Serious rose thorns by Martin LaBar
TheGardenLady received this question from Donna:
My sister-in-law was stuck by a thorn from a Knock Out Rose. The area is very red and swollen. Are the thorns poisonous? What to do?
When gardening, it is always advisable to USE gloves.
One can get an infection from any cut. However, in all the reading and lectures on plants, TheGardenLady has never heard that rose thorns in Knock Out Roses or any other roses are poisonous. But rose thorns can give a nasty cut. Because one can get cut when out in the garden and any cut can become infected, it is best to do any type of gardening – even cutting flowers – with gardening gloves on. And then after gardening you should always wash your hands. See here.
Besides cuts, thorns can give what are called “puncture wounds.” A puncture wound goes deeper into the skin and can push dirt and bacteria into the skin. Because it’s not on the surface and not an open cut, washing doesn’t clean out the wound as well, so it can become infected more easily. As well, when you’re gardening outside, you’re exposed to all the dirt and bacteria out in nature, so there’s a wide range of what could be causing an infection. Read this.
If an area is still red and swollen after getting a cut, one should consult a physician. Tell the physician how the area became infected so that one can get the best treatment to remove the infection.
I pricked my finger on a rose thorn a few weeks ago. I wore gloves but the thorn still went right through. There was very little bleeding, no infection, swelling or itching. The wound has since healed but I can still see a dark dot under the healed skin and there is still a tiny bit of soreness when I touch it. What is this dark dot? Is there a chance that part of the thorn broke off inside the wound or would it definitely have become infected in that case?
Funny thing happened to me today. I was pruning roses and got a brief stick in the knuckle over my pinkie by a very large thorn. I bled a little, but being a tough gal, I went on with my task at hand. A few hours later, I have slight swelling, but can hardly move my finger. It is extremely painful up the pinkie and down the outside of my palm. Any idea what’s caused this???
Hi Vegas Sandie,
I have the same reaction to a rose thorn stick in the first joint of my finger today. It didn’t bleed and I am fairly certain that no part of the thorn is still in my finger, but about 6 hours later my finger is swollen and very painful. A little redness over the joint. What was the answer in your case? See a doctor? Medication? Hope to hear your answer.
In August I was working in my flower beds(I was wearing leather gardening gloves) a thorn from my Knock Out rose went through my glove and pricked my middle finger at the joint it swelled I couldn’t bend it and it hurt for a couple of weeks. Today, February 22, 2012 I was pruning the knock out roses again a thorn pricked me on the right side of my right wrist it has swelled is hot to the touch i can’t move it and I have terrible pain all the way to my elbow. I am starting to get a little worried.
If I were pricked in the garden and my wrist or fingers swelled, I would not just worry, I would get to my physician immediately.
Garden Lady, you’ve obviously missed a few articles and lectures on roses. While rose thorns themselves are not poisonous, there is a bacterial infection they cause that is so common as to be called rose pickers disease. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporotrichosis
It’s very serious, and has led to amputation of fingers, as well as severe pain and loss of finger mobility. If anyone gets pricked by a rose thorn and develops redness, swelling, or ongoing pain they need to get to a doctor or ER asap.
I was spreading mulch around my knock out roses and my finger got pricked by a thorn. It became red,swollen, and very sore. I went to the doctor and he prescribed keflex 500mg four times a day x10days. I was not wearing gloves, but have learned my lesson when gardening. These roses can be nasty!
I pricked the top of my thumb two days ago with minimal bleeding. This morning, it was slightly red and raised, but went down after I soaked the digit in warm water and salt. I don’t see any of the typical ‘red streaking’ associated with a thorn prick and it isn’t tender to the touch anymore. Should I give it a day to work itself out before heading to the doctor?
Today I was pulling weeds from flower beds and a knock out rose bush thorn was on ground and stuck in my thumb …2 or 3 hours later it is red and joint is very painful.
While weeding in my pink Knock Out Rose garden a couple weeks ago ~ got a thorn in my right ring finger knuckle. Removed the thorn and washed my hands. The next few days had deep bone pains up that arm and in joints all over my body ~ thought it was barometric related and I’m just getting old. Finally went to Dr. as joint pain and swelling in the knuckle not down (rest of body aches subsided after I recleaned the thorn entry site with more warm sudsy water, hydrogen peroxide and multiple warm salt baths for the hand and fingers). Dr. x rayed the hand, gave tetanus shot, reopened site again, and found a small whitish portion of thorn. Given antibiotic. Joint pain remaining, range of motion iffy ~ been babying the right hand. I need my right hand for my work. I’m wondering, is there something extra potent in Knock Out Roses ? Comments welcome. They are beautiful and we love them. Perhaps they don’t love us though ! :O)
I was just pricked by a rose bush that had huge thorns! It literally went through my pinckie. It was bleeding like crazy! I started to loose my eyesight and my hearing. I almost pasted out. It wore off in 30 mins but I thought I was going to die. Help?
I got cut by a kind of thorn yesterday. I don’t know what kind it is. I was looking for a soccer ball at the bottom of a hill that had thorns of some kinds after soccer practice. It’s on the inside if my right leg above the knee. The cut is as long as my pointer finger and it still hurts a wee bit at times. What should I do? I haven’t cleaned it yet but only because I don’t want it to hurt. Will cleaning it hurt?
I have two new knockout rose bushes since February 14 if this year. It is not August 17, and this is the second time I have been pricked by that particular thorn and the second time my finger is red, swollen, throbbing, and hurting. The first was on my left thumb, and I did not relate it to the knockout rose, but like to have never gotten over it. Now, while dead heading these bushes, got a prick on my right index finger. It is red, swollen, and throbbing. Soaking it in Epson salts helps, but I know this is not a coincidence and directly related to the knockout rose thorns. There is no piece of the thorn in there, nor in the first case, but the pain is such that I am here seeking answers. I will go to my doctor with this. It took the first prick way too long to heal was peeling in a strange way. Very odd. I have other roses that have never affected me this way, this is directly from the knockout rose. Beware of the thorns on these roses.
Vegas Sandie, if you ever check here again, I would love to know what you did. My story is almost identical to yours and now my doc is suggesting surgery. 2 Courses of Antibiotics did not help.
I was weeding my garden and a rose thorn inbeded into my leg don’t no if the thorn is still there but i have a lot of pain in the leg and have not went on my daily walk now for two days my leg is not red or swollen but very painful
Five weeks ago I was purchasing a knock out rose bush and was pricked by a thorn on the inside of my forearm about half way up. It immediately turned black and blue in a spot about the size of a nickel. It is a little tender to touch, but has not diminished. Is this something I should be concerned about?
This is a question you should ask your physician. Your physician is the only one to diagnose a medical condition. It is always wisest to err on the side of caution and have a doctor check a wound.
I Type this as I have two thorn pricks in my chuckles. I can easily see what may be a spine (tip of spike sometimes breaks off in skin) and it’s swollen and sore. This happened yesterday but I can dig deep enough to get them out. I’m going to try and let my body naturally heal them out, the body grows new skin from the inside out so that’s how it normally re moves splinters. Being a Gardener I encounter this fairly often. One time I was unaware there was a big chunk of debris still lodged under my skin, pain and swelling for almost a week after and then one morning there was the top of a thorn ready to be pulled protruding from my finger. If you don’t hear back from me you know they came out naturally, i’ll let you know if they don’t
Be very careful..it could be Sporothrix Schenckii…Very serious!!! It is a fungal infection which could be DEADLY..
i went today did say thing at work tuesdY WENT DR TODAY SWALLEN REDNESS.. GOT MED SEE HOW THEY DID AN TENES SHOT TOO .. IT HURTS BAD , THEY SAID SOME3 FLOWER HAVE POSION IN THEM …
9 years on and your article is still helpful 🙂
I had a through-the-glove prick two days ago. I’ve had many over the years, but nothing remotely like this. With my knuckle continuing to swell and the pain not abating despite the normal home remedies, I started getting a little worried. I found your site in a search. Thanks for the advice — I tend to let things resolve on their own, and they usually do, but I think with this one I’ll let the doctor take a look tomorrow.
Best to you and your advice that is carrying on through time and space.
Happy gardening!
Holly in FLA ~