Stay safe!

A few years ago I had to visit an apprentice at work and he told me that he had been rushed to hospital the previous week after feeling unwell and experiencing breathing difficulties after pruning a large shrub. I asked him to show me the plant that had caused him such distress.

The offender was Viburnum rhitidophyllum, a large evergreen shrub with distinctly wrinkled foliage. It is a bit of a brute of a plant capable of withstanding difficult conditions but is rather nondescript. I am not one of its fans. On the underside of the foliage, there is a fine dusty material that can become dislodged during pruning and can cause irritation to some people if inhaled. 

Plant allergies are surprising common, often they are an annoyance and do not cause serious health issues though I have known some people hospitalised for several days after coming in contact with plants that gave them an allergic reaction. Plants are not always wholesome and can contain some nasty defensive chemicals. Even almonds contain traces of cyanide that gives them their distinctive flavour though fortunately the cyanide content is so low that it does not cause a problem. The leaves of the cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) contain cyanide, I can remember shredding large quantities of cherry laurel after trimming a hedge and there was a distinct smell of almonds wafting round the garden. Obviously I am here to tell the tale so there is no need for alarm!

Lists of potentially harmful cultivated plants found in the UK are published by Kew and the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA). The HTA list is for retailers to provide guidance on labelling potentially harmful plants but it does provide a very useful resource for home gardeners and professional horticulturists.

If you suspect that you are allergic to a particular plant that needs pruning, the ideal situation is to get someone else who is not allergic to it to carry out the operation. If that is not possible, avoid pruning in strong sunlight, do not allow the plant to come into contact with exposed skin and wear goggles to protect the eyes. This may seem like overkill but allergic reactions can be very debilitating. Most plants do not require these precautions and very few people suffer serious allergic reaction, in most cases it is mild itching that soon goes away.

Vibrurnum rhitidophyllum can cause irritation