Am I nuts?

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glenski1978
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2005 10:31 pm
Location: Poland

Am I nuts?

Post by glenski1978 »

:?

I have been raising and around cacti all my life and now I am being told that they harm people if they are kept as houseplants. Is this true at all? Or is this just a dispute between the New World and the Old World, in other words, between the haves and the have nots? I really wish some one would put my mind and my health at ease once and for all.

thank you cacti expert compadres!

Maxwell
anoa0101
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 5:03 pm
Location: Israel

Post by anoa0101 »

i have grown my first cacti when i was 13, that was a while ago. my health, needless to say has improved over the years, and as long as i am a cacti lover i will be strong and fit and healthy- phisicly and mentley. i realy don't know if it's true or not, but
the have-nots, well they don't understand us, the have-nots are blind to a world we have found.
Maxwell, you are here with the right peaple :!:

stay well,
anoa
templegatejohn
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Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 2:57 pm
Location: Leeds, England

Health

Post by templegatejohn »

Hi Maxwell,

Perhaps the people you have been speaking to are referring to Euphorbias (which are succulents and not cacti). These plant do exude a white latex if damaged and this can be very painful if it gets into an open wound (it is said to have been used by tribesmen on their poisoned arrows), or even more serious can send you blind if it comes into contact with your eyes.

The Lophophora could be dangerous if ingested and of course the heavily spined fish hook type cactus could be deemed harmful to your health if you did not treat them with respect.

In all other aspects cacti bring a great deal of joy and pleasure and this can only be beneficial for your health.

John
kari
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Location: Canyon, Texas
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Post by kari »

I was born in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, in Scottsdale, Arizona, and have been around cacti all my life. It is true that I am shorter that most men (5-and-a-half-feet tall), but I think that was a genetic thing and not cactus related. Check out the cancer story on one of the other forum pages here.

All cacti flower petals are edible, as are all cacti fleshy fruit. The only dangerous cacti I know of, in addition to John's mentions, are certain cholla species, known as jumping cactus; they'll attack you with no reason!

As for the air... well, all I can say is that during certain times of the year the desert air is filled with a myriad of fragrances from the blooming cacti, especially night-blooming ones like the giant saguaro. Ahhhhhh..... I miss it so!

kari
Magnus
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Re: Am I nuts?

Post by Magnus »

glenski1978 wrote::?

I have been raising and around cacti all my life and now I am being told that they harm people if they are kept as houseplants. Is this true at all?

Maxwell
Yes its true! When you get your first Cacti plant the disease starts. Then you want one more, and one more, and.....After awhile you get totally crazy like me. Your home are occupied with cacti plants. And all your money are gone... :D
mavaz
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:04 pm
Location: Gomez Palacio Durango, Mexico

Post by mavaz »

Hi Maxwell:

Maybe you are refering to those ones that say that cacti plant catch negative energy and that it can be transfered to people...... i have herad this from people that follow the feng-shui and all this #$#%%/ wave....
The better answer tahat i can give is that you can?t find wild cacti japan, but please think about all the negative energy that millions of japannese are catching with all the cacti they grow.

Please if you are not convinced about the safe of your cati, please give me your plants.
Last edited by mavaz on Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
ihc6480
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Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:39 am
Location: Kansas City, Kansas--USA

Post by ihc6480 »

Don't know about all this getting sick and being ill mannered because of cacti :roll: The only time I've seen anyone get ill mannered about cacti is when my wife got to close to one of my chollas :shock: :lol:
daiv
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Post by daiv »

mavaz wrote:Please if you are not convinced about the safe of your cati, please give me your plants.
:P Ha- I like that one! ...now that I think of it, all cacti are extremely harmful and should be sent to me for safe keeping and the overall welfare of mankind.

Ha ha, anyway, just kidding.
Flowershopgirl
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2017 9:56 pm

Help cactus infection

Post by Flowershopgirl »

Hello,I am from Canada. I am seeking any help over the Internet.
I work in a flower shop,and I stupidly grabbed a cactus to put in the trash with my bare hand, which was wilted. Afterwards, I rubbed the spines off my fingers without thinking and then a month later my fingers started cracking and became infected with severe eczema. This has been over a year and I am still experiencing severe inflammation, itchiness, cracking, and peeling in the two fingers that I touched the cactus with. I have tried Steroids cream, Clobetasol, two rounds of prednisone, nothing helped. Then went to see a dermatologists two times which he prescribed me, Toctiono which helped but only for a short period because as soon as I stop taking the medication, inflammation, cracking itchiness and peeling starts over again. I cannot be forever on this medication.
Please help if you are a qualified person in this field.



Sent from my iPad
DaveW
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Re: Am I nuts?

Post by DaveW »

Some people are allergic to certain substances or things, from dogs to cats to birds etc, you name it. If the press wants to be sensational it will highlight the odd incident.

However it is no joke for the rare people who are such as FlowerrshopGirl obviously is, even if she is numerically a rarity. There are two explanations, either you were allergic to the cactus, or the spines were dirty and an infection entered through the spine punctures. Apparently many plants can cause dermatitis. I have handled cacti for over 50 years with my bare hands and never had any trouble. I did a WEB search and came up with these:-

It would seem you probably have Cactus Dermatitis.

See:-

https://escholarship.org/uc/item/87v8v850/cholla2.html

These days there is always the possibility the plant has been treated with insecticides and it is an allergic reaction to those.

See "DERMATITIS BY PHYSICAL TRAUMA2 in the link below.

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=s03 ... xt&tlng=en

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/706404_2

http://www.allergyuk.org/skin-allergy/a ... 0wodUU8NDA

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and- ... rmatitis#1

Look up "Contact Dermatitis" on the WEB from what one of the above links says you should not immediately stop taking the treatment even if it appears to have cleared up at the time as it may return again.
graffiti
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Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 12:22 pm
Location: NE Connecticut / Zone 5a

Re: Am I nuts?

Post by graffiti »

Cacti collecting can most certainly become bad for your financial health.
keith
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Location: S. CA USA

Re: Am I nuts?

Post by keith »

I rubbed the spines off my fingers without thinking and then a month later my fingers started cracking and became infected with severe eczema."

Glochids or glochidia (singular "glochidium") are hair-like spines or short prickles, generally barbed, found on the areoles of cacti in the sub-family Opuntioideae. Cactus glochids easily detach from the plant and lodge in the skin, causing irritation upon contact.

And then when you try and remove them they break off, I wonder if that's your problem ?

Indoor cactus harmful to your health is what we call fake news these days :D
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toadstar
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Re: Am I nuts?

Post by toadstar »

Image
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adetheproducer
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Location: Porth, the Rhondda, Wales

Re: Am I nuts?

Post by adetheproducer »

Yeah this picture has been bouncing 'round the Internet for a while now. I can never work out if the writer actually believes it or whether they where just having a laugh.
And as the walls come down and as I look in your eyes
My fear begins to fade recalling all of the times
I have died and will die.
It's all right.
I dont mind
I dont mind.
I DONT MIND
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adetheproducer
Posts: 1576
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 4:15 pm
Location: Porth, the Rhondda, Wales

Re: Am I nuts?

Post by adetheproducer »

Yeah this picture has been bouncing 'round the Internet for a while now. I can never work out if the writer actually believes it or whether they where just having a laugh.
And as the walls come down and as I look in your eyes
My fear begins to fade recalling all of the times
I have died and will die.
It's all right.
I dont mind
I dont mind.
I DONT MIND
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