Using tweezers, remove the largest spines from the injured area. If you come into contact with the plant, you may experience skin sores, swelling, and redness. Mediopicta Variegated Agave Fun Facts The Aztecs called the agave a gift from gods." It is unlikely that the stalks of the stalks of the plant will survive by cutting them off before the blooms. See additional information. This should progressively move the needle towards the entry point of the wound. Their blue-green fleshy leaves, exotic profile and reputation for low maintenance in brutal Texas summers seemed a perfect match for the rocky caliche soil and lack of water at the ranch. We have a problem with wild pines and opossums. Take care when transplanting and wear thick, heavy gloves to protect your hands, or wrap a loop of folded paper around the plant when handling it, recommends The American Horticultural Society in the Encyclopedia of Gardening. Ensure the plants are away from walkways and garden paths, places where people can brush up against them. Agave pia is one of the most remarkable plants in the genus Agave. Im all over trying to help with the Monarchs captivating mine and the youngsters attentions. Life threatening complications from an insignificant injury are real you are not immune to it. What about those who depend upon the harvesting of the Agave to make their livelihood? If you get stuck by an agave cactus what happens? In Mexicos commercial agave fields the plants are harvested at about 7 or 8 years of age when they are full of sugar in preparation for flowering. Sasha Degnan is a freelance writer and educator specializing in gardening and horticulture. I was wearing gloves that had extra padding over Even then it was tough to find on a white dog, it's impossible on dark or thick fur. They were always from our native yuccas so this was the clue I needed. Even though we both wore long sleeves, hats and sun glasses, the agave juice spattered on exposed skin and caused painful welts and blisters that lingered for weeks. After cutting the shovel into the ground in arcs that point to the center of the agave, take out the root ball. These symptoms may be noticed only many days after the initial thorn puncture. Make sure to wear protective gear such as gloves, glasses and a long-sleeved shirt when handling the plant. This form of single joint arthritis (monoarthritis) then becomes chronic until appropriately treated. Caroline Fritz has more than 20 years of writing and editing experience, mainly for publications in northwest Ohio. The resulting candelabra-like branchlets sport clusters of yellow The most common varieties are the prickly pear which is popular in Mexico and the dragon fruit cactus. A more common symptom of exposure to agave plants is skin irritation, or dermatitis. To keep your xeriscape safe, it is critical to handle the Agave plant with caution. The first important step is to remove any needles or spines that are sticking out of the skin with a pair of tweezers in a straight motion to ensure you dont increase the size of the wound. While plant thorn arthritis is technically noninfectious, these two forms of infectious arthritis can occur from plant thorn puncture of a joint, with or without true plant thorn arthritis. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 3. Potted agaves need regular watering during the summer months regardless of their age due to their low soil volume. Using tweezers, remove the largest spines from the injured area. All rights reserved. The roots become intertwined, knitted together like an impenetrable quilt. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool , United States Department of Agriculture: Agave Lechuguilla. For any additional swelling, apply ice or a cold pack to the area. Needle-nosed agave fronds prickled and poked whoever was assigned to lock or unlock the gate; their barbed leaves snagged on your shirt and skin, often leaving a sticker behind. If the skin is pierced deeply enough by the needle-like ends of the leaf from a vigorously growing plant this can also cause blood vessels in the surrounding area to erupt and an area some 67 cm across appear to be bruised. Established agave plants need little more than occasional watering during periods of prolonged heat and drought. The pups simply need to be removed from the mother plant and placed in smaller pots of the same soil mixture that their parent plant grew in. Most of the agaves in this clump decided to bloom at once. I made mistake of planting too many Agave Americana in my backyard five years ago. Apply antiseptic or antibacterial gel and a bandage to the injury. 1996-2021 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. When dealing with Agave, it is critical to take the necessary precautions. As with most succulents, agave plants will rot when grown in cold, wet soil, so it is best to avoid planting them in areas where water pools after watering or rainfall. Intrigued by this seeming fortress surrounding the agaves, I researched and learned that the thick agave leaves, plump with water, also contain stringy sisal fiber that native peoples and later Westerners used to weave baskets, rugs, ropes and blankets. Dried parts of the plants can be handled with bare hands with little or no effect. But I saw that he didnt manage to remove the whole root underneath. As Mr. Smarty Plants advises, thinning the pups early, while theyre manageable and have shallow roots, is imperative to avoiding an ornery agave cluster. The plant grows to 6 feet high and 6 feet wide. They use little water, look amazing, do not require clipping, etc. screams out in paina pain that lasts quite a while. 2023 www.desertsun.com. It became swollen and eventually turned black. Ultimately, the diagnosis of plant thorn arthritis requires either detection of a piece of thorn within the joint by radiology testing or surgical removal of the thorn fragments and identification of the fragments microscopically in the laboratory. So glad to read this article recounting your battle with these plants. Aggressions produce a variety of smaller plants around their base. Fortunately they don't break off in your skin and yet I swell up with a big welt that lasts a week. Exposure to thorn-bearing plants, including: diseases of the male reproductive organs. Fill in the planting hole around the stems outer edge with existing soil and dig a new one right into it. This may last up to three weeks. Unfortunately, this is a natural process that cannot be stopped, but cutting the bloom stalks from a plant as soon as they begin to grow can be done. This arthritis persists until the fragments are removed with a surgical operation. Texas Butterfly Ranch Native Texas Milkweed Guide, A Year in the Life of a Mostly Native Urban Butterfly Garden, http://mezcalphd.com/2013/03/how-many-varieties-of-agave-can-be-used-to-make-mezcal-take-2/, Votes are in! Website by Monica Hemingway, Design Ideas from an Arizona Artists Garden. This helps absorb water in the dry climate in which it thrives. The affected joint lining tissue (synovium) is examined in the pathology department using microscopes. Gently remove the duct tape from your skin. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Other agave species were abandoned in Mexico and in the desert regions of the Southwest US. However, chronic arthritis eventually develops even long after the plant thorn injury because of the thorn fragments remaining in the joint. When fully grown, Agave americana can reach heights of up to sixteen feet, making it an ideal plant for a garden. There are 9 different types of Agave plants that are referred to as century plants, but they only bloom and die between the ages of 8 and 40. This explains the reaction to saponins being literally injected under the skin by a stiff yucca spine. Doctors who perform operative treatments include orthopedic surgeons and plastic surgeons. While explaining my toxicity suspicions to Clark Moorten, he agreed that there's something about yucca. Joints that are commonly affected by plant thorn synovitis include the small joints of the hands (metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints), feet, elbows, knees, and ankles. Saponins are soap-like compounds and hemolytic is something that damages red blood cells. Despite the fact that removing an Agave plant may appear difficult, it is actually quite simple. Keeping the fire alive was a challenge given the agaves high moisture contentlike burning a watermelon. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. this pain. The sugars in agave syrup comprise around 80% fructose and 20% glucose. This is Agave tequilanathe agave tequila is made from. Like its thorny sibling prickly pear, agave is famous for resprouting if any of its greenery touches the earth. Stabbed By Agave Is The Agave Poisonous Or Toxic Plant Delights Lives Up To Its Name Red Dirt Ramblings Cacti And Succulents Plants Planting Succulents "Imaging of Plant-Thorn Synovitis.". My husband Robert Rivard with his Coba, a tool provided from a horticulturist friend in Mexico to keep the agaves under control. There are some gorgeous agaves that can rival Agave Blue Glow but I personally grow tired of cutting out the suckers or runners from those plants. Weekender that at best is every other week, more often every other month. Agave plants grown in containers may be the best choice for those living in colder climates. The tissue forms a characteristic reaction, called a granulomatous reaction, within the synovium (granulomatous synovitis). Cactus plants are popular plants that are used widely in many different types of gardens. The other type of cactus which is particularly popular in Mexico and Southeast Asia is the dragon fruit. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Please vote! The first reason is that due to the spines that are on most plants the probability of a dog or child attempting to eat a cactus is relatively low. Raphides are formed by the addition of calcium oxalate, a substance that forms clusters of needlelike crystals. son-in-law, Jim, as well as enjoy their company during a concentrated effort, I 2.6 2.6 out of 5 stars WebA thorn stabbed my knuckle on my thumb and I pulled the thorn out almost immediately. With a lifespan between 10 and 30 years, the agave shoots one dramatic stalk yards into the sky. The best way is to dig up the plant and its root system, making sure to get as much of the root as possible. The sharp tip of an Agave leaf quickly penetrates the skin and instantly releases irritants that cause sudden discomfort and pain. Lift the ball out of the ground if it becomes loose. If you live in an U.S. hardiness zone 8-10, keep an eye out for Agave plant bugs and take preventive measures to keep your Agaves healthy. After maturing and growing to maturity, the plant blooms and dies, leaving behind seeds that resemble the original. Webstabbed by agave plant treatment 29 Ago stabbed by agave plant treatment. This may help determine the causes of joint swelling or arthritis. Heres live footage of the 2016 Agave Junction Cantina stabbing aftermath, which includes shots of the police and the bar in the background: Why did the population expert feel like he was going crazy punchline answer key? However, theyre not the friendliest plants when it comes to pets and young children who can often prick themselves easily when going past them. The gnarly agave colony fended me off, aggressively protecting its mama with their intertwined roots and serrated leaves. Frustrated, one day I convinced my older son Nicolas to get out the chainsaw. It was a scab smaller than a pin head. To help lessen the likelihood of an infection, allow the injury to bleed a couple of drops before cleaning it. Then it dies. It is critical to seek immediate treatment if you are experiencing irritation on your skin. MRI (or magnetic resonance imaging) scan is a radiology technique which uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce images of body structures. The joint lining tissue is called the synovium. With a shovel, dig down and around the Agave with an excavation depth of 8 to 12 inches. When doing this you will find that there is a thick layer just below the skin that will also come away as you peel the skin off. But since we only visit the property every other weekend, some times less, my agaves became a nuisance. These plants include palm trees, roses, black-thorn shrubs, cacti, bougainvillea, yucca, pyracantha, plum trees, and mesquite trees. gloves, long sleeves, thick jeans, a sturdy hat and glasses became my agave fighting uniform. WebHDDA Tequila Rustic Sculpture, 21 inches/55cm Small DIY Metal Agave Plant,Rustic Hand Painted Metal Agave, Garden Yard Art Decoration Statue Home Decor for Yard Stakes, Garden Figurines, Outdoor Patio. Finally, after removing the plant, its important to monitor the area and make sure any regrowth is taken care of. If the wound, after several hours, is still hurting or showing signs of redness and swelling that is usually indication that you may need to visit a doctor to ensure that the wound is not getting infected. As a gesture of my respect for this plant, weve allowed two specimens to remain on site. This is because the original thorn has left behind small fragments of thorn vegetable matter that gradually cause the inflammation of plant thorn arthritis. Will begin to naturalize as it ages. Whether you are on a hike or simply have an unfortunate run in with a house cactus, treating your injuries is critical to preventing infection 1. Some decorative plants such as pampas grass look soft, but This can happen when a person is pricked by the sharp spines or if. These forms of arthritis require urgent antibiotic treatment. I also agree to receive emails from MedicineNet and I understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet subscriptions at any time. Certainly getting stabbed by a cactus spine, an aloe tip or an agave will take an eye out if it's in the right place, but there's something different about an ordinary yucca Often they don't bleed either. When eating the fruit most people generally cut the fruit in half and then scoop out the white flesh using a spoon. 2023 Unofficial Pollinator Plant of the Year: Mealy Blue Sage or Zexmenia? If you get poked seek medical attention asap if the injury does not improve in 2 days. Another positive some might find is that Agave Blue Glow has no other spines past the colorful terminal spine.