Look, Don’t Touch
If ever there were a plant that fits the expression, “look don’t touch,” it is Pacific Poison Oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum, which grows throughout California.
In autumn, poison oak vines drape trees and shrubs with ornamental rosy, red leaves. Stories abound of unaware foragers collecting beautiful poison oak leaves for a fall bouquet or centerpiece. As, it’s tempting to touch the leaves, tho the red color warns, “stay away.” Instead, follow the old adage, “leaflets three, let them be.”
The result of such harvesting can be a painful, persistent rash that begs to be itched, but shouldn’t.
San Diego County color spotters Dylan Ren and Jean Pan found such enticing ornaments draped from trees and burned stumps as they explored Palomar Mountain State Park on Sunday.
Most of the trees are “still very green,” Jean wrote, though though we hope she and Dylan followed the adage and let the poison oak be that they saw growing near the state park pay station.
- Palomar Mountain State Park (6,138′) – Just Starting (0-10%)
“satan’s lettuce” as one wildlife biologist called it, hehe!