Black locust thorns- infections

[southsoundtree]

I have a bid for a black locust removal. I've heard bad things about thorn punctures leading to serious infection. What can you tell me?

 

[macswan]

As long as I get them out quick it's not usually an issue. I have more of a reaction to hawthorn. I think they must exude something that promotes infection. Maybe it depends on body chemistry or something.

 

[jmcscrap]

Buckthorn and locust both for me. It's never been a trip to the doctor bad, but if one of the thorns punctures the skin as opposed to a scrape it will puff up and be tender for a couple days.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Thorns are covered with nasties. They poke into our tender flesh and come out. The nasties are wiped off inside our tender flesh=infection.

If a piece breaks off..even worse!

Over the years I've had worse infections from thorn and thorn-type punctures than any other.

I keep a tiny tube of triple anti-biotic in my pocket and a pair of needle tip tweezers at hand when there are thorns on the job. Having a magnifying lense helps too when you have to do self surgery.

 

[TreeCo]

Here's my surgery kit. Sits here at the computer 24/7. Betadine is in the bottle.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

A loupe that fits into my eye would be best. Trying to hold the magnifier and do self surgery is a challenge!

I have one of these for extreme cases:

http://www.michaels.com/Magnifier-Visor/nw0675,default,pd.html?cgid=products-yarnandneedlecrafts-sewingnotions&start=7

Oh...and...on of those large hypodermic needles works well too. I forgot about them in my kit.

 

[Adkpk]

I have one of those treecos 10x magnifier and 2nd it's ability to locate spliters.

 

[whiz]

I went to the hospital once with a hawthorn puncture that rendered my left leg useless. It was horribly painful. Anyway, the doctor insisted that it wasn't the thorn itself but that the thorn pushed bacteria that was already on my skin...into my bloodstream. I wasn't going to argue since he the dude with the needle and the script for antibiotics.

 

[JeffL]

On larger trees its usually just the twiggy stuff with thorns, so handsaw as much interior brush off the tree in the way up. Tell your groundie to watch his hands grabbing brush. They really aren't all that bad, just did a few 24" trees last week. Id take a big locust removal over hawthorn pruning any day.

 

[BigWood]

I ended up in hospital from black locust. I was covered in drooling yellow pustules everywhere I was punctured. My advice... Wait till winter and wear carhartts and welding gloves, better yet sub it out.
Once upon a time, one of my guys cut a hawthorn spring pole and got a 2inch spike driven in behind his knee cap( through saw pants ). The scream still haunts me. The ER wouldn't believe how bad it was untill they saw the X-ray. Apparently the surgeon had a hell of a time cleaning it all out, and buddy was swollen and infected for weeks.
I'm not sure what happens with B.L.( what Tom says makes sense) but hawthorn needles leave their tip and bark in you and that's what promotes infection. protect yourself as best you can and good luck Sean.

 

[BigWood]

[ QUOTE ]
On larger trees its usually just the twiggy stuff with thorns, so handsaw as much interior brush off the tree in the way up. Tell your groundie to watch his hands grabbing brush. They really aren't all that bad, just did a few 24" trees last week. Id take a big locust removal over hawthorn pruning any day.

[/ QUOTE ]
People PRUNE hawthorns???? For once I can't...what the.......holy....huhhh... I got nuthin. Speechless.


The B.L that got me was a mass of 3/4 spikes from rootflare to tips and the only way around the tree was to shave everywhere I went with the chainsaw first. First and last one I ever climbed. So I didn't know they came in less lethal varieties.

 

[macswan]

I got swatted on the forearm by a hawthorn branch going into the chipper, thorn went in about half an inch. For the next three days I could barely make a fist with that hand, and my forearm was stiff for about two weeks. I HATE that tree. Also once had a buckthorn spike in my arm for about three months. Couldn't figure what this bump was, finally one day I squeezed it and out came a little 1/8th in. thorn tip ( and a lot of blood and pus). I'll take locust over buckthorn or hawthorn any day.

 

[Toparboring]

When doing any pruning or removal of any thorny tree we carry extra alcohol wipes, splinter kits, needles and the ever famous magnifying lens.


Tome is right look at a needle from a Hawthorne tree closely you will see the nasties . Picture a place where insects, birds and whatever else can perch dumping and running and it is on them plus fungus and every thing else you don't want.
The worst I ever had from a storm damage Washington Hawthorne. 4inch needle drove into my hand as I cut and pushed the branch outta the way the groundy rolled it and I caught it from cracking me in the thigh , took 3 days off with a swollen hand and pain.

 

[southsoundtree]

I will bid it for grapple truck disposal, no chipping. Try to speedline it into piles.

 

[dazme]

I was wrestling a yucca plant out of the ground and was seriously scratched by the intwining black locust seedling.
I have them all around my yard, but bigger. The younger they are the nastier their thorns. The deep scratch did not heal right away and I had fevers. I could only imagine Jesus' pain as his crucifixion crown was made out of locust, and the pain he must have felt. Wear gloves and put Neosporin on asap.

 

[frashdog]

I got swatted on the forearm by a hawthorn branch going into the chipper, thorn went in about half an inch. For the next three days I could barely make a fist with that hand, and my forearm was stiff for about two weeks. I HATE that tree. Also once had a buckthorn spike in my arm for about three months. Couldn't figure what this bump was, finally one day I squeezed it and out came a little 1/8th in. thorn tip ( and a lot of blood and pus). I'll take locust over buckthorn or hawthorn any day.

Buckthorn is the worst!
The foreskin covering/hiding the thorn allows one to push harder then you would if you knew it was there then, bam.

 

[dazme]

Buckthorn is the worst!
The foreskin covering/hiding the thorn allows one to push harder then you would if you knew it was there then, bam.

I had no idea that tree had thorns? I always thought it was a type of holly because of the red berries.I mistakenly thought it was a non-prickly holly because the leaves are not prickly. I guess that is the hidden part? They make skin lotion out of it.

 

[frashdog]

I had no idea that tree had thorns? I always thought it was a type of holly because of the red berries.I mistakenly thought it was a non-prickly holly because the leaves are not prickly. I guess that is the hidden part? They make skin lotion out of it.

The thorns are not usually sharp looking, they can look like the beginning of a small branch or shoot.
Many do not realize they even have them for a bit till they push hard enough.

 

[dazme]

I have a bid for a black locust removal. I've heard bad things about thorn punctures leading to serious infection. What can you tell me?

Older trees do not have thorns , its the saplings to teens that have them .

 

[dazme]

The thorns are not usually sharp looking, they can look like the beginning of a small branch or shoot.
Many do not realize they even have them for a bit till they push hard enough.

Gotcha, I will be on the look out!