Grow Your Own Poison Ivy Treatment
Jewelweed
Some Native Americans apparently believed that drinking a cup of tea made from mature jewelweed plants in late August or early September would protect them against poison ivy for the following year. We don’t suggest drinking it however. Besides having a foul taste, jewelweed tea can act as a diuretic, which could be dangerous for some people. The plant is safest and most effective when used externally. The stem is full of juice and the juice can be extracted by just cutting open the stems.
Jewelweed is a native wild growing herb that is usually found in the moist woods, close to creek beds, and ironically close to poison ivy. In the summer, they are covered with beautiful blooms. There are two varieties; one that blooms yellow and one that blooms bright orange. The seed pods burst easily when touched, thus the common name “touch-me-not”.
If you touch poison ivy, you can use the jewelweed juice on the affected area before the rash appears and it probably won’t break out. If you have already developed a rash, the Indians would rub the juicy broken jewelweed stem on the rash until it bled. Then the rash dries out, a scab forms, and it goes away quickly.
As far as growing your own, the seed can be collected and sown, but be careful not to let it take over an area. The seed can also be purchased from specialty seed companies or our source below.
Jewelweed Seeds
For more good information about preserving the juice, making the juice into a salve, and more about jewelweed, we suggest you check out Wildman Steve Brill. He is a wealth of knowledge and has great pictures, which we thank him for.
To get a good look at Jewelweed and know how to identify it, check the video at Jewelweed Video
If you want to just buy your natural poison ivy treatment, or what to buy the seeds and grow your own, check out:
If you are interested in harvesting your own Jewelweed seed and propagating it, read the post at Ask The Propagator
Popularity: 35% [?]
