New Burdock Discovery‏

[sampotter]

SO, burdock is annoying at best and although they cultivate it for consumption in Japan, I personally have no use for it. The seed heads are the obvious reason, but yesterday I found an even worse surprise that burdock has- BARBED HAIRS! I was mowing a foodplot yesterday and came upon a patch of tall, dead burdock. When I hit it with my ATV, a cloud of dusty "hairs" came off the burdock and covered me. I didn't think much about it at first, but by the time I got home I was itching like crazy. I now have a rash that looks like I rubbed poison ivy all over my arms and neck. I collected some of the "hairs" with some tape and put them under the microscope today... They are about 1/8" long and slightly thicker than a human hair. The one in my eye is especially annoying.

 

Burdock Hairs.bmp

 

Burdock Hairs 2.bmp

[growalot]

I thought everyone knew...it is those barbed hairs that gave rise to the invention of velcro.......you should get at least the eye looked at ,,they tent to bury themselves deeper...

[sampotter]

Grow- these are not the seed heads with the hooked ends, these little hairs are darn near microscopic and are shaped like Inuit fishing spear heads more or less.

[growalot]

Sam ,

I couldn't pull up those pics when I wrote that...but an internet search will give you ideas on how to get them out...though I, especially now ,stand by the thought you should have the eye looked at...yes our bodies usually either dislodge such things or dissolve them...those look like travelers with just one way to go. Good luck

[sampotter]

Yeah, I don't know why those pics don't show up. I now saved them as a jpeg, looks like maybe it will work now. I can't find much/any info about this particular burdock characteristic. There is a 1995 paper about contact dermatitis from burdock, but I can't open it without a subscription, which I don't want to buy. The one in my eye is over in the corner, not touching my actual eyeball. It may have worked its way out overnight as I don't seem to feel it today.

 

 

[growalot]

You may have just had wht blood cells surround it...perhaps it will just dissolve...What I found said to soak in a very hot tub and use a loofa or rough wash clothe to dislodge them..the hot water opens your pores then when drying of use rubbing alcohol to open pores and disinfect and use a dry hand towel to wipe in opposite direction....Good luck...I blundered into a patch of stinging nettles one summer night going cross lot to get home(teen) dang!  that's an experience I have avoided ever since!

[The_Field_Ager]

Great material for the compost bin

[sampotter]

You may have just had wht blood cells surround it...perhaps it will just dissolve...What I found said to soak in a very hot tub and use a loofa or rough wash clothe to dislodge them..the hot water opens your pores then when drying of use rubbing alcohol to open pores and disinfect and use a dry hand towel to wipe in opposite direction....Good luck...I blundered into a patch of stinging nettles one summer night going cross lot to get home(teen) dang!  that's an experience I have avoided ever since!

 

Good advice right here- thanks Grow!