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I have a very serious question that I can’t seem to get a clear cut… | Expert Level Greenspace | Planta community

Lana Layne 🌺🪴🪻🌵🌸

I have a very serious question that I can’t seem to get a clear cut answer and I need to speak to a professional. Some of you will probs laugh at me but I’m freaking out a bit about the root rot fungus (particularly the one that creates orange color)… can humans catch it, like if I was removing dead roots with my bare hands and have a hang nail or tiny cut? Or if a cactus that had the root rot fungus poked me? I should’ve been wearing gloves and definitely will from now on because I’ve freaked myself out. I read some of the symptoms online about systemic fungus infections and I feel like I do have some of those symptoms. I think I’m gonna call and make an appointment tomorrow to get a blood test, but if someone knew in this group with certainty it would ease my mind. I’ve tried researching it but there doesn’t seem to be any information on it that is clear cut. One thing I hate about Google, lack of good info… lots of bad or misleading info though lol. And like I’ve got several buckets of pon that I need to boil to sterilize… sitting out…can the spores get out and like spread? Don’t laugh at me I know I’m stupid it’s just bothering me that I don’t know for certain about these things. I would be devastated if I made someone in my home sick, or myself obviously.

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6 comments

  1. Asia

    Hi friend. Root rot is caused by a breakdown of the cells in the roots due to improper watering. Know how your spinach gets a bit slimy after it’s been in the fridge for a while? Same basic idea. The cells become oversaturated with water and their cellular walls begin to break down, causing the soggy mess you saw. If people got infections like that from dying houseplants, no one would have them. Even if there was a fungal infection and you had a tiny cut, you wouldn’t get some horrible disease from handling the plant. With much respect and love, it kind of seems like something that I heavily relate to might be going on with you. I hope you know everything is going to be just fine ❤️

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    • Lana Layne 🌺🪴🪻🌵🌸

      What about a cactus prick? I was reading that there’s a fungus that lives on dead rose thorns and on some cactus. So I was scared because I know I’ve been pricked by cactus infected with root rot fungus. I thought humans couldn’t catch things from plants but apparently it’s possible. But maybe not this particular type of fungus that causes orange root rot? I know what you’re talking about but there’s 2 different kinds of root rot… one is the slimy one that is due to overwatering… then there’s one I’ve found seems to come from dry rot… so if something such as a cactus’s roots dry rotted and you tried to bring it back to life by putting the roots in water and it was too late and turned into a slimy mess (the cactus then has orange at it base and roots). Same thing with alocasias I tried to put in pon.. the soil roots broke down and turned orange while water roots formed. I was handling this without gloves like a dumbass (won’t do that again!)

      1 like
    • Asia

      I was pricked by my cactus two weeks ago. No deadly illness yet. I really don’t think you have anything to worry about here, friend. I’ve been where you are, though. I used to Google for HOURS about cancer symptoms and sweating late at night worried I had some infection. Still healthy as a horse - none of those fears were rational. Anxiety is a horrible beast.

      4 likes
    • Lana Layne 🌺🪴🪻🌵🌸

      That’s true, a lot of it is probably my anxiety and fear of growing older & death. I just know that since I started working closely with plants I haven’t felt right, all kinds of crazy symptoms I’ve never had before are happening and many of them are exactly what it said for systemic fungal infection so I started freaking out. According to Google the fungus that causes root rot (the orange dry rot or whatever) can indeed infect humans but it’s not very likely, your immune system would be compromised. Which I’m pretty sure my immune system is just fine, I didn’t need chemo or a transplant when I had cancer, and I don’t have aids or anything so I’m sure my immune system’s fine. But fungus, bacteria, & viruses freak me the fuck out dude lol for real… there are always evolving. I just read the first case ever of silver leaf fungus infected a human (about a year ago)… and obviously if something like that happens there’s not much information on it due to it not having been a problem before. So I’m always scared I’m gonna be one of the unlucky ones. You’re right anxiety is no joke!

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  2. ollie

    Root rot is not infectious, think about the name. If you touched rot, would you rot too? Not really, so using that same logic it is not spreadable. But I do recommend using gloves because the dirt in cuts is not pleasant. Also, cactus pricks shouldn’t leave longterm effects, if it is you don’t have a houseplant you have a wild cactus.

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    • Lana Layne 🌺🪴🪻🌵🌸

      No wild cactus. But I was reading how dead roses have fungus on their thorns that can cause systemic fungal infections… and it said cactus can as well. So I got freaked out because what causes root rot whether it’s wet or dry rot is indeed a fungus. There’s two different types of root rot fungus… and one can actually infect humans but it said it’s only more likely if your immune system is compromised. Which mine isn’t but I know that things like fungus, viruses, & bacteria are evolving all the time… and apparently the first case ever of silver leaf fungus has infected a human. So I got in my head about it because my nervous system has been acting strange ever since I started growing plants.

      1 like