[Steph Hen]

Wondered if anyone can help me please?
I was in the garden weeding for a while day before yesterday and then picked some flowers for a friend. An hour later my arm came up with little blisters. I believe this is where one of the plants sap must have touched it.
I’d like to remove said plant because it’s really sore! Pharmacist said it was a plant, couldn’t help, nothing to put on it or recommend.

Yesterday I picked several possible contenders and applied a dot of sap to my arm; iris type thing, daisy type thing, hydrangeas, red-hot poker, think roses must be ok as I eat them and been cutting them for years! No reactions detected. There’s no giant hogweed here. Any thoughts?

[Ghdp]

I had a similar reaction when I was scratched on my neck with the edge of a freshly cut hazel twig. Could it be small scratches

[doganjo]

Chemist should have advised either Germoline which has a mild anaesthetic effect as well as being antiseptic  or calamine lotion to take the heat out, and ibuprofen internally for the same effects - reduces inflammation and reduces pain

[Fleecewife]

Antihistamine cream would help too.


I get a similar looking thing from blackthorn which is why I hate it - for me the scars take about a year to fade completely.  I also come out in blisters from strawberry leaves  .  I wonder if you have to have the scratch as well as the sap to cause the reaction in your case? In which case look at scratchy things which you pushed past to get to the flowers. Or it could be something which acts in the same way as giant hogweed and only causes the reaction when exposed to sunlight (I know you said you don't have any of that but it could be something similar.)  I'm thinking of rue which causes blisters and rose thorns and euphorbia which is very sappy.


How about taking a pic of the area you were picking in, showing us what's planted there? Without knowing what plants you've got it's hard to suggest possibilities.


Have a look at this : http://www.realgardeners.co.uk/irritantplants.htm  which has pictures of possible culprits.  It includes the oh so innocuous Lobelia, also known as Pukeweed and Vomitwort 

[arobwk]

Some very useful experiences/examples here:  loads of plants I'm careful with, but I'll throw in Achillea to the thread.   

[Steph Hen]

Thanks guys.
I guess maybe a rose thorn is the most likely then, a scratch and bit of sap at the same time. The top of the blisters are remarkably still intact and don’t betray any sign of a scratch, but could be.

It’s a big garden which I’ve inherited, many plants and I don’t know them. I’ve tried out quite a few candidates now with a drop of sap but no reaction. Maybe I’ll never find it? Don’t have any euphorbia that I’ve seen.
I didn’t know yarrow could do that but guess its a relation of hogweed.
Not as sore as it was at least.

[doganjo]

Thanks guys.
I guess maybe a rose thorn is the most likely then, a scratch and bit of sap at the same time. The top of the blisters are remarkably still intact and don’t betray any sign of a scratch, but could be.

It’s a big garden which I’ve inherited, many plants and I don’t know them. I’ve tried out quite a few candidates now with a drop of sap but no reaction. Maybe I’ll never find it? Don’t have any euphorbia that I’ve seen.
I didn’t know yarrow could do that but guess its a relation of hogweed.
Not as sore as it was at least.

Why don't you join My Scottish Garden if you are on Facebook [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member]  https://www.facebook.com/groups/myscottishgarden

[arobwk]

Re yarrow [member=28951]Steph Hen[/member];  was tying/propping up a clump of it once and had very itchy rash on lower arms afterward - no blisters mind.  I'm now very careful about how I handle Achilleas.