Poison Ivy Advice

[tatamcpancakes]

x-posted to Shovelbums

Comments

[sollersuk]

sure you all have had bad poison ivy experiences in the field

Ouch, Americanocentric. In the UK we don't have poison ivy; we do have stinging nettles, but they are very different.

[rimrunner]

We have stinging nettles in America, too.

[tatamcpancakes]

Im sorry, I just assumed poison ivy was everywhere, thats my bad.

What are stinging nettles?

[sollersuk]

The plant looks rather like mint, only the leaves and stems have little hairs coming out of them. If you brush against them, your skin comes up with maddenintly itchy little spots.

[rimrunner]

However, if you (carefully) pick the leaves and (carefully) crush the hairs, you can eat them.

They taste a little bit like green beans.

[banshea]

I think cooking will neutralize the sting, too

[banshea]

I was told in a natural history class this summer that the juice from a stinging nettle will actually cure and/or soothe the sting. The trick is not making it worse in the process.