Poison oak can be a pain and, for people who are highly sensitive to it, downright dangerous because all parts of this plant contain a chemical that causes an itchy, red rash and blisters. It’s important to know how to get rid of poison oak in your yard to keep you and other people in your life safe. This guide explains how to identify poison oak and eliminate this troublesome plant safely.
How to Identify Poison Oak
Poison oak is native to North America. Its botanical name is Toxicodendron pubescens, although another species, western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), is also commonly referred to as poison oak. They’re both in the same genus of toxic plants as poison ivy and poison sumac. All of these plants contain a chemical called urushiol that is harmful to human skin (it won’t hurt pets, but contact with a pet who ran through these plants can spread the oil onto your skin).
Poison oak, like its cousin poison ivy, has compound leaves. Usually, three leaflets are attached to one petiole (the stalk that holds a leaf to the main stem or branch). Poison oak leaflets often appear lobed, looking similar to a white oak leaf, although the lobes are not as defined. However, they can also be less lobed and more like a squashed football.
It seems anything with three leaves is sometimes called poison oak or poison ivy out of association—boxelder, Virginia creeper, even blackberry brambles. While the phrase, “leaves of three, let it be,” is often sage advice, not every plant with three leaflets is poisonous.
Poison oak can be hard to identify when the leaves have fallen off for winter. If you identify poison oak during the summer but can’t deal with it at that time, mark the plant with flags or spray paint so you can locate it again later.
How to Get Rid of Poison Oak Plants
You can dig poison oak out by hand, kill it with chemicals, or both. Keep in mind that, like poison ivy, dead poison oak stems and leaves still contain urushiol and can cause a rash even after being dead for several years. Killing poison oak keeps it from spreading but doesn’t completely remove the hazard. If you find it at the edge of your yard or along other frequented areas, you may need to physically remove it instead of merely killing it.
Whichever method you choose to get rid of poison oak, it is imperative to protect yourself with personal protective equipment (PPE) first.
Protective Gear
Wear boots, tall socks, heavy long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and heavy gloves. You may wish to tape where your gloves meet your sleeves to prevent even a small patch of skin from being exposed while you work. Button up the collar, put up long hair, and wear safety glasses. If it sounds like you are getting ready to work with hazardous material, it’s because you are. Don’t skimp on the protection. Poison oak is nasty stuff.
Pulling Poison Oak by Hand
Hand pulling is the most labor-intensive method to eliminate poison oak, but it’s often the most effective. Young, small plants are easily removed, but older plants take some digging. Removing the entire plant, including all vines, stems, leaves, stumps, and roots, is essential. Cutting the plant off at ground level will only cause it to resprout with vigor. Hand pulling is best, especially for poison oak growing near where people or pets walk or play.
Unless the plants are small, you’ll need a shovel or garden trowel and possibly a pick to dig around and follow the roots. Avoid chopping them off, and keep working them out as far down the root stem as you can. Don’t compost the material; the harmful oils remain.
After gathering all the plant material, choose a disposal method that won’t cause problems for other people later on, such as trash collectors. Double bag poison oak in a securely sealed plastic bag before putting it in your trash. If the plant is completely dead, the material can be piled up in an out-of-the-way place on your property or buried deeply.
Never burn poison oak. Breathing the smoke can cause the same reaction as skin contact, but in the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and lungs. Inhaling it can even be fatal.
Chemical Treatment for Getting Rid of Poison Oak
Using herbicide to kill poison oak is effective. However, it exposes the user and others nearby to toxic chemicals and leaves dead plant material, which is still capable of causing a painful rash just as easily as a live plant.
Herbicides with glyphosate or triclopyr are effective and best applied during the growing season when the leaves are green. Multiple treatments are likely to be needed. Be sure to follow all instructions on the label, including PPE. Both chemicals are broad-spectrum herbicides, killing all plants they come in contact with, not just the poison oak. Take care when applying near gardens or trees.
Other methods for dealing with weeds, such as spraying with strong vinegar, smothering, or mowing, are ineffective against stubborn poison oak plants and can even worsen the problem.
