Thank you Anne Marie Praetzel for your great grandfather’s drawings circa early 1900’s from Marin County specimens!
Toxicodendron diversilobum is no joke. And this stuff is everywhere. Typically, biocontrol, as a form of Poison Oak removal, isn’t an option with a native species. Furthermore, in most areas, Poison Oak is not considered a pest, but rather a natural component of the plant community.
Having said that, don’t go all KUMBAYA and start feeling the ferns!
That will end you up, quite possibly, in the hospital: a scratch-happy, blistered, oozing, cortizone-shot-receiving, heap of inflammation, blathering your most blasphemous curses, in a negative-spiraling, self-feeding, positive feedback loop from hell.
So remember, we can’t burn poison oak, since it creates a serious health hazard and doesn’t effectively reduce infestations. Grazing by sheep and goats can be effective in small areas. Deer or horses also will graze poison oak when the foliage is young, before the plant flowers.
You can physically remove these odious plants located in your yard or near your house through hand pulling or mechanical grubbing using a shovel or pick, but it is essential to remove the entire plant including its roots.
Yay Tyvek suits!
Or, you ca call Sonoma-Marin Arborists Inc…
We need poison oak removal in Windsor, CA. It covers about 10% of a 1/2 acre parcel along two fence lines. We need referrals to companies we can call. Thank you.