The Most Important Plant You Need To Know When Geocaching
Let’s face it; geocaching is not without its hazards. There are plants, dogs, muggles, and wildlife just to name a few. While geocachers can try and avoid some hazards, life doesn’t always deal an easy hand. Sometimes, you have to react. Hence, the focus of this post: to give geocachers a remedy in the field.
We probably all know the adage, “Three leaves let it be.” As much as we may try though, sometimes poison ivy finds us. I found it last year in a very big way. My poor legs still bear the scars of a particluarly nasty infestation that became infected. I thought that I never recover. Later, I learned of a plant, though probably hard to find where I was at, might have spared me a bit of trauma. I’m writing of the most important plant a geocacher needs to know–jewelweed.
Jewelweed has a long history with Native Americans as a cure for skin ailments. American folklore speaks of its use for treating bruises, insect bites, and warts. Jewelweed is an annual plant, often found near damp, shady areas. Fortunately, it is often found near poison ivy, but certainly not always. Its use is not limited to poison ivy.
I can personally vouch for its use to treat stinging nettle rashes. In my conservation days, we often worked in remote locations, doing restoration work. For the female members of the team, this situation produced some more delicate challenges. On a mission to “check my email,” I encountered stinging nettle firsthand. Not a pleasant experience, I can assure you. Fortunately, some nearby jewelweed saved the day ,and I became a believer.
So, wanting to spar all from a similar discomfort, I’m passing along my recommendation of an addition to your geo-first aid kit: know how to identify jewelweed.
Photos courtesy of cyanocorax, Lorelei Ranveig
