Gored by Phoenix Canariensis

Four days ago I had this really nice row of Canary Island Date Palms.
They showed almost signs of freeze-burn from my lousy weather.
Then four days of rain and heat and they started to turn orange
from the outside in.

So I got busy with my fungicide sprayer today...and as I weighed into
the center of one of them a couple spines went through my thick gloves
like they weren't there. I got stabbed real good in two places on my
ring finger.

Anyway, we've all been cut by palm trees, but after these wounds
bled out (a lot) my finger swelled up and my joint feels like it has
arthritis or something. I wonder whether these guys have some sort of
resin or toxin they carry?

Anybody else been stabbed by these beasts?

Be very careful about infection from those wounds, I knew a guy here in Florida that got poked by a Phoenix spine in the leg and the infection got into the bone. He later had to have most of his leg amputated. Scary but true.

I usually have some swelling from phoenix thorns. I wash the wounds and use a little antibiotic cream (neosporin). Keep an eye on them!!

Thanks for the tips and good thoughts.

I've been lacerated a lot but never poked this bad.
I know puncture wounds are an issue here...but I'll bet for the
first time ever tetanus in the soil has died...gee, freezing has its comforts.
Therefore, a lot of blood is good.

I'm thinking maybe the problem is I didn't notice an additional hole straight into
the joint from the outside; better a finger than a leg!
I'd feel like a jackass going to the doctor.
If the neosporin doesn't work I'll head straight for the iodine.

Now I know why the herds of deer around here leave these alone.

Good luck... and don't feel like a jackass if you have to go to the doc... it is better than losing a finger or hand or.... :-)

I found getting spiked by phoenix roebelenii was more painful than any ordinary spiking. I wouldn't be surprised if Phoenix did have some sort of toxic coating.

Yes! Never before from a palm like this. We have plants called
Spanish Bayonets everywhere that I swear would pierce
armor. Someone told me they lost a dog to one.

This one had the same effect, except with something
irritating on it. For the record--two treatments of potent
homemade iodine tincture did the trick...like magic. Not pretty, but
effective.

An old poet told me this Texas saying: "everything here sticks,
stings, or stinks."

LOL Chief! Glad you are feeling better!

My DH has been impaled by the spines on our P. canariensis and they are always painful and swell but always heal just fine. He is super careful these days with it and hasn't had it happen for years now.

Good lookin' tree there...perfect cut.

Some cuts around here are getting hit by the cold...
I have never cut mine at all...just waded in there to spray.
Guess I need chainmail.

Thanks for the history.