Poison ivy gets the celebrity treatment when it comes to plants gardeners should avoid, and for good reason. Its three leaflets have inspired generations of cautious yard work, but several other plants can cause much more serious problems, from painful skin burns to severe poisoning if someone mistakes them for an ordinary weed. That does…
wild parsnip
That “Weed” in Your Yard Could Leave You With Painful Blisters
A harmless-looking weed can turn a routine afternoon of pulling plants into a very unpleasant skin problem, especially if you encounter wild parsnip or giant hogweed. These plants contain compounds that can make skin unusually sensitive to ultraviolet light, so a little plant sap followed by sunshine can produce redness and blistering that looks remarkably…