There are about 73 thousand known species of trees on Earth. Among them are truly amazing plants, such as walking trees that cover 20 meters per year, or trees that live for thousands of years, which appeared several thousand years before our era and continue to grow to this day. But there are also dangerous trees that can harm or even kill a person. A striking example is the manchineel (Hippomane mancinella) – one of the most poisonous trees on the planet, which belongs to the spurge family. It can burn and even cause blindness.
The manchineel tree has made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the most dangerous tree on the planet. Photo source: yazhevika.ru
Contents
- 1 Poisonous Manchineel Tree
- 2 Why Manchineel is the Most Dangerous Tree on Earth
- 3 What Happens If You Eat the “Apple of Death”
- 4 How the Poisonous Tree is Used in Everyday Life
Poisonous Manchineel Tree
All the most unusual species, including the walking trees mentioned above, grow in tropical areas. H. mancinella, which is also known as the manchineel tree, manzinilla, and manshinella, is no exception. The tree grows in tropical areas of southern North America (including Florida) and northern South America. It is also often found on the islands of the Caribbean.
The northern border of the range is Florida, and the southern – Colombia and Venezuela. Most often, the tree is found along beaches and coastlines, where it performs a useful function – its roots prevent erosion. The tree is quite tall – the crown reaches 15 meters, so it also provides protection from the wind.
The manchineel tree grows up to 15 meters tall. Video source: livescience.com
The manchineel tree is an unremarkable evergreen tree in appearance. It has grayish bark and glossy leaves. The flowers are small and greenish, and the fruits resemble apples in appearance and are greenish-yellow in color. Because of this, the tree is also called the “apple of death.”
It should be said that due to its toxicity, the tree has been poorly studied. Some scientists even believe that it is toxic only at a certain time of year. However, you should not try its fruits or even just approach it at any time of year. It is not for nothing that the natives have an expression – “Fell asleep under a manchineel – fell asleep forever.”
Why manchineel is the most dangerous tree on Earth
The manchineel tree is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most dangerous tree in the world. Like other plants from the spurge family, it has a large amount of milky sap, which is released from any minor damage to the tree, be it the trunk or branches. In addition, the liquid oozes out of the leaves on its own. However, the tree has one key feature – the sap contains toxins, among which the most dangerous is phorbol.
Flower of the manchineel tree. Photo source: azertag.az
When in contact with the skin, the juice instantly causes chemical burns and blisters. Sometimes, to get a burn, you don’t even have to come into contact with the tree. Sometimes it’s enough to just stand under it, especially during rain. As scientists at the University of Florida report, contact with any part of the manchineel can be fatal.
If the juice gets into the eyes, it causes temporary blindness. Moreover, you can lose your sight even if you just sit near a fire in which manchineel wood is burned. In this case, the toxic substance gets into the eyes along with the smoke.
Why don't they get rid of this tree if it's so dangerous? On the island of Puerto Rico, they tried to do this back in 1773 in connection with a royal decree that required the destruction of all “death trees.” However, it didn't end well – the sap sprayed in all directions, causing burns and blindness in people who tried to get rid of the plants. In the end, it was decided to leave the tree, besides, as already mentioned above, it protects the coastal zone from erosion.
Locals mark the dangerous tree and install warning signs. Photo source: livescience.com
And to make it less likely that people will approach the dangerous plant and try its fruit, the manchineel is tied with a red ribbon or marked with red paint, and signs are placed nearby warning of the danger.
What happens if you eat the “apple of death”
The greatest threat to people comes from the fruits of this tree, which corrode the stomach. The fact is that they not only resemble apples, but also taste sweet. However, as people who have tried the fruit report, the sweetness does not last long, and then terrible pain appears.
For example, American Nicola Strickland, a specialist in radiology, was on holiday with her friend on the island of Tobago in 1999. While walking along the beach, they saw some green fruits that resembled apples and decided to try them. After taking a bite, Nicola Strickland felt a pleasant sweetness, but soon a slight “peppery sensation” appeared in her mouth, which quickly gave way to a strong burning sensation. Tears began to flow from her eyes and it became difficult to breathe, as a feeling of squeezing and “tearing” appeared.
Manchinella fruits resemble apples. Photo source: travelask.ru
The symptoms worsened over several hours. The woman could barely swallow solid food because of the excruciating pain and the feeling of a huge lump blocking her throat. Fortunately, she and her friend survived because they had not eaten the fruit. However, it took them eight hours to feel better. The only thing that helped them feel better was milk. Nicola Strickland described her symptoms in detail in an article in the BMJ journal.
How the poisonous tree is used in everyday life
Manchineel is known not only for its poison, but also for its unusually hard and beautiful wood with dark veins. That's why furniture is made from it. But before cutting down the tree, lumberjacks light fires around it and dry it with hot smoke.
The wood of the dangerous tree is used to make furniture. Photo source: dzen.ru
However, even this does not allow you to completely get rid of the toxic sap. Therefore, when sawing the trunk, take all the necessary precautions, including protecting your eyesight so that sawdust does not get into your eyes.
Be sure to visit our Zen and Telegram channels, here you will find the most interesting news from the world of science and the latest discoveries!
Finally, let us remind you that manchineel is not the only poisonous plant. For example, it is believed that jimpy-jimpy causes the most severe pain in the human body that is possible. Moreover, after contact with it, the pain can occur for two years. You can read more about this at the link.