Autumn olive thorns are poisonous! Are Autumn Olive Thorns Poisonous? Find out what kind of symptoms you might experience if you’re unlucky enough to get poked by one of these spiky leaves.
It’s important to be able to identify autumn olives, especially if you have children or pets who like to explore the outdoors.
Knowing how to protect yourself and your loved ones is essential. Make sure you read our article on autumn olive thorns so that you’re fully informed. Read on to learn about the negative consequences of autumn olive thorns.
What is Autumn Olive?
Autumn olive, also known as blackberry ash and sweet autumn olive, is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 25 feet tall. It produces edible reddish-purple fruit in the fall.
However, they may be toxic to humans and pets when eaten raw or processed by machines such as lawnmowers and weed-whackers.
Autumn olive is a non-native invasive species that is a popular ornamental shrub because it blooms in the fall and produces fruit, attracting birds and other wildlife.
Autumn olives have been known to cause severe dermatitis in humans who have come into contact with them.
Are Autumn Olive Thorns Poisonous?
Autumn olives contain a photoactive toxin that causes dermal and ocular irritation. However, exposure to leaf oils alone can cause skin irritation.
Skin contact with autumn olive thorns may cause dermatitis as a response to the chemical compounds in the plant’s leaves and stems.
If you know you’ve come into contact with autumn olive thorns, you should seek medical treatment immediately. Autumn olives are especially dangerous because the symptoms of dermal irritation may not manifest for up to 12 hours after you’ve been exposed to them.
Autumn olive thorns can be poisonous if the sap enters your body. So, if you’re gardening and an autumn olive thorn has poked you, it’s a good idea to wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food.
Why is Olive Thorns Poisonous?
In many plants, including autumn olive, toxic compounds known as glycosides are concentrated in the leaves and stems.
When you get poked by a thorn or break a branch while gardening or playing outdoors, sap from these parts of the plant enters your body through open wounds.
This chemical compound is called ‘oleuropein.’ Oleuropein may cause burning, stinging, or itching. It may also cause you to break out in a rash.
The Effects of Autumn Olive Thorns
Symptoms from dermal contact with autumn olives usually begin as mild skin irritation. The severity of the symptom will depend on the amount of sap that was transferred to your skin from the leaves or stems.
The following are some of the most common symptoms associated with dermal exposure to autumn olive thorns:
Dermatitis: This occurs when your skin becomes red and itchy. Blisters, crusting, and small hemorrhages may also occur after exposure to autumn olive thorns.
When you are exposed to the chemical irritants found in autumn olive (especially if you get the sap in your eyes), you may experience respiratory problems such as coughing or wheezing.
Anaphylactic shock: This is a very severe allergic reaction to a chemical compound. You may experience itching and hives, but the most dangerous symptoms include difficulty breathing and a drop in blood pressure.
Life-threatening Respiratory Distress: Some individuals have experienced life-threatening respiratory problems after being exposed to autumn olive thorns. This could occur because of the respiratory tract’s extreme sensitivity to these chemicals.
If you suspect that you’ve been exposed to autumn olive thorns, it’s important to get medical treatment as soon as possible after exposure.
Autumn olives can be especially dangerous because some of their symptoms (such as respiratory distress) may not manifest for up to 12 hours after you’ve been exposed to them.
How can I Avoid Coming into Contact with Autumn Olives?
There are several ways you can avoid contact with autumn olives.
If you have children or pets, supervise their outdoor playtime. If you suspect they might have picked up autumn olive thorns, immediately take them indoors and remove the thorn(s).
Be mindful of your surroundings when gardening or doing yard work to avoid coming into contact with plants that may pose a threat. Autumn olives are especially dangerous because their thorns grow over time.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when gardening to protect yourself from exposure to autumn olive thorns. Ensure that you’re wearing gloves while working in your yard or garden.
Tips for Protecting Yourself from Exposure to Autumn Olive Thorns
If you know you’ve come into contact with autumn olive thorns, you should seek medical treatment immediately. Autumn olives are especially dangerous because the symptoms of dermal irritation may not manifest for up to 12 hours after you’ve been exposed to them.
Symptoms from dermal contact with autumn olives usually begin as mild skin irritation. In addition, the severity of the symptom may vary according to the amount of sap that was transferred to your skin from the leaves or stems.
Mild Symptoms Include:
- Redness and itching of the affected area.
- Small bumps and blisters may appear in some instances. If you’re exposed to autumn olive thorns, it’s a good idea to wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food to avoid accidentally ingesting any of the irritants.
Severe symptoms include:
- Redness, itching, blisters, and crusting on the affected area.
- Small hemorrhages may occur in some instances.
If you think you’ve come into contact with autumn olive thorns, it’s important to seek medical treatment immediately.
Symptoms from dermal exposure to autumn olives usually begin as mild skin irritation that may or may not be accompanied by other symptoms.
However, the symptom severity depends on how much sap was transferred to your skin from the leaves or stems.
Conclusion
Autumn olive thorns can be dangerous, especially because their symptoms (such as respiratory distress) may not manifest for up to 12 hours after exposure.
If you’ve been exposed to and experienced any of these severe reactions, you must seek medical treatment immediately. We hope you find this article useful. Our goal is to provide you with the best, most accurate and up-to-date information about autumn olives thorns. Thanks for reading. We wish you a good day and good health!
