But poison ivy isn’t the only potentially toxic plant on the block–or in your yard. Depending on your skin’s sensitivity, there might be quite a few seemingly innocuous plants that can cause irritation, rashes, or worse. The United States is home to hundreds of species of poisonous plants, though most won’t evoke as swift a reaction as poison ivy. “There are several different ways that plants can irritate us,” says gardening expert Melinda Myers, author and host of The Great Courses How to Grow Anything series. Some have skin irritants on the surfaces of leaves or stems that can cause rashes and other reactions; in others, the surface of the plant is fine, but the sap that leaks out when you snap a stem can cause problems. Others are allergens for only some people, and a subset of those need sunlight to catalyze an allergic reaction in people with a sensitivity. Whatever the root of the reaction, use caution to avoid irritated skin, eyes, and more. Here are six common plants besides poison ivy that you should never touch. RELATED: 10 Common Houseplants That Are Difficult to Take Care Of
