It can remain on tools, clothing and animal fur for as long as five years. Urushiol bonds easily to human skin and is very difficult to remove. Poison ivy contains urushiol, an oily substance present in all parts of the plant that remains toxic even when the plant is dead. To effectively treat a rash, it helps to understand what causes it. If you are seriously allergic to poison ivy, you might need a stronger remedy. Whenever I need to soothe poison ivy or another skin rash or irritation I apply a cube to the area several times daily until the problem is solved.” After harvesting the stems, I rinse off any soil, then chop the stems in a blender for a few seconds to produce a sticky, fibrous, clear green liquid. I still use this plant today, but because it is an annual with a short life (and not always near the plant when I need it) I preserve it for future use. Native Americans used jewelweed the same way to treat poison ivy and poison oak rashes. Almost immediately the stinging disappeared, as did some of the redness. When I brushed against a stinging nettle and irritating hives began to form almost immediately, my guide grabbed a handful of jewelweed stem, crushed it in his hand, and told me to rub it on the painful, burning area. One of my favorites was jewelweed, a plant that often grows in moist areas near. During these walks, I learned a great deal about native plants and their uses. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time hiking and camping in Northeastern forests. Balick, vice president for botanical science at The New York Botanical Garden, is an expert in medicinal plants and author of “Rodale’s 21st Century Herbal”, wherein he shares his personal experience using jewelweed medicinally: It has beautiful, translucent green stems and bright orange-gold flowers that attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

Jewelweed is an airy annual that grows 18-24 inches tall. Did you also know that in the woods, and perhaps in your garden, another native plant called jewelweed can be a natural remedy for poison ivy and may be growing nearby? Everyone knows the potential problems of coming in contact with poison ivy.

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