It's a Jungle out There: Dangers in Your Garden

July 27, 2007 — -- When it comes to your backyard, it's a jungle out there.

The backyard is a hot spot for summertime fun, but it's also teeming with potential health hazards — poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are the most frequent cause of allergic reactions, striking as many as 10 million Americans each year.

And because of global warning, the danger is on the rise. Katie Brown, author of "Katie Brown's Outdoor Entertaining," separates fact from fiction to help you keep your family safe this summer.

Poison Ivy: consists of three pointed leaflets; the middle leaf is longer. They are reddish for most of the year, turning green in the summer. Small greenish flowers and poisonous berrylike drupes can also appear on poison ivy.

Poison Oak: leaves are divided into three leaflets; the leaflets and white berrylike fruits are somewhat hairy. In different parts of the country, poison oak can also be shrubby and can climb up to eight feet high. Both contain nearly the same substances as poison ivy.

Poison Sumac: found mostly in wet areas, such as swamp edges and wet woods. It has seven to nine leaves per stem. It looks like a small tree or large shrub with large attractive leaves and white fruit. It is larger and less common than poison oak and ivy.