Thinning bamboos, with itchy consequences
In the backyard we have a small shaded garden bed that is dominated by a chocolate bamboo (Borinda fungosa), a clumping mountain bamboo with culms that turn dark brown in the sun and leaves that are the very definition of elegance. In front of this bamboo is a 3-foot tall granite lantern that adds to the Asian feel of this space.
Like most bamboos, Borinda fungosa is a vigorous grower when happy—and ours clearly is happy. The culms grew so heavy with new leaves this summer that they were drooping forward, almost completely obscuring the lantern. That was my cue to do some trimming.
Chocolate bamboo (Borinda fungosa) before its haircut
Chocolate bamboo (Borinda fungosa) after its haircut
I removed some of the thinnest culms which were leaning the most, and I also trimmed a few thicker culms that were loaded down under the weight of the leaves.
Here is another before-and-after view:
Before
After
I could have gone for a more radical shearing, but since this spot is highly visible from the dining room, I prefer a gentler approach even if it means that I need to do more trimming later in the year.
I had also planned on tackling our two Alphonse Karr bamboos (Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’), which desperately need some attention. However, after finishing work on the Borinda fungosa, I noticed red welts on my arms that were itching terribly. The same thing had happened a few months ago when I was working around the giant clumping timber bamboo (Bambusa oldhamii) in the front yard. Bamboo leaves can leave tiny cuts on your skin, much like a paper cut, and the fine hairs on culm sheaths can be irritating but I’d never had a problem like this before. Could I have developed an allergy to bamboo? I did a quick Google search and there is anecdotal evidence of just that.
My rash went away after about eight hours but the itching was not pleasant. I decided to postpone any further bamboo maintenance until temperatures have dropped into the 60s so I can comfortably wear a long-sleeved shirt.
Has anybody else experienced similar reactions to bamboo?
Oh yes. Perhaps not that extreme, but arm itchiness after working in bamboo for sure. Like you I attributed it to tiny cuts, but perhaps there's more going on. Sometimes I get a rash on my arms when I've not been anywhere near the bamboo, so perhaps I've developed an allergy to strenuous outdoor work.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem with your pruning: I can see your compost bin now, or maybe that's just a Vaderesque bbq grill. ;-)
Oh, I'm allergic to any strenuous work, that's nothing new, LOL.
DeleteSeriously, I'm a bit relieved that this isn't some freak thing I'm experiencing. I react pretty strongly to insect bites, for example, so it stands to reason my reaction to bamboo would be more pronounced as well. What is strange, however, is that I never had any reaction at all until a few months ago.
As for that black bin in the background: I look at it as priceless outdoor art :-). I have a piece of bamboo fencing that I sometimes prop up against the bin to disguise it but then I have to move the fencing every time I toss something in the bin, which is quite frequently. The joys of living on a small lot...
I have yes, especially when trimming away new shoots of bamboos with hairy culm sheaths. I wear gloves when doing so now but find every so often I have to take anti histamine before I tackle the job.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful plant, but long-sleeve shirt and gloves from now on, okay?
ReplyDeleteI was trimming some low hanging bamboo and in the process I got the same reaction everyone is speaking of. Funny thing I have done this a few times prior with no reaction from the bamboo. But this is the hot season here in Thailand and I was sweating so what ever it was had a chance to stick to me. Only got the rash neck and arms where I was exposed.
ReplyDeleteI have wells like bee stings they are hot and itch. My lip actually swelled. I'm miserable and dont know what to do? I know I would have a sting sensation when cutting the bamboo. But it's literally spread to my back and my lip hurts bad.
ReplyDeleteYes, this happened to me. I was cutting bamboo shoots, 20 foot lengths and I noticed this itchy rash developing on my forearms. It lasted for several hours and it wasn't as uncomfortable as some of what has been described. But it was definitely itchy. Next time I will wear long sleeves and gloves. Maybe a mask as well. Whatever it is, I would not want to be breathing it in.
ReplyDeleteI ate bamboo shoots from a tin last night, my entire body swelled, not throat, then after taking a pill it settled in my hands and face. Intense itching, horrendous. and my hands are very very sore even still. And all I did was eat a little of it.
ReplyDeleteoh boy i carried a whole bunch of cut bamboo at least 20 and my chest and arms are so itchy and red feels like insulation I was wearing a shirt that covered my chest so I dont know why it is itchy in that area, I understand the arms. Lesson learned, as I plan to build a small sort of arbor at the entrance to the lanai.
ReplyDeleteThe tiny spores from the bamboo are invisible and will go thru clothing. A family member was covered in spots and welts for over a week. They were horrendously itchy. Her throat was sore and she lost all energy. Only settled with antihistamine creams prednisone.
ReplyDeleteGreat information. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteAs a landscaper I am frequently asked to correct homeowners mistakes of planting a rhizome based bamboo with no borders to keep it from spreading. I had never had any reaction to any bamboo until the other day when clearing a 10x20 ft section some of which was approximately 20-25 ft tall. My method of cutting it at the base in sections and tying it into bundles to be drug to the road for pickup had me wrapping my arms around it and lifting one end of the bundle onto my shoulder to carry and by about halfway through I developed a severe rash on both forearms and my neck on the side that I was shouldering. No itching just a constant burning sensation. I kept working and it became so bad that the area inside my left elbow felt like it was rubbed raw. At the end of the day a warm shower and cortisone cream helped and it was all but cleared up by the next morning, all but the area on my left arm that is still healing like the worst carpet burn you’ve ever had. I will definitely be wearing sleeves from now on when working with bamboo but it does seem odd to have developed such an allergy all of a sudden.
ReplyDeleteI was cut some unwanted bamboo today. It was about 20 ft long and the leafs had not come out yet. So it snapped and liquid came out and my neck instantly began to hurt. It felt like a jellyfish had gotten me
DeleteIt's the silica in the leaves. It's a bit fiberglass insulation. Who knew?
DeleteYes the same reaction, red bumps when cutting my bamboo. Next day in the sunlight I could see tiny slivers of bamboo in my arms. It took about a week of hot showers and tweezers to clear my arms and chest of bamboo.
ReplyDeleteIt was the teeny black hairs which act like tiny prickles “ Pro Tip: if you ever happen to find yourself removing bamboo, wear safety glasses (this is a serious issue), ear protection (to protect your ear drums from getting poked by a bamboo twig), gloves, long pants, and long sleeves. The exterior of some kinds of bamboo canes are sometimes covered in small stiff protruding "hairs." If you brush against them, they will rub off into your skin, giving you a nice patch of splinters. These can be removed by pressing a piece of duct tape against your skin, and peeling it off in the direction of the splinters, "with the grain." Clear packing tape will not work, as the adhesive is less gooey.”
ReplyDeleteOldhamii has these teeny black hairs “ Pro Tip: if you ever happen to find yourself removing bamboo, wear safety glasses (this is a serious issue), ear protection (to protect your ear drums from getting poked by a bamboo twig), gloves, long pants, and long sleeves. The exterior of some kinds of bamboo canes are sometimes covered in small stiff protruding "hairs." If you brush against them, they will rub off into your skin, giving you a nice patch of splinters. These can be removed by pressing a piece of duct tape against your skin, and peeling it off in the direction of the splinters, "with the grain." Clear packing tape will not work, as the adhesive is less gooey.”
ReplyDeleteYes this is happened to me. After thinning out some bamboo with a client, I woke up the next day to a pretty severe rash on my neck, luckily I had long sleeves on a long pants. But it took a week for my neck to get better. And now every once in a while it’s still breaks out, it seems to be still very sensitive.
ReplyDeleteYes, throat swells and lips and tongue burning just from sticking my head inside bamboo to repair sprinkler, not touching leaves. Inhaling from dead leaves I guess. A problem as there are four huge bamboo stands in our yard and two smaller ones. They didn't do this to me for the 9 months we've owned the house. Darn it.
ReplyDeleteWhat to do if hairs get in your eyes?
ReplyDeleteI’ve been hacking down 4 great lots of clumping bamboo in the last three weeks. All exposed skin has itchy spots that bleed when I scratch them. I think it is in my scalp too as I wasn’t wearing a hat. Lesson learned from not covering up. The sap fell onto me but I had a big job ahead and ignored it. Stupid of me. I can’t touch grevilia or mango branches, even tulip sap is bad news.
ReplyDeleteBamboo has tiny hairy spikes all long the cane. They lodge in your skin similar to the way grass does if you lay on it. We have a large lot with much bamboo that was planted before we bought the house. I had to cut trails through it to tend to the trees and cut away vines that were choking trees. I have to prune regularly. Even with long sleeves and long gloves the hairy spikes lodge into my arms. I have worked in the bamboo for 3 years now and have sections of skin on my left arm that seem as if it formed callouses around the spikes. Always itchy. Nothing helps.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's awful. I'm really sorry to hear! My reactions are never that bad.
Deletehelped in carrying are still suffering from the hitching and rashes. We stopped for now and we had used so many ointments š§“ but nothing helps
ReplyDeleteHow can bamboo be eaten if it can't be handled?
ReplyDeleteYou eat the new shoots. They don't have "hairs" yet.
DeleteI've taken on a bamboo wood project and seem to bites our a rash
ReplyDeletethe tiny hairs covering the top of the leaves seems to lodge into your skin like fiberglass. And it itches for days. Seems to get worse everyday as the tiny hairs gets lodged deeper every time you scratch
ReplyDeleteApparently it’s only a problem during a certain time of year/growth cycle. I brushed up against some in a park and ended up at the dermatologist, even though usually it’s no problem for me to touch it. This was in the spring…
ReplyDeleteThat's very interesting! I wonder why that is? Need to do some research.
DeleteYes, l had a reaction the other day, by just brushing my arms past it cleaning windows.
ReplyDeleteI got stinging burning sensation down both arms, then later l got intense pain in my right hand is was like my hand had been broken in many places, l am going to muck more careful in the future I.e. total protective clothing.
Wow, that sounds like a really serious case. I've heard some people say it's like exposure to poison oak but your case sounds even worse than that.
Deleteoh never again!!!! I had a backyard full of bamboo when I first moved in, and I went tearing through it and cutting it all down, and it literally destroyed me. I legit thought I had scabies but bamboo outdoors does carry mites and the stalks do have little hairs that damn near Projectile themselves into your skin and it is terrible. I will not mess with any more bamboo. And unfortunately, it's a very aggressive type of bamboo that grows outdoors so you just either let it overtake your yard or your body your choice. Most people develop the allergy and it does not go away. It only gets worse. Long sleeves does not matter they will find away. my suggestion find another plant to fall in love with because the bamboo it will never love you back lol
ReplyDeleteI was just at Twin Falls on Maui and made the mistake of hugging a young timber bamboo for a photo. It’s worse than fiberglass.
ReplyDeleteYikes! I'm sorry this ruined what would otherwise have been a wonderful thing to do.
DeleteI cut down some aggressive bamboo that had taken over a patch in our garden. Then had to dig the roots out with an adz. The roots were like concrete and clearly nothing else could grow there.. still I chopped away for days and carted it away. I was aware that some spiked fronds had got into my hands and these were painful but managed to get them out ok. But later over the weeks that followed a rash developed on the skin near my elbows and on the back of my neck. I did not associate it with the bamboo until now at first thinking it was sunburn. Over the weeks that followed the itching got more constant so that i was applying anti itch cream constantly . The rash is tiny blisters invisible to the eye. I will be much more careful with bamboo in future.
ReplyDeleteWe have pre-existing boarder
ReplyDeletewall of bamboo and I will say it’s Bad news!
We have a pre-existing border wall of bamboo and do not recommend; it’s high maintenance, it will irritate your skin and will take over your yard if you don’t keep it maintained.
ReplyDelete