🌿 Know Before You Grow: Poison Oak Awareness 🌿

Poison oak is a common plant in Texas and can cause itchy, blistering rashes if touched. It’s important to know how to spot it and keep your family and pets safe.

How to Identify Poison Oak:

• 🍃 “Leaves of three, let it be” – Poison oak usually grows with 3 leaflets per stem.

• 🌱 Leaf shape – The leaves are oak-like, with rounded or lobed edges. They may look shiny and turn red or orange in the fall.

• 🌿 Growth habit – It can appear as a shrub, a vine, or low ground cover.

• 🌼 Seasonal changes – In spring the leaves are bright green, in summer they grow fuller, and in fall they may change colors.

Why it matters:Even brushing against the leaves can cause a painful rash. The oil that causes the reaction (urushiol) stays active on tools, clothing, and pet fur until washed.

✅ Tips:

• Teach children to avoid plants with 3 leaves.

• Keep pets out of overgrown brush.

• If exposed, wash skin and clothes right away with soap and water.

• If you spot poison oak in the common areas of your community please report it to KiTH Management Services

  
  

Stay safe and enjoy the outdoors responsibly!

 References & Resources:

• U.S. Forest Service – Poison Oak Identification & Safety

• CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) – Poisonous Plants: Ivy, Oak, and Sumac

• University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources – Poison Oak Management Guidelines

• Poison-Ivy.org – Identifying Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac