Have you ever seen a poisonous ‘little apple of death’ tree?

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This is one tree you want to avoid — unless there’s something about the nickname “Little Apple of Death” that appeals to you.

At first glance, the Manchineel tree is quite beautiful, with lush green leaves and fruit that looks like small green apples — but looks can be deceiving.

Native to parts of Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Central America and Northern South America, this is one of the most poisonous trees in the world. Its milky white sap is a cocktail of powerful skin irritants that ooze out of all the tree’s parts, not just the fruit.  

Just standing beneath the tree in a rainstorm can cause skin blistering, and eating the fruit could prove fatal. Burning a Manchineel tree can even cause blindness if the smoke gets in your eyes.

Manchineel trees aren’t all bad, though. They are found on coastal beaches where their roots stabilize the sand and help prevent beach erosion.

Have you ever crossed paths with a Manchineel tree? YouTube uploader Adam Anderson did … and let’s just say they didn’t get along so well.

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/09/09/have-you-ever-seen-a-poisonous-little-apple-of-death-tree/20959816/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl14%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D527097

8 thoughts on “Have you ever seen a poisonous ‘little apple of death’ tree?”

  4. American will gripe about anything. Those are just the mild and freindly version of the eat you alive trees of the South Pacific were I live. In the old day’s the natives use to stake over staying guest out under the ones here. Then come back the next day to see if they disapeared. Might plant one myself here for Mother in Laws next visit.

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