Allergic reaction to garden plant - help ID that plant!
Little Wren
Posts: 4
Within the last few months, the Gardeners' World TV show had a chap on who collected/grew tall, green possibly African shrubs.
I think I have one on my garden. It has four stems, symetrically all the way up the main stem. It has little pumpkin like seed pods which are green. Long thin leaves all over. Bees love it. It's about 4 ft high now. I thought it was a weed. Never seen one before having this garden. In Worcestershire.
The sap, on snapping a stem, splittered all over me and now I have itchy, red rashes where it touched my skin. Including my face. Very painful.
What is the plant? I have photos!.
Please assist!
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Posts
I think it's most likely to be one of the euphorbias. Was the sap milky? It does have a reputation for causing nasty skin reactions.
It does sound like euphorbia but a photo of the plant would help-the photos of the rash you can keep to yourself
Yes, it is a euphorbias. Thank you. Still in agony but at least I know the name of the plant that did this to me!
Thank you!
The rash can be worse if it's a sunny day - and I feel for you, I had a bad experience as a child. Antihistimine cream will help - or take Piriton if you have any and it's ok for you to do so.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you for all the advice. Although still in pain at least my mind is at rest now. It is definately Euphorbia lathyris. I'm on the antihistimines and using Aloe gel to sooth the rashes.
Once I'm back to 'normal', these plants are OUT of the garden...
Soothe, even!
Do be very careful as you remove them - gloves, sleeves, even a face mask if you have to get close, enormous care about the eyes, nose and mouth please. Wash all the garments you wear to do the job, as soon as you are done, wash your hair too - the sap can get just about anywhere, and as you are one of the allergic ones, no amount of care is too much. Maybe you could get someone to do it for you? For those of us who love euphorbias, we are not unaware of the severe problems they can cause for some people. If you do the job of removal yourself, take an anithistamine before you start. Choose a cloudy dampish day if you can. Working in A&E made me aware just how horrid the reactions can be.
Very sensible advice given above - if you're sensitive, then it's really worth delegating if possible. But do give appropriate advice to the delegatee!
i feel for you to little wren.. by boy got this last sumer.. had lumps and rash and it seems to move round his body.. he was given antihistamine took 3 days to go.. i cant have them in the garden as i am too ellergic to them.. such a shame as i love them.. and can only coo over ones i see in gardens.
... and presumably coo at a safe distance?