Jun 9, 2016 By Suzanne Elliott 3 min read

It itches, causes a rash, and combatting it has become a summertime ritual.

Overall, poison ivy is downright unpleasant, and mostly everyone has suffered from it at one time or another.

With that in mind, local herbalist Jennifer Dalke of Bridgeville will teach a class on how to identify poison ivy and the available natural remedies if exposed.

The class is on Thursday, June 30 at Sunny Bridge Natural Foods in Peters Township. Cost of the class is $20 and includes a homemade poison ivy remedy, Dalke said.

Each year, poison ivy affects 350,000 Americans who come into contact with the plant, the leaves of which contain a chemical called urushiold.

“That is what makes you itch,” said Dalke, who studied at the Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism in Asheville, N.C.

In most cases, when someone is exposed to poison ivy, the area is treated with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.

“Make sure to use dish soap when washing poison ivy,” she said, noting that it is stronger than regular soap.

Dalke said oat flour, clay, rose petals and a liquid extract from the jewelweed plant work much better. The plant grows three to five feet tall and has orange flowers with dark red dots. Jewelweed can often be found along creek beds, she said.

Dalke said the oat flour and clay work well together. When applied to the affected area, the mixture will keep the urushiol from penetrating skin pores. The same is true with jewelweed and rose petals, said Dalke, who makes her remedies through locally sourced plants.

Dalke will teach how to make poison ivy remedies at the class. But perhaps more importantly, she will instruct people on how to identify the bothersome plant.

Poison ivy’s scientific name is Toxicodendron radicans and it can vary in appearance, she said. Sometimes it can be a bush, and if it comes in contact with a tree, it will climb it, giving it a vine-like appearance. It is important to remember that poison ivy comes in clusters of three leaves and does not have thorns, she said.

“When it grabs onto a tree, the leaves will be bigger,” Dalke said. “You really have to pay attention when you’re hiking.”

A poison rash and the subsequent itching can last up to a month, she added.

For more information on the class, visit Dalke’s web site, www.BlueHeronNatureSkills.com.