Gardeners warned never to touch these 5 poisonous weeds bare-handed – here's how to get rid of them safely

Weeding is a task us gardeners are relentlessly trying to keep on top of from spring to fall. In the haste of clearing up your garden beds, you might not realize you're coming into contact with poisonous weeds you should never touch bare-handed. Not being careful can lead you to skin irritation or more serious illness.

That's why taking a moment to identify plants when getting rid of weeds is so important. Many have saps and pollen that can cause rashes and sore reactions on your skin. When ingested, you can fall ill and experience more some extreme symptoms.

Just as there are poisonous plants that you must wash your hands after touching, it's important to handle poisonous weeds correctly. Here, are five to be aware of, plus tips on how to get rid of them safely.

5 poisonous weeds you should never touch

Alongside poisonous weeds, it's wise to familiar yourself with poisonous perennials, so you can make the right choices for the planting in your yard. This is especially true if you have pets and children running around.

Whenever dealing with these plants, especially poisonous weeds you should never touch bare-handed, make sure to wear hand protection and wash your hands afterwards:

1. Poison ivy

At the top of the list of poisonous weeds you should never touch bare-handed is poison ivy.

'Poison ivy occasionally grows at the edges of lawns and can cause skin irritation with even slight contact,' notes Ryan Walts from Lawn Squad.

You can also find poison ivy growing up shrubs and fences, as well as being a ground-spreading weed.

It's identifiable as having three-leaf stems and looks entirely different to the common ivy you might be more familiar wtih.

When getting rid of poison ivy, it's best practice to wear garden gloves with long sleeves (like these from Amazon), which protect your arms and hands. You should also wear close-toed shoes, and consider wearing safety goggles (like these from Walmart) if you choose to burn poison ivy to dispose of it.

Ryan Walts

Ryan Walts is the franchise training manager for Lawn Squad, specializing in lawn and high-quality turf care. With 17 years of agronomic industry experience, Ryan brings almost two decades' worth of grass-growing knowledge to the lawn care franchise space.

2. Wild parsnsip

This is a weed that could trick you, as it produces beautiful clusters of dainty yellow flowers. However, wild parsnip is a poisonous weed you should never touch because its sap contains furanocoumarins, a chemical that makes your skin susceptible to ultraviolet burn.

Even just brushing past wild parsnip and getting its sap on your skin can lead to severe chemical burns, especially when exposed to sunlight. This is a reaction known as phytophotodermatitis.

It's therefore important to get rid of wild parsnip if you spot it growing in your yard. You can do so by wearing full coverage clothing and long-sleeved gardening gloves (like these from Walmart) .

Use essential pruning tools (like these loppers from Amazon) to cut down wild parsnip, which can reach a height of six feet. You should then use weeding tools that pull wild parsnip out of the ground by the root, like this long-handled weed puller tool from Amazon. This will help stop this weed returning and spreading.

3. Giant hogweed

Giant hogweed is an invasive weed that can reach an impressive height of 16 feet. Although it creates a dramatic display, if you do have giant hogweed in your yard, it's wise to consider removing it.

It's actually related to wild parsnip (both being part of the carrot family), so it isn't surprising to learn it also causes phytophotodermatitis – skin burns from the irritant sap.

If you have giant hogweed that has already reached many feet tall, it can be a good idea to enlist the help of professionals to remove it.

For smaller plants, take care to cover your eyes (with these goggles from Amazon), wear gardening gloves, and long gardening sleeves (from Amazon).

You should pull the weed up to remove the roots and dispose of it correctly according to local regulations – be aware you might not be able to just put it in your garden waste bin.

4. Pokeweed

With bright red stems and dark trussells of berries, it's easy to see why you might not realize pokeweed is a dangerous plant to have in your yard.

All parts of pokeweed are toxic: foliage, stems, roots, seeds, and berries. Touching it bare-handed leaves you at risk of ingesting its poisonous sap. Not only this, but this sap can be a skin irritant and cause rashes.

Luckily, you can get rid of pokeweed by using a garden fork (from Amazon) to tease its roots out of the ground. Make sure your skin is fully covered for this, including long trousers, like these black cargo trousers from Walmart.

This plant tends to have a very deep taproot, so consider weeding it after it has rained when the soil is damp and soft to work with.

5. Poison hemlock

The final plant on our list of poisonous weeds you should never touch bare-handed is poison hemlock.

With clusters of small white flowers and fern-like foliage, poison hemlock shouldn't be touched without gloves because it produces toxins that can enter your bloodstream and cause poisoning, as well as its toxins being skin irritant.

The toxins of this weed an even become airborne with inhaling and ingesting leading to anything from respiratory failure to hemlock poisoning, a condition that can end fatally.

That's why it's key to get rid of poison hemlock as soon as you spot it. The best way to do this is by digging it out with its roots intact. Use a shovel (from Amazon) to do this, and wear a facemask (alongside other protective wear) to prevent inhaling toxins.

You can find heavy-duty facemasks at Walmart, as well as a pack of disposable facemasks from Walmart.

FAQs

What should you do if you've touched a poisonous weed?

If you've come into contact with a poisonous weed, immediately wash the affected area of your skin. You should also take care to clean underneath your fingernails and clean any tools or clothing that may be contaminated. If you experience a reaction or feel ill from touching a poisonous weed, seek medical advice from a professional.

Take care when handling poisonous and toxic weeds. If you're struggling to identify a weed in your yard, it's best to seek professional help to keep yourself safe from potential contact with poisonous plants.

Don't forget to do some research around weeder types, too, to ensure you're using the best option for the type of weed you're dealing with.

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