You may have heard the saying, 'Leaves of three, let them be', and its one worth heeding. Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac are three plants that can quickly ruin any family camping outing. I figured we spend lots of time suggesting fun family camping activities, but it might be worth focusing on an activity to avoid as well! These three plants all contain Urushiol oil, the most common allergen in the United States (approximately half of the county is allergic to it) and there is no really good cure, other than time.Some people can have severe reactions to it that will last well beyond the camping trip, and even those of us who have more mild reactions will want to avoid it. The best defense is to understand how to identify them and how the Urushiol oil acts.

First, how they work. Urushiol oil gets released from the plan when something rubs against it. The oil then penetrates through the outer layer of the skin and binds to skin cells underneath, in the epidermis. Once it has formed a bond, about the only thing that will break that bond is time for the oil to break down itself. The good news is that it can take up to 30 minutes for the oil to penetrate your skin, during which time it is quite easily removed. Because its an oil, almost any common soap that acts on oils (and they almost all do) will remove it from the skin. The key then is to wash any exposed areas of skin as soon as possible after you think you may have come into contact with any of these plants. We often carry baby wipes for the kids anyhow, so even having one of these handy would work. Because the oil can last for up to 5  years on a surface, such as clothing, you'll want to change out of any clothes you may have been wearing and store them separately until you get a chance to wash them.

Now you know what to do if you come into contact with them, but you're better off to avoid them in the first place. First, know where you are camping versus where they grow. Poison ivy grows all over the United States and southern Canada, so there is a good bet it will be around no matter where you camp. Poison oak is more commonly found in the Pacific Northwest, with poison sumac being found in the eastern part of the United States.

Almost all of them can have different colors. Most typical is to be red in the spring and fall, and green in the summer. Poison ivy and oak both have three pointed leaves, that are often time (although not necessarily) jagged along the edge. Hence the saying, "Leaves of three, let them be." The middle leaf will have a longer stem, with the other two leaves branching off of that main stem. This doesn't help so much with poison sumac though, as it can have anywhere from 7 to 13 leaves. Also, poison ivy is most often a vine that grows up other trees, but it can exist as a bush if there aren't sufficient trees to climb. One more good adage to remember, if in doubt, leave it alone!