Burned by Black Walnut

[jntrees]

A few weeks ago on one of the hottest days so far, we were given the task of pruning a Black Walnut. About 15 minutes in,my arms started burning. Then I developed these red splotches all over. It felt as though my arms were on fire.
Upon reaching the ground, I immediately went for the hose to cool them. It was a bit of relief. It made for a pretty uncomfortable rest of the day to put it mildly.
I know Black Walnuts are toxic to other plants,but had no idea they could cause a reaction like that. A few weeks later the burned skin peeled off leaving white splotches! Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[xtremetrees]

For real?! Jesus!

 

[jntrees]

Absolutely for real! Thats the last time I climb one without long sleeves on. It was horrible.

 

[mightyoak]

I've been told more than once not to use black walnut, or cherry wood chips for bedding material in a horses stall. sycamore/ (sickamore)platinus occidentalis, gives me a bad time, I get coughing fits shortly after climbing into the canopy, it subsides a few hours after I get away from the tree.

 

[Canyon Angler]

I've been told that black walnut shavings (from a jointer or planer for example) will kill a horse if it eats them.

Also heard that the roots of BW will kill tomatoes, etc., if you plant them under a BW tree.

Very unhealthy for your lungs to inhale the dust in a wood shop.

Sounds like you may have become "sensitized" to BW toxin in the same way that some people get sensitized to beestings.

Familiar with anaphylactic shock? Got an Epipen or other beesting kit?

I'd be real careful next time I cut one if I were you...

 

[Jumper]

The toxic agent appears to be called Juglone, and you appear more senstive to it that most.

 

[Ekka]

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/PrintablePages/herbMonograph/0,11475,4080,00.html

Also, it says some have an allergy esp to the pollen. a dermatitis type allergy.

 

[lawmart]

we were pruning a black walnut and the shoot got plugged with the nuts and leaves, So one of my guys was digging it out .had not a problem the next day he came to me and said he had to have the day off to go to the doctor because his arm was blistering and all brown.

I had to explain to him that it was the black walnut that he was diging out of the shoot.
he had a tan for about 1-1/12 weeks and then it started to peel .he gust wrapped it in gauze we laughed about it later.

Lawmart
playsafe

 

[coydog]

yeah it's happened to me, middle of summer, big removal, several hours in tree, arms were caked with sawdust mixed with sweat and started burning, almost exact same reaction... It's never happened on a cool day though, it was an isolated incident for me.

 

[Diesel JD]

No crap! I didn't know there were trees that were tha poisonous other than the ubiquitous poison shrubs/vines. Anything else that does that? I know a man can be allergic to anything but anything else that effects a large number of folks? Best to learn about it here than first hand.

 

[Ianab]

Sumac and it's relatives in the Rhus species are pretty toxic. Contact with the sap can cause rash / blisters in some people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhus_verniciflua

Sometimes grown as an ornamental here in NZ, but NOT in my garden

Cheers

Ian

 

[Ekka]

There are many types of allegies, reactions and things that will cause them.

I'm yet to find a 100% comprehensive list but here's a few sites for you to check.

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/Dermatitis/EdMat/PhytoSlides/

http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/guides/48.html

I currently have blistering and rash on both hands but predominantly the right hand from cutting ficus 2 weeks ago. It takes about a month for me to get over it.

 

[ddhlakebound]

I've also had the walnut burn, but not so badly that it blistered up. Sycamore is what really gets me. Noticible discomfort when climbing and cutting it, but when it goes into the chipper is the worst. Hacking and coughing like no tomorrow, til a half hour or hour after its done.

 

[coydog]

Sycamore is what really gets me. Noticible discomfort when climbing and cutting it, but when it goes into the chipper is the worst. Hacking and coughing like no tomorrow, til a half hour or hour after its done.

i just bit the bullet and got face respirators for working sycamore, PITA but makes it bearable, I generally avoid working them when in leaf but still get the occasional emergency job. It's near impossible to communicate when everybody's wearing them, makes you sharpen up your hand signals though. Otherwise my lungs hurt for days after a few hours working sycamores.

 

[Diesel JD]

Thanks Ekka, those were good sites. I have said before, but I'm very sensitive to poison oak and Ivy and that's probably the main reason why I have been discouraged from getting into teh tree biz. I haven't gotten to the point hwere I am 100% accurate at ID'ing these guys, so I'm always trying to learn more. The Virginia Creeper vs. Poison Ivy or Honeysuckle vs. Poison Ivy is usually the sticking point for me. I didn't know about trees causing these kinds of problems. Hasn't happened to me yet. Is it true that the pecan and hickory are also distantly related to the Poison Sumac family? Thanks,
J.D.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

my lungs hurt for days after a few hours working sycamores.

I have to wonder what the long term effects of that would be. My Dad is paying now (in his 80s) for some exposure to a chemical he got about 30 years ago. Fellow that was working with him was exposed worse (Dad wore a mask) and died of it 10 years ago.

At the time, my Dad had a few days of discomfort and coughing...

 

[woodshop]

The toxic agent appears to be called Juglone, and you appear more senstive to it that most.

I'm not a climber, but I work with black walnut a lot in my shop, and I can tell you that the chemicals in that wood are indeed toxic. Some are more sensitive to it than others, just like only 6 out of every 7 people get poison ivy, the others don't. I wear a respirator when milling, or woodworking. Yeah it's a hassle, but like other ppe, you get used to popping it and off once you put your mind to it, and just force yourself to adapt. I'm only 53, and I figure 30-40 years from now, if not sooner, I will be glad I wore one all these years. btw, sawdust from the mimosa tree will also make some people nauseous. I was bandsawing some and got sick in the stomach. Looked into it, and sure enough, it was listed as doing so to some people. Some tropical hardwoods are REAL nasty, like pink ivory wood for ex. That stuff could actually kill you under the right circumstances. Black walnut though, is right in out back yards. (here on the east coast anyway).

 

[OTG BOSTON]

Juglans Nigra=Black Walnut, who said that latin would never come in handy?

In addition to Sycamore I've also found Tulip Poplar and female Ginko to be toxic to some. (the sap of the Tulip and the berries of the Ginko)