"Aleutian Putchky (wild celery) is a dangerous plant if it's juice contacts your skin when the sun is shining.This plant's juice goes through photosynthesis when exposed to the sun, causing chemical burns as shown in the picture. It is painful and takes a week or more to heal.
Please do not chop it or cut grass or tromp through it unless you are fully protected by clothing. If you are exposed, wash the skin immediately in soapy water. Do not pop the blister, Benadryl may be used and can be purchased over the counter. Aspirin will also relieve some of the pain. The best thing is to avoid it altogether.
The season for eating the inner celery stock after peeling it is in the young plant stage only. When it gets over a few feet tall, it becomes too bitter to eat." (Char Gisvold)
CB mentioned that the Putchki is blooming...my eyeballs knew it was blooming....what a weekend...everyone must have thought I was partying (or stoned) all weekend...red, watery, itchy eyeballs...Anyway, Char Gisvold (I think she works with the Ounalashka Wellness Center, correct me if I'm wrong), posts this photo and warning every year around town and in the library...so I thought I'd share it with everyone...just to give you an idea of how awful this stuff is!
Ewwww!! That is disgusting ! Who would even think to eat it if it causes that nastiness .... "hmmm - this burns my skin up - let's try eating it" !!!
ReplyDeleteAdmit it Cuz .... you were partying all weekend :)
Love you - mean it !!
OMG, that's awful...do they post signs or anything to warn people? Does it heal completely? as in no scaring...that hurts just looking at it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning... >;-)
<3
I hear ya Cath, I don't care if it tastes like a chocolate milkshake, I would NEVER put that near my mouth! Sherrie has a magnet that reads "I don't cook, clean, or put ICKY things near my mouth"....I'm sure she meant putchki LOL
ReplyDeleteHey, don't give away my secret.....the allergy thing works (well up until now it has LMAO)
Mj....no signs posted....and I've been told it does leave scars...
Yes, Char works for OWC with CD and Alena. She is good about getting the word out.
ReplyDeleteHOLY COW! Does that stuff grow in the lower 48? Ya'll avoid it like the plague. Goodness!
ReplyDeleteDills was with the kid in the photo, his ginormous blisters did heal and maybe because of the the angelica salve that Sharon (Unalaska from my point of view) brought us he has no scars!
ReplyDeleteI have had this burn and i tell ya its NO picnic!! the part on my hand and wrist area they took the skin off to this day is smooth as silk and not one freckle on it. witch is saying something as iam covered with them! The ones on my neck finally went away 2 years after i burnt it. But i didnt have any of that salve CD is talking about.I have only had this happen to me in Dutch ,and i have lived in ak my whole life. heck we used to sword fight with the stuff,build forts outta it etc.
ReplyDeleteYikes, AGGQ! 2 years to go away? That is scary stuff...I did see Putchki blooming on the side of the highway between Bainbridge Island and Quinault, WA...I was horrified, I thought it was only in AK!!
ReplyDeleteGood info - I hike a lot but have been lucky so far. Now I know to call Sharon if my luck runs out!
ReplyDeleteWorking on Akutan, just saw someone with a Putchki rash. Showed them your blog! Thanks
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