Thursday, July 30, 2009

Jewelweed Poison Ivy Remedy

It’s that time of year for picking wild blackberries and elderberries. And wherever the berries grow, the poison ivy grows. Here is the remedy I use to prevent or treat that horrible itch (and other plant related rashes)!

You need: jewelweed, calendula blossoms (optional), apple cider vinegar, glass jar




This is poison ivy, avoid it at all costs. I find the new growth just darling and beautiful but don’t let that tempt you to touch it! Remember the rule “Leaves of three, let it be!”



This is jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). It likes the same habitat as poison ivy and stinging nettle; so if you see those, do a little hunt for jewelweed. Harvest 1 part jewelweed to 2 parts apple cider vinegar; please only harvest what you will use. Bruise the jewelweed up a bit, place it in a clean jar and cover with apple cider vinegar. Let it steep for a week or two, strain out the plant material and there you have the “magic elixir.” You can place the liquid in an ice cube tray and freeze for up to a year. When needed take the cube and rub onto the infected area. My sister Katrina keeps the plant and all in the vinegar and uses a cotton ball to apply; she keeps this on her bathroom counter, this is good too, but it won’t keep as long. Should you be out in the field and be exposed to poison ivy, split open the stem of the jewelweed and apply directly to infected area.


I like to add a couple of calendula blossoms to help heal the skin and moisturize. I also use this remedy for other plant related rashes and allergies. Like whenever the Little Ladies convince me to go into our field without long pants on, I always come out in pain with a grass rash!
Visit 5 Orange Potatoes at Wordpress for better quality photos!

17 comments:

Cam said...

I have used every holistic treatment I could find to try to stave off the yearly (summerly) trip to the ER for a steroid shot because my husband is sooo allergic to the aggravating PI..

I will definitely give this a try! Hoping it will be our miracle cure!

(about life in Georgia-I write more about it at my main site Journey Wildly, the other is more of an unschooling family adventures memory keeper, and you are more than welcome to visit either one!)

Anonymous said...

I'd never seen poison ivy before. Thanks for the photo and the awesome remedy, Ms. Herbalista ;-)

Tan Family said...

We just moved to an area that has poison oak, so thank you for this wonderful, natural remedy! We'll have to hunt for some jewelweed...

Pussnae said...

Thanks Lisa. I had heard of the jewelweed treatment for poison ivy before but didn't know how to use it. Good to know!

nettlejuice said...

Excellent Lisa!
We use jewelweed all the time for pi.
The boys always love to see the bottoms of the leaves shine underwater. Great fun. I love your elixer combo with calendula. I just may do that myself.

Jessica said...

Jewelweed--methinks I just photographed this lovely little flower on our nature walk the other day!

Question: Is it possible to be immune to poison ivy? Neither my father nor I has ever gotten poison ivy & I was basically raised in the woods. Is it possible I'm immune?

Lisa said...

Jessica, yes you can actually be immune to PI. But be careful I know people that have been immune in the past but end up get a horrible case of it eventually. I guess our body chemistry changes every 7 years, so you never know.

Cam, I hope it works on the hubby. Poor guy, he must be the type that gets it just by being close to it.

Sherie, do they have pi in west?

Tan, this would be great for poison oak too for sure!

April, we too love how the jewelweed shimmers and shines in liquid!

Shady Lady said...

I love a natural remedy!

Little Nut Tree said...

Wht a pretty flower it has! I think we don't have poison ivy over rhere though.

There's an award for you at my blog if you want it:
http://notreallyhomeschooling.blogspot.com/2009/07/award.html

silverpebble said...

It's wonderful to have a reliable natural remedy at hand. Luckily we don't have poison ivy over here (what a worry when the little ones are playing in the countryside) although nettles are pretty nasty. Any recommendations for nettle rash?

jane said...

thanks for the tip lisa! never heard the leaves of three saying. good to know. i´m always coming back from my hikes with some sort of rash or bites. i´m a bit of a disaster... besos! See you in Sep!

Miri said...

oooh thank you,we will definitely try this!

Jill said...

When my niece had a poison oak rash in her diaper area (don't ask), I sent my sister some jewelweed which she chopped up and put in her daughter's diaper. It completely healed the rash in a matter of a day or so. I love how jewelweed always grows close to poison ivy - nature is always looking out for us!

Fleecenik Farm said...

Do you use the flower or a cutting of the whole jewel weed plant?

Indigo Blue said...

Gosh, well I never knew how to make that before! Have to give that a try.

Lisa said...

Fleecenik, leaves and stem. Wouldn't hurt to put the flowers in though, but I left the blooming jewelweed to reseed.

Silver, you can use this on nettle rash too. Last fall a little friend of ours had a run in with a nettle patch; we found the jewelweed right next to it, split open the stem, took the pain away almost instantly.

You can use this with any plant related rash. Jewelweed is great for the skin.

Ellen said...

Very interesting -I'd like to try this. Where do you get your herbs and such?