains the same oils and is extremely common in California. There are two types of poison oak plants, Pacific poison oak and Atlantic poison oak. Pacific poison oak grows in the western U.S. in a wide range of habitats ranging from grasslands to forests. Atlantic poison oak grows in southeastern U.S. and is usually found in open woodlands and sandy thickets. Neither type typically grows in Michigan. Poison oak's leaves resemble an oak leaf, but at times have jagged edges, according to the Santa Lucia Conservancy, based in Carmel, California. Like poison ivy, its leaves have a alternate leaf pattern. It can grow as a shrub, bush or vine. In the spring, poison oak's leaves appear shiny with reddish or green colors that can curl inward. As the plant grows, the leaves increase in size and are bright to dark green. In late spring they bloom small, star-shaped, yellow flowers in clusters on its stem. Like giant hogwood, wild parsnip is an invasive species in Michigan and has been detected in the state, according to Michigan's Invasive Species Program. The plant is a flowering herb that grows up to 5 feet tall with yellow-to-green flowers shaped like umbrellas that grow in clusters. It has toothed leaves with leaflets that grow across from each other from the smooth, green stem. The flowers bloom in June and July. When touched the plant's harmful chemicals can cause a rash and blisters, and can cause the infected area to become sensitive to sunlight. "Wild parsnip spreads aggressively through seeds carried by wind, water and equipment. Stem, leaves, and flowers contain chemicals that can increase skin sensitivity to sunlight and cause severe rash or blistering. Plant chemicals are known to reduce weight gain and fertility in livestock that eat wild parsnip," according to the invasive species website. If you find wild parsnip growing in Michigan, state officials urge you to report the sighting through the Invasive Species Information Network online reporting tool. A relative to poison ivy, poison sumac is a flowering shrub or woody plant that contains the same oil. However, it is considered more allergenic, causing a very inflamed, painful and itchy rash. Poison sumac has alternate compound leaves with pointed, shiny leaflets and a red stem. The woody plant grows to 15 feet tall and has bark that is a dull gray. Sumac has a red stem sprouting from a grey bark stem. In June, clusters of small, green flowers bloom, based on MSU's Department of Entomology. Poison sumac is typically found in fens and indicates wet soil, MSU said. It can be found in swampy areas throughout most of the Lower Peninsula. Poison hemlock can be extremely poisonous to animals and humans if ingested. All parts of the plant are poisonous and made up of toxic compounds called "conine, g-coniceine and related piperidine alkaloids," according to the U.S. Agricultural Research Service. This plant is also referred to as deadly hemlock, poison parsley, spotted hemlock, European hemlock, and California or Nebraska fern. It blooms in the spring (when they are particularly toxic) throughout the U.S. Here are some ways to identify the plant: White flowers that grow in small erect clusters — each flower develops into a green fruit with seeds. Grows along fence lines, in irrigation ditches, and in other moist waste places. Leaves are delicate, like parsley, and have a white taproot — the main root of the plant. Can grow to be 6.5 to almost 10 feet tall. Hollow stem usually marked with small purple spots. Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@ This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Poisonous plants in Michigan: Hogweed, poison ivy, sumac, more
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Idaho watercraft inspection stations are open for the season. Here's what to know.
Watercraft inspectors Ron Lang, left, and Fabian Rendon, clean and dry a kayak at Centennial Waterfront Park in Twin Falls on Aug. 8, 2024. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun) Watercraft inspection stations managed by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture are open for the 2025 season. This means all boat owners — regardless of their watercraft size, propulsion, motorized or non-motorized — must stop for mandatory inspection when traveling past an inspection station during operating hours. Inspection stations are essential to prevent invasive species, such as quagga mussels, from entering Idaho's waterways. Quagga mussels were first discovered in the Snake River near Twin Falls in 2023, and have since cost the state millions to suppress as they have the potential to outcompete other aquatic species and clog agricultural and energy infrastructure. Quagga mussel elimination efforts have also killed thousands of native fish in the Snake River, including at least 48 white sturgeon, some of which were up to 35 years old and eight feet long, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. 'We take this seriously': ISDA director on out-of-state boat traffic, Idaho quagga mussels 'Stopping at watercraft inspection stations and following the simple steps of cleaning, draining, and drying your watercraft are essential to ensuring Idaho's waters thrive for generations to come,' department director Chanel Tewalt said in a press release. 'It is up to all of us — boaters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts — to take responsibility in safeguarding our waters from invasive species.' Idaho law requires all out-of-state watercraft to be inspected and decontaminated at a watercraft inspection station prior to launch. When entering Idaho, boat owners should look for road signage and electronic message boards directing them to inspection stations. Before launching a watercraft in Idaho, nonresident owners must also purchase an invasive species sticker. Before transporting any watercraft, Idaho law requires operators to remove the drain plug and drain all water, including from internal compartments such as ballasts, bilges, live wells, and motors. All bilge and ballast plugs and other barriers that prevent water drainage must be removed and remain open while a watercraft is transported by land within the state. To prevent the spread of invasive species, watercraft owners can follow these steps: Clean all equipment before leaving any waterbody, removing visible plants and animals. Drain water from all compartments, including motors, live wells and boats. Pull the boat's bilge plug and allow water to drain. Dry all equipment thoroughly before using the watercraft in a different waterbody. In 2024, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture's Invasive Species Program performed nearly 157,000 watercraft inspections — a 44% increase from 2023. Throughout the history of the program, Idaho stations have performed over one million inspections. For more information, contact the Idaho State Department of Agriculture Invasive Species Hotline at 877-336-8676 or visit the Invasive Species of Idaho website. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
