Poison Plants and Kudzu - Take Control Before They Take You Over

Raleigh, N.C. - Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and kudzu — you probably know the first three make your skin itch and burn, while the other takes over almost everything in its path. But do you really know how harmful they can be to your yard, home and family?

Poison ivy, oak and sumac grow plentifully in the U.S. More than half the population is allergic to urushiol oil - the sticky, resin-like substance found inside the plants. But it's not just the allergy to urushiol that's a problem - it's how potent it is.

• It only takes 1 billionth of a gram of the oil to cause a rash.
• 500 people could itch from the amount that would fit on the head of a pin.
• Urushiol oil can stay active on any surface for up to five years, even on dead plants.

Poison ivy and kudzu can sometimes be mistaken for each other. While kudzu is not poisonous, it can be equally as frustrating. Kudzu grows in many parts of the U.S., but grows especially well in the South. The vine is so aggressive it takes over trees, buildings, fences, telephone poles, even machinery. Additionally, kudzu kills native plants by smothering them and blocking their sunlight.

• Kudzu covers as much as 7 million acres across the U.S.
• The invasive plant spreads at a rate of 120,000 acres per year.
• One vine can grow a foot a day in the summer and up to 60 feet a season if it's not stopped.

"There's a reason kudzu is nicknamed 'the vine that ate the South,'" says Bayer Advanced Garden Expert Lance Walheim, co-author of Lawn Care for Dummies. "If left unmanaged, it can take over and choke trees that have taken decades to grow."

How can you take control of kudzu and poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, before they take over your yard? Keep your lawn and fence line clear and trimmed, and cut back the undesirable plants to ground level every time you see green growth. Bayer Advanced™ Brush Killer Plus Ready-To-Use is a chemical alternative that kills the brush down to the roots so they won't come back. It controls kudzu, as well as poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and 67 other types of weeds and brush roots, and it starts working in just one day.

About Bayer Advanced

Bayer Advanced lawn and garden products are created by Bayer Environmental Science, a business unit of Bayer CropScience LP and part of the Bayer AG family, a Fortune Global 500 company that makes such well-known brands as Bayer Aspirin, Aleve® and Alka-® Research Triangle Park, NC, is the business headquarters of the company''s NAFTA Region. Kansas City, MO, is the company''s core technology center. The global headquarters of Bayer CropScience is located in Monheim, Germany.

Bayer Advanced products deliver Better Science. Better Results.™ and carry a money-back guarantee. They are available at major retailers and independent garden shops across the United States. You can learn more by visiting www.bayeradvanced.com or by calling 1-877-BAYERAG.

Luckie Strategic PR Media Contacts

Lori Merricks (205) 877-9736, lmerricks@luckie.net
Mariesa Woodring (205) 877-9705, mwoodring@luckie.net
Leigh Ann Monitor (205) 877-9795, lmonitor@luckie.net

Products Mentioned In This Press Release

Brush Killer Plus Ready-To-Use