Is it possible to keep indoor ivy at home? How to Recognize Poison Ivy and Get Rid of It in Your Garden Ivy Allergy Causes

It's not every day that we have to face questions of survival in wildlife, but knowing which plants are edible and which are not can make all the difference if you find yourself lost in the woods. That is why we decided today to introduce you to the ten most poisonous plants that appear to be edible.

10. Rhododendron

Having found " Bay leaf» in your yard, first of all, make sure that it is not a rhododendron in front of you. The leaves of this plant contain a toxin that large quantities can cause nausea, vomiting and weakness. However, an adult has nothing special to fear; even a child needs to eat 100-225 grams of the leaves of this plant for his life to be threatened.

9. Poison ivy


Yes, it's pretty obvious that poison ivy is poisonous. But the danger lies in the fact that it climbing plant in the process of growth takes on the most different shapes, becoming like the most different plants. In addition to the fact that the vine itself can cause itching and irritation on the skin, burning it is also not recommended. Otherwise, you will release a toxin, which, once in your respiratory tract, will also cause itching and burning.

8. Carolina nightshade


And although the fruits of this plant resemble everyone’s favorite tomato, the properties of Carolina nightshade are far from the properties of tomatoes. This dangerous plant contains the alkaloid solanine, which can cause problems with blood circulation and breathing, as well as cause serious abdominal pain.

7. Wild cherry (Prunus avium)

It's unlikely that when you think about cherries, cyanide comes to mind. However, wild cherries can become a threat to life due to quite high level cyanide content. When its leaves begin to wither and its fruits fall off, they become literally saturated with cyanide. Anyone who tries them risks death.

6. Castor bean


Many have probably come across this plant, but few people know that its seeds contain the toxin ricin, the amount of which is enough to incapacitate an adult. When heated, the toxin is destroyed, but if you accidentally eat several of these beans without pre-treatment, you can say goodbye forever normal operation nervous system.

5. Oleander


Many people are familiar with this amazingly beautiful plant, but few know that any part of it contains a toxin that is released when ingested or burned. Oleander juice contains a toxin that can disrupt the functioning of the heart.

4. Prayer Abrus


This legume is mainly found in India. Locals often use its beans as beads, but remember that they also contain abrin, a deadly toxin. It can cause liver failure, nausea and death. There are cases where people died by pricking their fingers while embroidering with beads or by inhaling small particles of beans.

3. Maiden grapes five-leaved


This plant is similar to poison ivy in many ways, the only thing that will help you tell them apart is the number of leaves. Ivy has three, and this grape has five. In addition to the fact that the plant itself can cause a rash, its berries contain a deadly toxin, which, if eaten, can say goodbye to life.

2. American Lakonos


Do not try to eat the berries of this bush. They contain a life-threatening toxin that in small quantities can kill not only a child, but also an adult. Fortunately, this plant is quite easy to recognize and protect yourself from such a fate.

1. Belladonna


This plant is found throughout Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa. His dark berries They resemble blueberries, but don’t even try to eat them! Despite the fact that most of the poison is contained in the roots of this plant, the berries and leaves can also cause you a lot of problems. They contain the toxin atropine, which can cause hallucinations, dizziness and palpitations. One leaf of this plant is enough to incapacitate an adult, and just three berries can kill a child.

WITH decorative leaves are widely used not only in gardening, but also in indoor floriculture For vertical gardening and creation original compositions. One of prominent representatives is ivy. A spectacular plant with trifoliate leaves, it has an unpretentious disposition and beautiful leaves. However, besides this, it does not have a very good reputation, interestingly, in our country.

It is human nature to connect the events that happen to him with the environment and objects that are part of it. It is much easier to attribute the troubles that happened to him to a third party, or better yet, to an inanimate object. In particular, on Can I keep it at home? Signs say no. Let's understand the notoriety of the plant, as well as the peculiarities of its cultivation.

What kind of plant is this?

The name “ivy” is a genus of plants of the Araliaceae family, numbering 15 species. Latin name Hedera for these plants was borrowed by C. Linnaeus from the Romans. Ivies are creeping shrubs that, as they grow, cling to support (trees, walls, etc.). The stems bear dense, leathery, angular-lobed leaves. Color - dark green, exist decorative forms with milky white stripes.

Natural habitat - countries of the Northern Hemisphere with mild climatic conditions, as well as Australia. In our country, ivy (see photo in text) is mainly a houseplant.

Common types of ivy

• Colchis ivy is an evergreen liana-like shrub with large (up to 25 cm in length) leathery leaves attached to the stem with suckers. The shape of the plate can be different; when rubbed, a characteristic musky odor appears. It climbs to a height of up to 30 m. It grows quickly, but is less frost-resistant compared to ordinary ivy. Under natural conditions it grows in Iran, Transcaucasia, and Asia Minor.
• Common ivy (photo below) is an evergreen vine, the leaves are leathery, medium in size (up to 10 cm in length), the arrangement is regular. It grows slowly, is shade-tolerant and thermophilic, and is demanding on soil fertility. It has a high decorative value, and therefore has been used for a very long time in landscaping gardens as a ground cover and climbing plant. A lot has been withdrawn hybrid forms, differing in color and shape of leaves. The photo shows the Calico variety.

• Canarian ivy - evergreen shrub, extremely popular as indoor plant. A spectacular plant with variegated leaves does not tolerate frost and requires good lighting, warmth and fertile soil.
• Pastukhov's ivy is a rare evergreen vine that grows in Eastern Transcaucasia and is listed in the Red Book of Russia. Distributed both in mountainous regions and in lowlands, it spreads along the ground and clings to tree trunks.

Indoor ivy: can you keep it at home? Signs

Signs and superstitions of various kinds have always been present in our lives. Some believe in them, others do not, and others listen. Quite a lot of superstitions are associated with plants in the house, and people often find it difficult to say where they came from. Most of it doesn't sound reasonable at all. For example, about a gift of a flower that dried up after a couple of months, and therefore was not presented from the heart. An absolutely untenable argument. Store-bought flowers often have weakened immune systems and have difficulty withstanding changes in environment and microclimate.

Indoor ivy also did not go unnoticed by lovers. Is it possible to keep this plant at home (signs are given in the text)? It is possible, and most Europeans do so. They don't need to put him in room conditions, a beautiful plant entwines the house outside, covering all the walls with an even carpet of greenery. But is this such a significant difference?!

The main superstition about ivy is its supposed ability to “drive” men out of the house and to survive them. Agree, the plant is endowed with very impressive power. The ancient Greeks also treated ivy in a special way, but from a positive point of view. The plant was almost sacred, because according to legend, it was it that saved the life of the god of wine Dionysus (Bacchus). Since then, his images have been decorated not only vine, but also climbing ivy stems. The mythological properties of the plant, however, have a real basis. It, along with rosemary, is used in France to protect forests from wildfires.

Ivy is a climbing evergreen shrub and, who would have thought, one of the symbols of Christmas. This is exactly what spectacular plant Europeans, especially the British, decorate temples and houses. It is interpreted as a symbol of eternity and resurrection, affection and love. Ivy is used in pairs with holly, the first being considered a symbol of the feminine (requiring support and protection), and the second - masculine. In practice, the plant really amazes with its unpretentiousness and ability to survive even in the homes of the most careless gardeners.

Ivy grows a very voluminous green mass, and therefore is considered one of the most effective air purifiers. Enough useful quality for city apartments.

These facts answer quite reasonably whether indoor ivy is harmful and whether it can be kept at home. Signs are most often far-fetched and absurd. You should not blindly trust them, much less be guided by them.

Selection of location, lighting and temperature

Indoor ivy is a unique plant. By choosing it for your home, you can fill even the darkest corner of the room with greenery. He is very shade tolerant. However, variegated forms need sun to maintain a beautiful contrast on the leaves, it is best if it is slightly muted, avoid direct rays hitting the plant.

Ivy belongs to the evergreens, heat-loving plants. Most comfortable temperature for it it will be 22-25 °C in the spring-summer period and cooler (15-18 °C) in the winter. You can take it out onto the balcony or summer terrace.

Soil for ivy

The plant prefers light but nutritious soil. Can buy ready soil in a specialty store or prepare it yourself. To do this, mix turf and leaf soil, humus, peat and sand in equal proportions. Place a drainage layer, such as expanded clay, at the bottom of the pot.

Adult plants are replanted every two years, and young plants - annually. The most optimal time for the procedure is March-April. Select a pot 2-3 cm larger than the previous one.

Watering and fertilizing

For active growth, ivy requires regular and abundant watering. summer time. But don't overwater the plant. Low temperature air and excess moisture are a favorable environment for the development of fungal and bacterial diseases.

In winter, a mild dormant period begins. At this time, the plant is watered less frequently, but the substrate should not be allowed to dry out completely. Spraying and high humidity- this is what indoor ivy prefers. Leaves dry out and fall off very often due to dry air. If possible, periodically place the plant under the shower, covering the lump of earth with waterproof material. After such a procedure, it looks much more attractive and begins to grow with renewed vigor.

Fertilizing should be carried out once every two weeks, starting from March and until the end of August, alternating organic and mineral complex fertilizers.

Reproduction methods

Ivy can be propagated by vegetative or seed methods. Moreover, the first one is the simplest and can be done in three ways.

Firstly, propagation by apical cuttings. Cut off the ends of the shoots 10 cm long and immediately plant them in a damp mixture of sand and leaf soil, covering the top with a glass or plastic cap. This creates greenhouse conditions, and it is important to maintain constant moisture in the soil. You can first place the cuttings in water and wait for the roots to appear. Then plant in the prepared soil mixture.

Secondly, propagation by shoots is practiced. One piece of stem can produce several plants. To do this, take a shoot with 8-10 leaves and make a cut along it. Not too deep, it should be superficial. Place the shoot on prepared moist soil with the cut side down and press it into the soil 1.5-2 cm, leaving the leaves on the surface. Within two weeks, roots will form along the entire length of the plant, a sign of this will be the growing top. Then the stem is taken out and cut into several parts, each planted in a separate pot.

Well, the third one vegetative method- propagation by layering. The algorithm of action is the same as in previous version, but with one amendment, the shoot is not separated from the mother plant, but pressed to the ground with staples.

Pruning indoor ivy

As a rule, outdoor specimens require pruning and shaping of the bush. if desired, you can also update and rejuvenate, giving the required form. The procedure is carried out in early spring, before the plant begins its active growing season. First of all, remove diseased and damaged shoots; you can simply pinch out young shoots in order to stimulate the development of lateral stems. To rejuvenate the bush, cut old branches at a distance of 1 m from the root in outdoor conditions and half as much in indoor conditions.

As a support for ivy, you can use a wall, specially stretched threads, but they must be strong (the green mass is quite heavy), a decorative trellis, etc.

The exact name of poison ivy is Toxicodendron radicans. The plant is not directly related to harmless ivy. It is called that because of its similarity appearance. Often called poison ivy. But sumac is a toxicodendron lacquer (shrub or tree), that is, they are very similar, but different plants.

Poison ivy is one of those plants that, when touched, can cause serious consequences, namely, skin burns and general poisoning. Stem, leaves, flowers, fruits - everything is poisonous. It is no coincidence that when translated from Greek, its name sounds like “poison tree” (toxicum poison, dendron tree).

However, despite its high toxicity and danger to humans, poison ivy is medicinal plant which is used in medicine. Let's take a closer look at this interesting and controversial plant. Let's find out why it is dangerous and what its benefits are.

What is poison ivy (toxicodendron rooting)?

It has strong differences from its relatives from the genus Toxicodendron Mill, which have the appearance of trees. And our hero is a woody vine, and sometimes takes the form small bush. It spreads its long, flexible stems over the surface of the soil or entangles tree trunks with them, using its adventitious roots.

Like anything dangerous, oxycodedron is very attractive. In summer, its branches are covered with dark green, large, leathery leaves. In autumn they turn red and dark orange. In June, panicle-shaped inflorescences appear on its branches. yellow color, and in the fall they turn into dense clusters of round fruits - greenish-white drupes.

The plant is native to North America, from Canada to Mexico. There it can be found everywhere in forests and among bushes.

In our country in growing wild You can find two types of toxicodendrons. They grow only in the Southern Kuril Islands. One is called Toxicodendron orientalis and the other is Toxicodendron pilosa. This is not to say that they are more friendly in nature. Both of these species are no less poisonous and can cause severe poisoning from just one touch.

Why is he dangerous?

In general, the plant has not been studied well enough, and they talk about it in different ways. I now mean toxicodendron rooting, which is not found here. And domestic species have not been studied at all. One thing is absolutely certain - poison ivy secretes a milky sap that turns black in the air and it is this that is extremely poisonous.

According to one group of experts, the juice contains a non-volatile resin called urshiolya. Other scientists claim that the juice contains a substance - a phenol derivative called toxicodendrol. And the third group of scientists call the poison of the plant toxicodendrolic acid, or consider it a mixture of different glycosidic substances. It is also known for certain that the bark of toxicodendrons contains poison - lobitin.

Anyway, that's enough minimum quantity of this substance to cause skin burns. When you touch any part of this vine or bush branch, a burn forms on the skin, which resembles mustard gas.

In its homeland, North America, poison ivy very often causes poisoning when its juice gets on human skin. Such cases often end very sadly.

Some justification for toxicodendron is the fact that not all living things have the same sensitivity to its poison. For example, animals do not suffer from it at all. Among people, almost 35% have slight sensitivity to it. Everyone else reacts to poison differently. Great importance The state of the immune system plays a role here.

Medicinal properties

Like most poisonous plants toxicodendron is used in medicine because it can heal people. Moreover, his “ medical history"started in late XVIII century. It was then that poison ivy began to be used to treat paralysis and rheumatism.

The effect of its juice is expressed in the appearance of skin rash, nausea, and vomiting. The victim exhibits symptoms of fever and fever. There is swelling of the glands, and ulcers appear in the mouth. But it was precisely this property of the juice that homeopathic doctors used. A preparation made from it, “Rhus tox,” is used in the treatment of ailments that are accompanied by fever, anxiety, ulcerations, and swollen glands.

The medicine is made from the sap of plants that are collected during the period of its highest activity. The resulting juice is mixed with alcohol, filtered, additional ingredients are added and used externally.

Homeopaths use tinctures of stems and leaves for colds, flu, rheumatism, neuralgia, eye and skin diseases. Toxicodendron tincture is available in Dr. Laurie's alcohol. With the help of this drug, lichen, scarlet fever, and malaria are successfully treated. It is used for abscesses and blistering rashes.

IN traditional medicine apply medicine"Akofit", which also includes a tincture of leaves. This medicine is used externally to get rid of rheumatism, neuralgia, radiculitis.

With a high degree of probability, it can be argued that the domestic species of this plant have exactly the same properties. With appropriate scientific research they could treat people no worse than the overseas toxicodendron rooting.

Ivy – evergreen, liana-shaped, belonging to the Araliaceae family. With the help of its strong and tenacious sucker roots, ivy climbs trees, pipes, fences and posts. Long ivies have a thicker trunk than those that do not climb to a height of 20 meters. In forests you can see a mat of ivy on the ground.

The leaves of the plant most often have a heart-shaped base, alternate, dense dark green color. Ivy flowers are inconspicuous greenish-yellow in color, collected in umbrellas. Ivy flowers can be either unisexual or bisexual. Men's and bisexual flowers have 5 stamens, while in female flowers there is a pistil with a 5–10-lobed ovary. The ivy fruit is about the size of a pea. The plant blooms in autumn.

In the wild, ivy can be seen in Eurasia. IN Western Europe ivy is found on trees and on the soil in light and floodplain forests. Ivy also grows well on rocks and rocky cliffs. In Russia, ivy is grown, but you cannot see it in the wild. They choose parks, gardens, courtyards for cultivation, and even use ivy as a houseplant.

Ivy propagation

Ivy is propagated by cuttings, shoots and layering. The plant is propagated by cuttings in the following way: after cutting the cuttings, they need to be planted in pots of 2-3 units, covered with film on top. To plant cuttings, you must first prepare the soil, namely mix sand with deciduous soil. Cuttings with aerial roots will take root best.

Reproduction of ivy by layering. For this method, you need to take long shoots, make cuts at the bottom and pin them to the ground using special staples. When the plants take root, they need to be carefully and slowly separated and replanted separately.

Reproduction by shoots. We take a shoot that has 8–10 leaves and place it on the sand. Now we place it inside the sand using indentations. Only leaves should be on the surface. After 10 days, underground roots will appear on the stem where the buds from the aerial roots are located. Now the shoot needs to be pulled out of the sand and cut so that each cutting has a leaf and roots. The cuttings do not need to be kept in water until roots appear; to do this, you just need to treat them with a special powder. When the cuttings take root, they are planted in a prepared pot or soil.

Growing ivy

The soil when growing this unpretentious plant you need to constantly moisturize. In summer, watering should be plentiful, in winter - moderate. Ivy responds well to frequent spraying. This plant prefers fertile soil. Ivy is responsive to fertilizing of any kind. The ends of the shoots need to be pinched periodically - this will give the plant dense foliage and more decorativeness.

Ivy can be replanted once every two years into a pot whose diameter is larger than the previous one. For better development and growth, the plant must be grown in a bright and illuminated place.

Ivy, although rare, is still exposed to diseases and various pests. If the room is warm, the plant is affected by scale insects. In this case, the damaged stems need to be cut off and the plant moved to a colder place. If you notice that the ivy leaves have turned yellow and are falling off, this indicates a lack of moisture.

Useful properties of ivy

Ivy has antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is used as an astringent, emetic, and laxative. Alcohol tincture of ivy is used to reduce blood pressure and removal of warts. A decoction prepared from this plant helps cure coughs and get rid of headaches. Due to the fact that preparations based on the plant have hemolytic properties, ivy is taken to maintain the tone of all blood vessels in the body.

Application of ivy

Even in ancient times, ivy was used in folk medicine. Based on this plant, preparations are prepared that are used for children’s cough and whooping cough, bronchitis and asthma. Ivy is used for diseases of the respiratory tract and chronic inflammation of the bronchi. Ivy contains a huge amount of iodine, so it is used for hyperthyroidism.

Ivy preparations help with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, gout and rheumatism. Infusion and tincture of ivy are used for catarrh of various kinds. Ivy is also used externally - as a means for washing in the presence of skin diseases.

Ivy decoction for skin diseases. To prepare it, you need to take 1 tablespoon of crushed ivy leaves and pour 200 ml of boiling water over them. Let's put everything on water bath for half an hour. After removing the composition from the water bath, take gauze, fold it into 3 layers and filter the product. The resulting broth is brought to its original volume with boiling water. Take this medicine three times a day, 1 tablespoon. The same decoction can be used for washing.

Decoction for rickets. 1 teaspoon of plant leaves pour 400 ml of cold boiled water and leave for 1 hour. After straining, the broth is taken 4 times a day, a quarter cup.

Ivy for the flu. To prepare this medicine, you need to take fresh ivy leaves, squeeze the juice out of them and combine it with the same amount of garlic juice. This juice should be dripped into the nose and nasopharynx. The same medicine can be used if you have chronic pain in the head.

Ivy for throat diseases. You need to take 10 grams of plant leaves and boil them in old wine, adding a pinch of salt. Gargle a sore throat with the prepared slightly hot broth.
Contraindications to the use of ivy

Ivy should be used only in moderate doses, otherwise an excessive dose will lead to poisoning. Some people may be allergic to this plant.

Poison ivy ( Rhus radicans), mainly found in North America. Similar plant, poison oak ( Toxicodendron diversilobum), mainly found in northwestern and northeastern America. Both plants contain urushiol oil, to which nearly half the population of the United States is allergic. The oil is transmitted by touching or inhaling smoke when such a plant burns. By learning to recognize this plant, you can avoid encounters with it.

Steps

Part 1

Let's recognize character traits plants

Find a plant. Poison ivy and oak can be found everywhere—forests, fields, your own garden, vacant lots. It all depends on where you live. These plants especially like to grow along fences and stone walls, they like to grow in secluded corners of forests, fields, and also in sunny places.

• Poison ivy is a climbing plant that can grow as a bush or as a single plant. If the plant grows in a mountainous area, it will often twine around other plants. If a plant has sprouted near a tree or fence, it will twine and grow into hedge through which it is not so easy to get through.

1. “Did you see the triple leaves? Don't touch them!" or ""One two is three? Take your hands off"", these sayings appeared because these plants have three leaves at the end of a long stem. You can recognize a plant by its leaves by the following signs:

2. Look at the berries. If the plant has berries, the following signs will tell you that it is ivy:

   • Both plants have translucent berries
   • Poison oak berries are usually fuzzy
   • Poison ivy berries are white or cream
   • The berries remain on the plants all winter and spring.

3. Remember that even when poison ivy or oak changes color, it is still poisonous. Although the color changes, urushiol oil still remains in the leaves.

   Part 2

   Accurately identify poison ivy and oak on field trips and elsewhere

   Part 3

   Additional points to watch out for
   • Teach children not to touch plants that they do not know while walking. This is how you should behave in nature. This is especially important in winter when there are no leaves to identify.
   • If you are allergic to these plants, learn to recognize them. An acute attack of an allergic reaction can cause serious harm to health. Until you can immediately recognize the plant, carry a photo of it with you.
   • Carry Technu soap or other special soap with you and use it immediately if there is an exacerbation.
   • If the rash does appear, try to keep it in the air for as long as possible. Fresh air accelerates healing.
   • After walking, carefully wash all exposed skin. Before touching your body with your hands, wash them first. Wash in warm water with soap. Regular hard soap will not help. You can use liquid detergent for dishes. To remove poison ivy oil, apply a cleanser and rinse thoroughly.
   • If you get into poison ivy, change your shoelaces. The oil may remain on the laces and continue to cause irritation.
   • Within two or three days after possible contact, look to see if a rash appears. If it appears, start treating it immediately. To do this, read the article on how to treat irritation from poison ivy and oak.
   • You may also become infected or develop allergic reaction because of street cats.
   • Keep an eye on your dog when you let him off leash. Allergies to oil from poison ivy leaves are not limited to people. You may not notice it from your dog's skin, which is hidden under his fur: check his belly. Feed your dog carefully so that any oil particles from it do not get on your skin. If you think your dog may have an allergy, bathe him thoroughly. To avoid all these problems, when you walk your dog through the forest or bushes, keep it on a leash. Just like you do when walking your dog in public place. This will be polite to other people!
   • These plants can also be found in Bermuda and the Bahamas.

   Warnings

   • Never burn poison ivy to get rid of it. The oil on the leaves will burn, you will inhale the smoke and there is a chance that it will get into your throat and lungs, making breathing painful and difficult.
   • Poison ivy can become confused with wild grapes, so never just walk through wild grapes or the consequences could be serious. Keep in mind that it is very easy to confuse poison ivy with wild grapes. Even though you have wild grapes cinquefoil, it can still be easily confused with poison ivy.

   What you will need

   • a photograph or picture that you will carry with you to identify the plant. You can easily store photos on your smartphone or other device.
   • When walking in nature, hiking or climbing, first aid for rashes from contact with poisonous plants is very important.
   • A degreaser, such as dish soap or poisonous plant soap (not regular soap)