Is your backyard harbouring a noxious weed?
Is
your backyard harbouring a noxious weed?
(long post but could
be important to your family’s health)
If you live in NSW you could have any number of plants in your yard but
you wouldn't think that one of them could cause life threatening allergic
reactions.
What if such a plant could support your kids’ tree house?
That’s exactly what happened to our family when we found out our tree
had borers and went to find out what could be done about them. It was only by
chance that I stopped to ask what type of tree it was, since we are in a rental
property and didn’t know.
We got more than we bargained for when the helpful Flower Power
horticulturalist informed me that it sounded like it was a Rhus tree
(Toxicodendron succedaneum) and that it is a Noxious Weed.
I had taken pictures of the tree, a leaf sample, as well as branch pieces
with borer evidence, but there wasn’t enough specific detail to determine
whether it was a Rhus or its look alike, the Chinese pistachio (Pistacia
chinensis). The two differences are the type of berry they have as well as the
leaf frond. The end of the Rhus frond has a single leaflet instead of a pair of
them.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries fact sheet considers Rhus
succedanea a highly toxic, allergy-causing tree. It states that the dermatitis
is severe, beginning with a rash, redness, itching and blisters wherever skin
has contact with the plant or its sap. It can also be accompanied by swelling
of the face, arms and legs.
Apparently, Rhus was commonly planted in Australian gardens because of
its brilliant Autumn foliage and only became problematic in Sydney in the
1980’s before being declared a Noxious Weed across New South Wales. It has been
removed from most areas but is currently still found wild in Sydney and Central
Coast regions of NSW.
As such, plants still occur in domestic gardens and can be spread when
birds eat the seeds, which can then remain viable for years.
I did more research and found the DermNet description of what can happen
with exposure to the Toxicodendron succedaneum. They contain oleoresins (a type
of resin) known collectively as rushiol. These compounds can trigger a type IV
hypersensitivity reaction, a contact dermatitis, like the one triggered in in
the United States from Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) or Poison Oak
(Toxicodendron diversilobum).
First contact with Rhus does not usually produce a significant reaction.
It is the nature of type IV hypersensitivity reactions that subsequent exposure
incites a reaction. Reportedly, almost everyone is potentially allergic to
Rhus, with continued contact over time resulting in delayed sensitization. But
it is not just the sap or the plant that can cause the reaction. Smoke made by
burning the plant material can result in symptoms. Highly sensitive people may
even have a reaction standing near the tree.
We have a tree house that my husband unwittingly built in our toxic
tree. My kids from the ages of 5, 8 and 11 have been playing regularly in the
tree house for three years and haven’t had a reaction. Luckily, they climb a
ladder to get on to the platform so don’t actually touch the tree. But we have
had limbs starting to die, due to the borer in it, and these have been cut down
by my husband: without a reaction so far.
Our cat, Pepper, climbs the tree regularly. The kids’ chickens feed from
seeds on the ground around the tree and we all eat the eggs from them. Now
we’re wondering how much of an impact it has had on us indirectly, especially
as we had started to burn the dead branches in our brazier.
In cases of poisoning, it is advised for serious breathing difficulty or
non responsiveness, to call 000 and go to an Emergency Department immediately.
If it is not life threatening, then it is recommended to contact the
Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice or visit your local doctor.
Remember to take a piece of the plant, with gloves on, for
identification and don’t just take a leaf, take a frond.
Now we are faced with the task of what to do with the tree. It currently
stands at its full height of 5 metres and needs to have the cubby house
removed. That is the easy part. The branches will need to be removed and the
stump has to be injected with herbicide to prevent regrowth. Recommendations
for management state that physical removal has high associated risks of
poisoning and difficulties of disposing of the plant material. Tools such as
chainsaws need to be cleaned to remove sap. Personal protective equipment such
as protective eyewear, dust masks and full clothing including gloves should be
used.
It is suggested by Primary Industries to wait until winter after the
leaves have fallen before attempting to remove plants. There are about two
fronds left on our tree so the time has come but who gets the job? That’s where
renting in Sydney might actually be beneficial.
By E K Wills
Author of Mum’s the Word: Secret Diary of a First Time Mum
Always with an interest in the environment and
natural health, EK retrained in medical school and is now a psychiatry
registrar.
After writing her memoir about her experience
having her first child, E.K. went on to have another two children, who are the
subjects of her sequel and trilogy diaries to come.
References:
DermNet New Zealand
Rhus tree Created 1999.
https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/rhus-tree/
Elissa van Oosterhout, N.
Monaghan, J. McMaugh
NSW Department of Primary Industries, NSW WeedWise Rhus tree Toxicodendron succedaneum
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