Stinging plant from australia

[Ozzy]

I saw on the discovery chanel today about a plant from Australia that will sting you if you touch it. Then everytime the area that was stung gets wet it's like getting stung all over again. This last from 2 weeks and up to 6 months after the sting. Does anybody know anything about this?
I guess I don't need to ask if anyone grows this plant. I don't think I could stand it, but I can think of some people I'd like to send it to as a gift.

 

[sarracenialuver]

Actually i think the plant your talking about is from New Zealand, I read a big thing and watched on it, It is the deadliest plant ever, known to kill horses, cows and in one case, a human, I think the name is "tree stinger" because it looks like ivy and it wraps around trees,
Kevin

 

[goldtrap2690]

I would'nt send that type of plant to a neighbor , i would'nt even get close to that plant . well , i tried looking for info on search engines but there is no info anywhere so can someone find a picture and something about this plant , sounds very interesting from the description . If I were you i'd either use itching powder or poison ivy on eneimes

 

[Ozzy]

I don't have a pic of it but it has huge leaves that glistened similar to a butterwort. Looked almost like it's leaves were covered with fiberglass. I'm thinking that it irritates the same as fiberglass. It may be from New Zealand but I'm sure that it was in Australia. I don't remember the name of the show it was on, but it is the one where the guy goes around with the dummy that looks like him and he let's the dummy get attacked by all kinds of animals.
It was the show where he was looking for the worlds most dangerous animals. He was looking for a funnel web spider when he found the plant. He never mentioned that it would kill anything but he said it was venomous. It looked to be a free standing plant, it wasn't wrapped around a tree so I'm not sure if it's the same plant that you're thinking of. But they do sound similar.

 

[carcinos]

I've read somewhere that it is the same as getting stung by a stinging nettle only like 10 times worse.

 

[Ozzy]

On the show it said that it was a very bad sting and everytime you get the wound wet it flares up just like you were stung again, for up to six months.
Anyone growing this plant?
I'll give anything for it, I need something new to displine my son and this sounds perfect. "If you don't clean your room you have to touch the plant."

Only joking, please don't email me about child abuse cause I'm only joking.

 

[fatboy]

There may be a similar species in New Zealand but you are correct Ozzie there is a tree in Australia that stings badly. They are tropical and only found in Queensland as far as I know. In areas where people walk in the forrest they often put either a sign or even a little fence around them to prevent people from accidently brushing against them.

As you heard, the sting is supposed to last for as long as 6 months.

The tree itself I believe is quite large but I'm sorry I don't know anyone that atually cultivates one.

Cheers, Troy.

 

[Ozzy]

well since nobody cultivates this plant. I guess my kids will continue to be out of control beasts. I'll just have to go back to tring to breed a giant vft.

 

[schloaty]

Ozzy.
Karate school.

Oh, yeah!

 

[Ozzy]

schloaty,
Are you suggesting karate class for my kids or do you mean I need it to protect myself from my kids?

 

[cchang]

** head popping up like a ground hog **

Someone talking about martial arts?.... Must, speak...

Oz, Schloaty is right... under the right instructor, the martial arts require much physical and mental discipline. A traditional school will also adhire to etiquette and protocols very tightly. Japanese based arts like Karate, Jiujitsu and Kendo (art of the sword) tend to be the best for teaching discipline.

Back on topic... this plant sounds cool, but I don't think I'd like to have one. Annoying as heck to replant and work with.... hehehe

 

[Ozzy]

I knew somebody was going to take me serious, but as I said before I'm only joking. There's no need for Karate. My kids are not quite that bad yet.
I do want to thank you for your concern though.
Thanks guys
This is better than I expected, I was waitng for alot of emails about child abuse,

 

[Dionaea Enthusiast]

I just can't resist offering you, Ozzy, this informative article on karate and martial arts in general.

 

[Ozzy]

Thanks Dionaea Enthusiast,
Your offer will be noted.

 

[carcinos]

about stinging trees, here's a quote from Fantastic Treesby Edward A. Menninger.
"F.M.Bailey reported finding specimens with trunks 10 feet in diameter. Bushmen avoid these trees as they would a plague, for the young leaves particularly, and also the branchlets, are covered with stinging silicone hairs that inject formic acid into the skin of anyone who touches them. The result is intensely painful. Dried leaves of the tree causes violent sneezing"

 

[carcinos]

Oh yeah, and
"Horses sufferseverly from it, but cattle do not; indicating, possibly, the existence of some powerful protein poison..."
Seems like there are several species

 

[alandallas]

Ozzy, in a seafood restaurant in Florida last Summer, there was a sign hanging over the door that said, "All unsupervised children will be sold as bait". And it was quiet there too.  

What a novel idea.

 

[Ozzy]

Hey whats the name and that address of that restaurant?!?!?!?!!??!
Oh never mind all the people would just want their money back I'm sure my son would scare all the fish away.

 

[carnivorous23]

This plant sounds like it would make a really great bonsai.

 

[alandallas]

Ozzy, it was somewhere on the Florida peninsula. Hope that helps.

We don't use maps very much when driving through that area because we always know where we are (kind of).