Tree of Death
Florida is no stranger to danger, whether it’s massive sinkholes, powerful hurricanes, or invasive threats. But what many residents might not know is that there’s a tree native to the Sunshine State that’s considered the most dangerous in the world. At first glance, there doesn’t appear to be anything all that dangerous about the “Manchineel.” The tree is native to South Florida, and it gets its name from the Spanish word for “little apple,” which references the fruit that can be seen growing on the Manchineel. All parts of the Manchineel tree are extremely poisonous, as the tree oozes a sap from its leaves, twigs, bark and fruit that can cause burn-like blisters when it comes into contact with skin. “People have reported heavy inflammation of the eyes and even temporary blindness from irritants carried in the smoke of this tree’s burning wood,” researchers wrote. “While some claim that they are immune to the noxious sap when it interacts with their skin, ingesting any part of this tree can be lethal and is not recommended.”
“Even standing under this tree in the rain can be harmful,” another study states. “Reports of students who took shelter during a storm under this tree gave rise to concurrent dermatitis and ophthalmitis.” The sap’s poison is so potent, researchers claim, that Native Americans historically used the substance to coat their arrows when hunting. Nowadays, warning signs and red rings are often posted near Manchineels to warn unwary visitors to stay away. In the Sunshine State, the tree can be primarily found in the Everglades. Regardless, though, it’s a good idea to give a wide berth to any of these trees if you come across one. After all, coming into contact with its sap in any way could put you in an incredibly painful situation — or worse.
Burning or chopping the wood isn’t advised, either because its smoke and sawdust burn skin, eyes, and lungs. Manchineel trees are poisonous to birds but not Central and South America’s striped iguana, which actually eats and lives among these trees. The most famous victim of manchineel is probably conquistador Juan Ponce de Leon, who led the first European expedition into Florida in 1513. He returned to colonize the peninsula eight years later, but his invasion met resistance from Calusa fighters. Some native Caribbean people used manchineel sap to make poison arrows, and one of these sap-tipped arrows reportedly struck Ponce de Leon’s thigh during the 1521 battle. He fled with his troops to Cuba, where he died of his wounds.
Poisonous Puns
Is it possible to get steak poisoning?
Yes, but it’s really rare.
If four out of five people suffer from radiation poisoning…
Does that mean the fifth one enjoys it?
If a poison expires,
Will it be more poisonous or less poisonous?
Maybe oxygen is slowly killing you and It just takes 75-100 years to fully work.
August 12th Birthdays
1985 – Miriam Rivera, 1997 – Tori Webster, 1994 – Imani Hakim, 1989 – Leah Pipes
1971 – Pete Sampras, 1976 – Casey Affleck, 1996 – Javi Luna, 1999 – Rudy Pankow