Manchineel Tree: The Deadliest Tree On Earth

This tree killed Ponce De León.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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CREDITS
Created by Dylan Dubeau
Executive Producer, Director, and Director of Photography: Dylan Dubeau
Host: Tasha the Amazon
Editors: Cat Senior and Jim Pitts
Researcher, Producer: Andres Salazar
Writer: Lauren Greenwood
Camera Operator: Colin Cooper

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Exploring the World of Plants and Fungi

[DanGamingFan]

I've been asking for this one for a while. It's insane how deadly this tree is. You can't even kill it with fire without being poisoned. Sometimes, evolution just turns it up to 12.

[wdwerker]

I remember being warned about the manchineel when scuba diving in the Caribbean. The trees hold shorelines and protect wetlands from erosion.

[barbaratruitt]

There’s a small town on the east coast of Costa Rica named Manzanillo. Originally called Manchineel by the English speaking Afro-Caribbean people. Renamed by the Hispanic Tico people to Manzanillo. It got it’s name from this tree because there were so many growing there. They have been pretty much wiped out but a friend of mine found a sapling while cleaning the beach and saved it as a reminder of the real name for this town. It’s still there and people picnic under it. I will see about getting a sign put on it.

[brigidtheirish]

General rule of thumb I've come up with from watching various nature documentaries: If it oozes white and *isn't* a dandelion, *STAY THE HELL AWAY.*

[deeya]

Manchineel Tree: My fruits are off limits. So are my leaves. You also can't even use my logs for building. Generally, do not be around me at all, I don't like company.

Humanity: Then what use are you?! Burn it to the ground!

Manchineel Tree: Go on then... make my day.

[filicophyta-fwcu]

I tried one of the fruit as a child on vacation. Inspired by the hermit crabs I saw eating them, I nibbled on one just a little bit (I'd considered it might be poisonous, thankfully...) I then spent the next couple of hours doubled over from a horrible burning sensation all the way down my esophagus.... But it was delicious!

[herbertkeithmiller]

Because this tree has fruit I hypothesized that there was something that ate it.
The purpose of fruit is to get an animal to eat your seeds and then poop them out later spreading them around.
And the purpose of the poison is to keep the wrong animals from eating your fruit or your leaves or touching your bark etc etc.
Chances are if you examine iguana poop that had eaten of this tree you'd find seeds.

[RogueLink]

Any theories on why the poison evolved? I know peppers evolved their spice to repel insects but still let birds eat their fruit leading to easy seed dispersal. Same kinda thing with the reptiles that can eat it? Poising keeps other animals and insects away but still allows reptiles to access it and spread the seeds? That’s be my guess but curious if y’all have any additional insight!

[juniormynos]

A British couple once visited Tobago on vacay. They saw the trees on the beach with fruits and thought to have a taste. Didn't take long before locals rushed them to the hospital for treatment.

Luckily They had A recovery

[pierreabbat]

Another dangerous tree is the gympie-gympie. It belongs to the genus Dendrocnide, which means tree nettle, which is accurate.

[chungysama]

Me a few minutes after eating a handful of Manchineel Apples: "wHY Is it sPIcy-"

[mkaythen]

Imagine being the friend of the tortoise or iguana who wanted you to try this fruit because it was “the bomb” and you just had to try it yourself!

I guess you could say, it was to die for!

[buddharuci]

What are the mechanisms by which those tortoises and iguanas avoid the poisoning effects?

[chrmdm]

I feel really bad for the people who had to find this out the hard way…

[dora]

My professor was telling us about when he was doing his graduate degree in Hawaii and talked about how he almost burned by rain from a tree. I wonder if this is the one he was thinking of?

[danielsmith]

So… why is this tree so toxic? What caused it to go ballistic on whatever herbivores we’re consuming it’s fruit? How does this toxicity help it survive?

[nessidoe]

This is one living entity that communicates "leave me alone" clearly

[ddenozor]

"Even touching the bark causes blisters on your skin"
meanwhile cameraman: hehe fruit goes brrrr

[karenbonds]

Animalogic: “This tree will kill you! This tree wants you dead! The fruit will end. Your. Life.”

Also Animalogic: 3:39 “Though there hasn’t been any modern reports or fatalities associated with eating the little apple of death.”

[cyrilio]

Tasha is amazing. Love whenever she shows up as a host and teach us about the plant world. Keep up the great videos Animalogic!

EDIT: I'd love to hear about plants/fruits that are safe for humans but poisonous/dangerous to other animals.