Poison Ivy is a Real Life Superhero
Poison Ivy is a Real Life Superhero.
Yeah, I said it! It's no wonder this notorious plant inspired its DC Comics manifestation: Poison ivy is powerful. Most people agree it is not to be messed with, due to its . . . intense effects on humans.
And Batman.
A lot of people put poison ivy in the same lane as mosquitoes, something irritating & itchy that they wish didn't exist.
I remember distinctly as a kid seeing those oily looking three leaves pop up on a trail I'd been running down to school every day, and feeling more than a little annoyed that my fun was ruined by this....plant! Of all things!
But, if you've ever had poison ivy badly (and oh boy, have I!), it's easy to see why many people make a big deal about avoiding this plant. Some people even have allergic reactions so badly, they have to be hospitalized, and if you manage to get it inside your bodily cavities, a hospital visit will most likely be involved.
So, a lot of us in the US know the rhyme that goes, "Leaves of three, leave it be," And when we see areas with the ivy, we steer clear.
But what if . . . by reacting this way, we're actually fulfilling the purpose of poison ivy?
So does that mean . . . we're actually in symbiosis with this fabulous green band-aid?!
If you ask me, I say yes!
I propose that poison ivy is here to protect nature from our trampling human selves, and I, for one, am glad she's here.
Here's an example:
Next time you're near the woods, notice where poison ivy is and isn't. She only throws up her leaves and vines over trodden on, eroded spots; in healthy forest, you won't find much of her anywhere. Notice how it's always along the edges of trails? Yeah, that's because the trails are compacted af by thousands of human footsteps thudding heavily along them.
Poison ivy is an expression of the forest trying to reclaim that damaged, compacted area for plants.
I feel a definite sisterhood with poison ivy, and I always allow a little bit to grow in my garden.
