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Re: Lagunaria patersonii - teh cow-itch tree

At 07:33 PM 9/13/98 +0900, Liz Runciman wrote:
>Karl talked of using Lagunaria patersonii, and 
>someone else made mention of its reputation for 
>inducing allergic reactions, so I thought I'd 
>put in my 2 bob's worth.  I have a 5 metre tree 
>which I planted about 12 years ago.  They're very 
>fast growing, have an attractive pyramidal shape, 
>and of course, very pretty pink flowers. The soft 
>downy foliage is attractive in itself.  It produces 
>seed pods after the flowers which I think are 
>supposed to be the source of the irritable hairs.  
>However I haven't ever had any reaction to this 
>tree, and nor have any members of my family. <snip>

Liz - 

One day, while on a tour in Strybing Arboretum, a
specimen of Lagunaria patersonii was being discussed
by those assembled.  In response to the common name -
'the cow-itch tree', an Australia couple volunteered
a story.  Apparently, when they were children, at their
local school the girls used to slip partially open seed-pods
down the boys' shirt backs, causing lots of wriggling and
squirming on the part of the unfortunate young men!  This
cause the prickly hairs to become imbedded in the skin and
produce a rash.  As the pods dry, the gradually open to 
reveal the hairs inside, so you have to get it at the right
time, and perhaps you have to use some sort of 'contact
method' as stated above!!  ;-)

Brachychiton have similar hairs inside their pods, which are
more 'boat' shaped, splitting along one side instread of at
the tip in Lagunaria.

We have a nice young specimen of this tree growing in our yard
right now, just finished with an intense flowering, now setting
lots of fruit.  We enjoyed the flowers so much so I'll likely
get out there and snip off all the forming pods in hopes of
inducing a bit more flowering.  This tree has been know to die
from cold snaps in the Bay Area, otherwise it is a handsome and
interesting (and perhaps useful!) tree.
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