I found out, per usual, the hard way, about another plant I am allergic to. The Stinging Nettle of South Florida, a devilish little plant with a big punch. Here it is – looking so innocent with its cute little white flower; masking the stinging nettles running up and down the stem. Just waiting for the nonchalant passerby. The straplike foliage in the picture is from a native Hymenocallis. I will have to untangle these later.
The Stinging Nettles here are commonly referred to as Tread Softly (Cnidoscolus stimulosus, if latin makes you feel happy). I hadn’t realized how many were in the so called lawn in the back until it got a little too long and they were slapping me around the ankle with their little nettles. I finally ran over one that was tall enough to see and stop just in time for it to wrap around my ankle. Here is the result:
I went to rinse it off. That didn’t help. I got the duct tape to pull out the stingers, that did help. Then couldn’t remember if this is a baking soda paste cure or a vinegar cure. Looked that up on the internet after finding my reading glasses. Aha, it is baking soda paste and it did help. The picture is actually from several days later.
Moral of the story: take heart in the common name and Tread Softly.
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The Shrub Queen 
I didn’t realize they could cause a problem. I don’t know if they are the same here, but I will watch out for them.
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I am abnormally allergic to things, I think.
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Ouch. NC has a form of that. I’ll try to remember baking soda paste.
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I remember those – yellow flowering and bigger stickers, leather glove plants – I have been using tongs to pull these out.
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It’ s a jungle out there. The most dangerous things in my garden are Euphorbias. I really don’ t know why I grow them.
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Liz, it is a jungle. Euphorbias are amazing, just don’t eat them. I have a Pencil Cactus, but cannot cope with the Crown of Thorns Euphorbia. Way too sharp.
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So why no tread softly in a vase? Kinda pretty. You could combineit with woe vine and poison ivy berries
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That’s great, George – is your birthday coming up? Can’t wait to look up Woe Vine, that is a new one.
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Glad I don’t have them in my garden!
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Just found another…
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My fingers got stung by the Canadian version recently, and should have checked out those cures. It was like knowing the paint is wet, but daring to touch it anyway. Although I hadn’t seen stinging nettle for years and years, I kinda suspected it was and just brushed my fingers to be sure. Well…. I didn’t swanee, but should have.
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Ow, baking soda is the thing.
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