Poisonous plants in Oklahoma are ones that would bloom with flowers and fruits ripen. Although they are hard to identify, coming into contact with these plants doesn’t go unnoticed.
They cause skin irritation, and others, like poison hemlock, cause death when fed on. This article tells you how to identify poisonous plants, their effects, and the best remedies for the affected skin.
Contents
Types of Poisonous Plants in Oklahoma
1. Poison Hemlock
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Topping our list today is one of the most poisonous plants found in almost every state, it is even the most poisonous plants in Maryland and Oklahoma, the poison hemlock. This plant belongs to the carrot family and has fern-like leaves. The stem is unique with red or purple spots and is hollow.
This plant is one that would promote admiration, probably to have come across the deadly poison hemlock because its leaves resemble those of ferns. They are bright green and finely divided with toothed edges. This plant bears tiny, beautiful white flowers that grow in clusters.
Poison hemlock Oklahoma is poisonous to humans, wild animals, and even to house pets when green and even three years after they have been wilted. However, the plant’s toxin levels vary with the area it grows. On another note, remember that the kinds that would grow in sunny regions are more toxic than poison hemlock that grows in cool areas, but that doesn’t mean you can taste any of the plants, because their sap, either way, is not safe.
The intoxication of this plant would affect the respiratory system and the skin. When an animal ingests it, you will notice symptoms like nervous system problems, tremors, and changes in walking style. The plant’s toxins would hit the nervous system, reducing the functioning of the muscles. It also causes the diaphragm to fail, leading to suffocation, and eventually to death.
If you accidentally ingest poison hemlock, take activated charcoal and vitamin K to reduce the poison, as soon as you can, so that you don’t face any issues. You can protect your animals from taking this plant by spraying herbicides on the field. It makes the plant more palatable to livestock.
On another note, also remember that if you walk in a field with poison hemlock, wear gloves and protective clothes to avoid getting into contact with it. If you remove the stalks of the plant, burn them because even dead stalks are poisonous.
2. Poison Ivy
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Identified with its three leaves, poison ivy can ruin your day and depending on the quantity it would also result in the following months as well. It is easily confused with poison oak because they both have three green leaflets, but you can dodge the consequences of touching the leaves by avoiding all unknown plants with three leaflets, because the skin damage is quite irritating.
Poison ivy, one of the poisonous plants in Minnesota in addition to almost every single state in the US, is one that blossoms in spring, during which it has red and green leaves. As the leaves age, they become entirely green. It produces white buds that open to produce small off-white berries. These are primarily seen in the stems, as they tend to be hidden in the leaves.
This poisonous plant is one that contains a toxicant oily substance called urushiol. When urushiol touches your skin, it causes an itchy rash that can show 24 hours after the contact. Some people develop blisters, and others can suffer severe symptoms, of course depending on the density of the sap.
Besides touching, the urushiol can also stick on pet furs. For example, your dog could pass through the plant in the yard, and touching them will cause urushiol to transfer to your skin. If you suspect you touched this toxic ivy, you must quickly wash the skin with cold water and soap in a thorough manner.
The oil can be transferred to another person through clothes, so wash any clothes you wear to the garden. If the blisters start forming, do not scratch them, as this can cause worse effects. On another note, you can also mix colloidal oatmeal in lukewarm water and bathe with it. Apply calamine lotion to reduce the symptoms.
3. Poison Sumac
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Another poisonous plant you will come across if you live near wet or flooded places like swamps is poison sumac. It resembles poison ivy and qualifies in the list of poisonous plants in Alabama because of its toxic urushiol.
Poison sumac grows into a small tree with gray bark, and some grow to look like multi-stemmed shrubs. It has soft red compound leaves that grow off the stem and produces yellow flowers with white berries. The berries are at times are poisonous too.
Just like poison ivy, when you have contact with poison sumac’s leaves or stem can cause skin itching, reddening, and blisters, these will always agitate your skin. The plant produces urushiol, which causes dermatitis. Scratching the irritated skin can cause blisters and more severe problems, so at all costs you must avoid it.
You can prevent symptoms by rinsing your skin with cold water and soap as soon as you can. In addition, be mindful and make sure that you also wash the clothes you were wearing and treat the affected area with calamine lotion. If the symptoms are too severe, visit a physician for advice.
While avoiding touching poison sumac, you should also avoid burning it. The plant produces poisonous smoke that causes worse symptoms if inhaled. Moreover, you must surely seek medical attention if you inhale the smoke.
4. Poison Oak
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Poison oak, another relative to poison ivy and poison sumac, is a bushy plant to avoid. Unlike its relatives, poison oak grows upright and matures into a bush. Although it has three leaflets, its leaves have thumb-like structures, just like other poisonous plants, like the ivy, for instance. However, the leaves are round and green, and flexible.
The plant’s leaves and stems are poisonous, and they cause an allergic reaction to human skin. This is caused by oily urushiol, which causes skin irritation and rash, these are intimidating to your skin. Rash symptoms can appear one to three days after contacting the plant.
So, what does poison oak rash look like? Some people experience a stinging sensation on the affected part. You will later notice the inflammation. The next stage of poison oak effects is blistering, which can grow in size as the reaction progresses. With time, the blisters dry out and start healing.
Although poison oak makes one of the most poisonous plants in Louisiana, the rash is treatable. You can apply calamine lotion to soothe the skin or an antihistamine to reduce the itching.
Some home remedies for poison oak Oklahoma include washing the affected area with lukewarm water and soap. Ensure you scrub the fingernails and hands to avoid spreading the oil to other body parts. You should also wash your fabric to remove any oils that could cause skin itching.
5. Wild Parsnip
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Wild parsnip, a five feet tall green plant with hairless stems, makes it on the list of plants to avoid touching. It blooms small, yellow flowers that form a flat top, and its compound leaves are coarsely-toothed.
They grow in a number of three or five, which means that it will grow in a bushy manner. The flowers mature to produce flat brown seeds.
Making one of the most poisonous plants in Vermont, wild parsnip grows along the roads, in the disturbed parts of the earth, and fields. Touching this plant causes painful burns as it reacts with your skin to cause phototoxicity.
Phototoxicity reduces your skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, leading to skin irritation and severe blistering. The phototoxicity continues for years, forcing you constantly to cover the affected part of your skin.
Although wild parsnips are dangerous and cause skin irritation, the plant is rich in potassium. Potassium helps with the heart’s functioning and balances blood pressure. It also lowers the risk of getting kidney stones.
The plant is also an antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress and reduces the risks of cancer and diabetes. Besides, taking the plant can lead to weight loss. It reduces appetite by slowing digestion.
If your skin rubs against wild parsnip, wash it with soap and water. You should keep the affected area covered for at least 48 hours to avoid direct exposure to sunlight. If the reaction is intense, ensure you visit a physician for advice.
Conclusion
Some poisonous plants in Oklahoma look alike, like poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak. When identifying them, you can look at the shape of the leaves, stem, and seed.
Besides that, some essential points you will learn from this article are:
- Poisonous plants like wild parsnips have other health benefits, like providing the body with potassium and antioxidants.
- You should wash your skin with cold water and soap if it comes into contact with a poisonous plant.
- Also, note that these plants can look like other typical plants, so be careful when walking in the fields.
- Avoid burning poison sumac. It produces poisonous smoke that causes effects when inhaled.
These poisonous plants are hard to identify, so avoid touching any unknown plants. You can wear protective clothing when gardening or going to the fields, be careful at all costs.
References
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/poison-ivy-poison-oak-and-similar-plant-identification.html#:~:text=The%20common%20ones%20in%20Oklahoma,leaflets%20can%20sometimes%20be%20present.
https://www.dmu.edu/blog/2019/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-poison-ivy/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parsnip#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5
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