It's vital that Adult Leaders know how to identify and avoid poisonous plants.  A few plants will make an outing miserable.  A few others will result in an emergency medical evacuation or in some cases a fatality. 

Poisonous Plants - Contact

There are a few poisonous plants in Washington State that we should be aware of.  The main ones to look out for are the common Toxicodendron species:

• Eastern or Common Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)

• Western or Northern Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)

• Eastern Poison Oak (Toxicodendron toxicarium)

• Western or Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) 

• Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)

These plants are regional, with Western Poison Oak found west of the Cascades and Western Poison Ivy found east of the Cascades and the rest found outside of Washington State.  They have similar appearances and are often identified by their three leaflets - "leaves of three, let them be".  As many other plants have three leaflets found together, these plants can be further identified by flowering branches that arise from the base of the stem the 3 leaves are found on.

Toxicodendron species contain and release oleoresin urushiol.  This oil contains multiple chemicals that can cause significant allergic reactions in people.  The oil can be spread from contaminated clothing and gear to other people or gear.  Contaminated clothing should be removed and placed in plastic bags to prevent contaminating other clothing. 

Treatment of contact with urushiol involves rapid washing of skin that may have contacted these plants or oils.  Use mild soap or dish soap on a damp washcloth under warm or hot water as soon as possible.  About 50% of oils can be removed after 10 minutes of exposure to skin; 10% after 30 minutes; and 0% after an hour.  Pouring rubbing alcohol on contaminated skin or gear has also been recommended as a hasty field treatment to wash off oils.  Obviously, pouring alcohol on damaged skin won't go over well and will cause further damage and irritation. 

Very mild reactions my respond to oatmeal baths, cool wet compresses, and calamine lotion.  More significant reactions may need prescription medications.

It is best to avoid contact with these plants. 

Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)

Unlike much of the rest of the lower 48, we don't commonly see a lot of Poison Oak or Poison Ivy in Western Washington.  Pacific Poison Oak is common at Camp Parsons on the peninsula.  Anyone traveling to Camp Parsons should be aware know how to identify this plant.  Poison Oak can also be found in other parts of Western Washington, but is not something we commonly see. 

Poison Oak images by Mr. B - taken at Camp Parsons by staff cabins and ironically the medic building

Color varies from green to red.  It can by shiny or dull.  Gently touching it is enough to get oils on your skin.  A reaction may not appear for 12 to 72 hours and a rash can last for weeks.

Note the set of 3 leaves.  The two side leaves may resemble oven mittens.  The center one may look like a mitten with two thumbs or look like a ghost.  

If you come in contact with Poison Oak, oils should be washed off as soon as possible.  All clothing should be removed and placed in a plastic bag so that it doesn't contaminate the rest of your clothing and gear.  

Note: a few people are immune to urushiol, such as the person who took the pictures above.  Immunity may NOT be lifelong and people have been know to develop sensitivity after exposure.  So just because one person doesn't react to this plant, that doesn't mean you won't react violently to it. 

Images of local Pacific Poison Oak: 

• inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=51080 

Western Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) 

This is common plant found in the lower 48 and can be found in Eastern Washington.  Similar to Poison Oak, Poison Ivy grows in leaves of three and all parts of plant contain poisonous urushiol oils.  Like Poison Oak, if you have contact with this plant, wash immediately with soap (to break down oils) and water.  Pouring of rubbing alcohol may help break down and wash away oils.  Clothing needs to be removed and placed in a plastic bag to protect other clothing and gear. 

Images of local Western Poison Ivy: 

• inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=58729 

Poisonous Plants - Eaten

We really should prevent Scouts from eating wild plants.  There is risk of a severe or fatal poisoning should a Scout or Adult misidentify a plant.  Unexpected allergic reactions can also present a problem.

Please note there are many poisonous plants in Washington State as well as many poisonings every year by "experienced" people.  Many of the poisonous plants look very similar to edible plants.  Also - much of the information you find online is incomplete, misleading and sometimes completely wrong.  

Adult leaders should be familiar with the plants listed below.  When in doubt, separate Scouts from plants/fungi of concern.  You can later come talk to our Troop Medic and he'll back you up should you make a safety call...even if the plant/fungus proves to be "safe".  Ingestion of a plant/fungus of concern should result in immediate action.  Ingestion of a poisonous plant may result in fatality within 15 minutes.  You don't really have a lot of time to see how it plays out. 

Poison Plant Issues/Examples:

• Poison Hemlock is extremely poisonous

  • People still harvest it thinking it's something else

  • You can also accidentally harvest roots or leaves while harvesting nearby edibles

  • You only get to make this mistake once since consuming a small amount of it is fatal

• Mushrooms

  • The CDC reports over 7,000 mushroom poisonings each year

  • A small amount of the wrong mushroom will lead to a long and painful death

• Berries

  • 90% of white and yellow berries are poisonous

  • 50% of red berries are poisonous

  • 10% of blue, purple and black berries are poisonous

  • 1% of aggregated berries⁠ are poisonous

  • The question is - which ones are which?

    • Edible Berries:

      • Salmonberry

      • Red Huckleberry

      • Mountain Huckleberry

      • Evergreen Huckleberry

      • Thimbleberry

      • Himalayan Blackberry

      • Trailing Blackberry

    • Poisonous Berries:

      • Some can be consumed in small amounts or when "properly" prepared 

        • This is NOT something we should be doing on a Scout Outing!

      • Some are extremely poisonous and will kill you

      • Notably Poisonous Berries:

        • Pokeweed, Holly Berries, Baneberries, Bittersweet Nightshade, Virginia Creeper, Yew Berries

        • Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) is NOT native to Washington State, but does live here - consuming berries or any part of plant is deadly

        • English Laurel Berries (not native) contain hydrogen cyanide

        • Spurge Laurel - another non-native weed with poisonous berries

    • Poisonous but Edible??

      • Pokeweed is edible?

        • False - everything about this plant is poisonous 

        • True? - Some cultural groups have eaten poke plants after boiling them, which can render it's toxins ineffective if done right. 

          • Adults have died from eating improperly prepared Poke 

          • Do NOT eat Poke

      • Oregon Grape is edible?

        • True - it is considered non-toxic and was a food source for Native Americans (consumed in small quantiles) 

        • False - It contains oxalates and berberine.  Long-term use has not been studied.  It is NOT recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or children

      • Snowberries are edible?

        • True - Creeping Snowberries are edible

          • You can find these in Canada, the NE United States, and very northern parts of Washington State by Canada

          • Tastes like a mint Tic Tac

        • False - the snowberries you'll likely find in Washington State (Common Snowberry) are toxic

          • Other white berries you think are snowberries are also probably poisonous

      • Chokecherry are edible?

        • True - Edible when ripe (don't eat pits!)

        • False - Poisonous when not ripe.  Also - Seeds and rest of plant contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release hydrogen cyanide when crushed or chewed. 

      • Elderberries that grow at Fire Mountain are edible?

        • True - elderberries make great jams and pies when properly cooked and strained

        • False - raw elderberries contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when ingested, making them very poisonous 

        • BTW - the entire plant is poisonous 

      • Mulberries are edible

        • True - mulberries can be edible when harvested at the right time 

        • False - unripe mulberries are poisonous and if you eat too many ripe ones, plan on diarrhea 

Resources:

• wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/Env-Wet-PoisonousPlantsBooklet_WEBversion.pdf 

  • Web Version of book - easy to read

  • Booklet Print Version: wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/Env-Wet-PoisonousPlantsBooklet_z.pdf

    • Note that this book is set up for book printing - the pictures of plants on the right hand side of the page do NOT match up with the description on the left hand side of the page. 

• WSU Selected Poisonous Plants of the Pacific Northwest 

Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)

• Sap is poisonous and is present in all portions of the plant.

• Extremely poisonous if ingested, even in small amounts, and can result in fatality

  • Seek immediate medical attention if ingested or if eyes are exposed. 

  • Ingestion of small amounts of the toxin coniine will result in respiratory arrest and death

    • Ingestion of 6 leaves is fatal

    • The seeds and roots are even more toxic than the leaves

  • There is NO antidote - treatment involves artificial ventilation for 2-3 days

• Absorption of the toxin found in this plant occurs through the skin as well as intestinally

• Avoid handling this plant and seek immediate medical attention if any symptoms develop after exposure

• Similar in appearance to:

  • Leaves 

    • Cow Parsley (immature hemlock looks almost identical) 

    • Queen Anne’s Lace (aka Wild Carrot - similar flowers too)

    • Sweet Cicely (similar flowers too)

    • Yarrow (has more featherlike leaves)

  • Roots

    • Parsnip

  • Seeds

    • Anise

• Poison Hemlock has hairless stems with purple blotches as it matures

• Images of local Poison Hemlock: 

  • kingcounty.gov

  • burkeherbarium.org

  • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=52998 

Young Poison Hemlock (Above) resembles Cow Parsley
Flowers shown below are taller than an adult basketball player

Poison Hemlock images by Mr. B - taken in Lynnwood
it's a common weed and was reported to the county

Note stems have purple stains and are hairless
Flowers resemble starburst
Leaves look like parsley

Western Water Hemlock (Cicuta douglasii)

• All parts of the plant are poisonous, with higher concentrations of the toxic compounds in roots and stem bases.

• Extremely poisonous if ingested, even in small amounts, and can result in fatality

  • Seek immediate medical attention if ingested or if eyes are exposed

  • Cicutoxin toxin makes Water Hemlock the most poisonous plant in North America

  • Death occurs within 15 minutes of ingestion 

  • Poisoning include excessive salivation, frothing at the mouth, nervousness, and incoordination. Symptoms progress to tremors, muscular weakness, seizures and respiratory failure

  • Treatment consists of prevention of seizures and supportive reparation 

• Absorption of the toxin found in this plant occurs through the skin as well as intestinally

• Avoid handling this plant and seek immediate medical attention if any symptoms develop after exposure

• Has been confused with:

  • Water Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) (roots)

  • Yampa (Perideridia gairdneri) (similar flowers)

  • Wild Carrots (similar flowers)

  • Ginseng

    • 1992, two brothers made this mistake, resulting in a fatality 

  • Wild Turnip 

• Images of Western Water Hemlock at: 

  • burkeherbarium.org

  • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=76338 

Climbing Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) (aka Bittersweet Nightshade)

• All parts are poisonous if ingested

• Some people may experience mild skin irritation, to more severe rash, when contacting the foliage

• Highly toxic if ingested 

• Some people may have skin reactions such as rash or blisters if skin comes in contact with the plant 

• Nightshades (Solanaceae plant family)

  • The Solanum genus includes both edible and very poisonous plants

    • Some produce fruit that are edible and yummy

    • Others produce fruit that are extremely poisonous

  • Black Nightshade Berries (edible) look VERY similar to Deadly Nightshade (SO poisonous but not native to Washington State)

  • The red berries found on climbing nightshade are poisonous 

• Images of Climbing Nightshade at: 

  • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=55620 

Mushrooms

• ALL wild mushrooms should be consider poisonous!

  • Foraging for and/or eating wild mushrooms is something we DON'T do in Troop 60

    • If you are an expert forager, please come talk to our Troop Medic

      • You are welcome to teach a class on poisonous mushrooms

      • You are still forbidden from feeding our Scouts wild mushrooms

      • Seriously - NO Wild Mushrooms at ANY Scout event!

• Note:

  • A mushroom can be edible to some while being poisonous to others

  • Some mushrooms are edible in small quantities but become toxic if you eat too much/many

  • Some mushroom families contain similar-looking species - with one being edible and the other toxic

  • Some poisoning can have a delayed onset

    • Amanita mushrooms (such as Death Cap) can take 6-24 hour before symptoms occur

    • Symptoms may improve before you notice end organ damage days to weeks later

  • Small amounts of certain mushrooms can be fatal, but may take days before a very painful death

    • Amanita smithiana can lead to kidney failure within 3 to 14 days

• These Washington mushrooms are particularly dangerous/deadly:

  • Death Cap (Amanita phalloides)

    • Resemble several edible species (most notably Caesar's mushroom and the straw mushroom) 

    • Resemble puffballs when immature

    • Responsible for most incidents of mushroom poisonings in the Pacific Northwest

    • Contains Amatoxins

      • Primarily affects liver

      • Results in liver and kidney failure

      • Thermostable - toxicity NOT reduced by cooking

    • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=52135 

  • Destroying Angel (Amanita ocreata)

    • Can be mistaken for edible fungi such as the Button Mushroom, Meadow Mushroom, or Horse Mushroom

    • Contain amatoxins, which destroys liver and kidney

    • Consumption results in slow and painful death

    • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=67356 

  • False Morel (Gyromitra esculenta)

    • Often mistaken for true morels

    • False morels contain mono methyl hydrazine

    • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=85120 

  • Deadly Galerina (Galerina marginata) (aka Funeral Bell)

    • Resembles Honey Mushroom, Hypholoma capnoides, Psilocybe subaeruginosa (psychoactive shroom), and Conocybe filaris

    • Contain a-amanitin

      • Deadly toxin that damages liver cells, the central nervous system, and kidneys

    • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=154735 

  • Conecaps (Conocybe)

    • Often confused with Psilocybe (psychoactive shrooms)

    • Fool's Conecap Conocybe filaris is a common lawn mushroom that contains the same deadly toxins as Death Cap

      • inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=179219 

• There are MANY more that are poisonous!

  • salishmushrooms.com/poisonous-mushrooms 

  • We've found poisonous mushrooms at Fire Mountain growing in camp

Life Threatening Poisonous Plants

Adult Leaders should be aware of the following plants.  These plants are deadly. 

Mild Poisoning or Requires Consumption of Large Quantity for Serious Reaction

This is NOT a complete list, but includes many of the common culprits of milder poisonings.  Some of these are garden plants or non-native potted plants Scouts might encounter.  To further complicate things, a few of these plants have edible parts if prepared the right way.