Trees are not the only plants leafing out right now, so are two irritating plants.
Poison Ivy:
The young leaves on woody stems (above) look a lot like the new leaves of ash or maple saplings, but don’t be fooled. This is poison ivy.
Look at the plant from above to count 3 leaves. Notice that the stem on the middle leaf is much longer than the other two, a telltale sign of poison ivy.
For more identification tips, check the poison ivy ID page at Poison-ivy.org.
Stinging Nettle:
Stinging nettle looks innocent until you touch it.
The stems and leaves are coated with tiny hollow hairs that contain histamines and painful chemicals. When you touch the plant the hairs detach and become needles in your skin. Look closely to see them on the leaf edges and stems below.
Stinging nettle resembles a lot of other nettles including wood nettle. Look closely for those tiny hairs. … Ow!
(photos by Kate St. John)
I’ve heard that stinging nettles make good tea. And once the leaves have been steeped, they no longer sting. I have a crop of them that come up every year under my maple tree, but haven’t been brave enough to try picking the leaves. Once stung, twice shy.