In trying to move a cape honeysuckle from my very big pencil cactus, I got
the milky sticky sap from the cactus - THIS IS A WARNING! Always wear
gloves when working with the cactus! The sap caused lots of irritation to
me, stings a lot! especially on mucuous membranes. I had to change my
contact lenses and my eyes were watering and stinging for several hours.
And yes, I had washed my hands thoroughly several times before touching my
eyes! This stuff even got on icecubes that I took with my hands (again
washed) from the bin - as I drank my iced water, my mouth and lips were
stinging and hurting a lot! So, gardeners, beware the pencil cactus - it
seeks revenge!

--
gloria - only the iguanas know for sure

Its not a cactus and its not a pencil.
It seeks revenge only on those who don't know that.

The plant is Euphorbia tirucalli.

Like all Euphorbia, it has a caustic white sap that can blister the skin.


"glenon" wrote in message
. ..
In trying to move a cape honeysuckle from my very big pencil cactus, I got
the milky sticky sap from the cactus - THIS IS A WARNING! Always wear
gloves when working with the cactus! The sap caused lots of irritation to
me, stings a lot! especially on mucuous membranes. I had to change my
contact lenses and my eyes were watering and stinging for several hours.
And yes, I had washed my hands thoroughly several times before touching my
eyes! This stuff even got on icecubes that I took with my hands (again
washed) from the bin - as I drank my iced water, my mouth and lips were
stinging and hurting a lot! So, gardeners, beware the pencil cactus - it
seeks revenge!

--
gloria - only the iguanas know for sure

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 17:12:50 GMT, "glenon"
wrote:

In trying to move a cape honeysuckle from my very big pencil cactus, I got
the milky sticky sap from the cactus - THIS IS A WARNING! Always wear
gloves when working with the cactus! The sap caused lots of irritation to
me, stings a lot! especially on mucuous membranes. I had to change my
contact lenses and my eyes were watering and stinging for several hours.
And yes, I had washed my hands thoroughly several times before touching my
eyes! This stuff even got on icecubes that I took with my hands (again
washed) from the bin - as I drank my iced water, my mouth and lips were
stinging and hurting a lot! So, gardeners, beware the pencil cactus - it
seeks revenge!


I have one of these "pencil plants" and it grows crazy unless it is
kept pruned. And when cut, it "bleeds" quite a bit. I cut the stems
that point down for a better shape. I also have a "Crown of Thorns"
that blooms small bright red simple flowers and bleeds similar to the
pencil plant when cut. The sap is a poisonous white latex, typical of
euphorbias.

In article , "glenon"
wrote:

In trying to move a cape honeysuckle from my very big pencil cactus, I got
the milky sticky sap from the cactus - THIS IS A WARNING! Always wear
gloves when working with the cactus! The sap caused lots of irritation to
me, stings a lot! especially on mucuous membranes. I had to change my
contact lenses and my eyes were watering and stinging for several hours.
And yes, I had washed my hands thoroughly several times before touching my
eyes! This stuff even got on icecubes that I took with my hands (again
washed) from the bin - as I drank my iced water, my mouth and lips were
stinging and hurting a lot! So, gardeners, beware the pencil cactus - it
seeks revenge!

Long ago after handling roughskin newts which were very tame & friendly, I
completely forgot they are also toxic. When I knuckled my eyes, I had to
run water over my eyes for fifteen minutes of agony, & worried the whole
while I had blinded myself for life.

I probably wash my hands at least hourly on long gardening days. The
garden is full of stuff that is only rarely apt to cause injury to the
skin unless someone is overly sensitive or allergic, but which can make
ANY nose-picker or eye-knuckler VERY sorry. There are also potential
life-risking infections that can be gotten from soil, including tetanus
which makes death-by-gardening sufficiently a realistic threat that some
nurseries & gardening organizations should make tetanus booster shots a
requirement.

Here's my article on pencil cacti:
http://www.paghat.com/firesticks.html

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:38:33 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

Its not a cactus and its not a pencil.
It seeks revenge only on those who don't know that.

The plant is Euphorbia tirucalli.

Like all Euphorbia, it has a caustic white sap that can blister the skin.



Would you consider "some" or maybe "most" Euphorbia?

It is Killer Poinsettia season again.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

May those who insist that the Poinsettia is not toxic rub the sap all over
their bodies and see what happens!!!!!

All Euphorbia are toxic to some degree.


"Charles" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:38:33 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

Its not a cactus and its not a pencil.
It seeks revenge only on those who don't know that.

The plant is Euphorbia tirucalli.

Like all Euphorbia, it has a caustic white sap that can blister the skin.



Would you consider "some" or maybe "most" Euphorbia?

It is Killer Poinsettia season again.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

Well, this was my first experience with them, as far as the sap, and
hopefully my last.! So my 8 ft. euphorbia (and I did know that) will get a
severe talking to along with some pruning (while wearing gloves!).

--
gloria - only the iguanas know for sure

In article , paghat wrote:

I probably wash my hands at least hourly on long gardening days. The
garden is full of stuff that is only rarely apt to cause injury to the
skin unless someone is overly sensitive or allergic, but which can make
ANY nose-picker or eye-knuckler VERY sorry. There are also potential
life-risking infections that can be gotten from soil, including tetanus
which makes death-by-gardening sufficiently a realistic threat that some
nurseries & gardening organizations should make tetanus booster shots a
requirement.

Try to imagine the results of chopping red Savina peppers ( an upgraded
Habanero pepper ) without wearing gloves. Hands were washed, but not
sufficiently... before going to the bathroom. Eyes are not the only mucous
membranes on the human body.

On 5 Dec 2004 08:48:00 GMT, Ed Clarke wrote:

In article , paghat wrote:

I probably wash my hands at least hourly on long gardening days. The
garden is full of stuff that is only rarely apt to cause injury to the
skin unless someone is overly sensitive or allergic, but which can make
ANY nose-picker or eye-knuckler VERY sorry. There are also potential
life-risking infections that can be gotten from soil, including tetanus
which makes death-by-gardening sufficiently a realistic threat that some
nurseries & gardening organizations should make tetanus booster shots a
requirement.

Try to imagine the results of chopping red Savina peppers ( an upgraded
Habanero pepper ) without wearing gloves. Hands were washed, but not
sufficiently... before going to the bathroom. Eyes are not the only mucous
membranes on the human body.

"Great Balls of Fire!"

On 12/5/04 3:48 AM, in article , "Ed Clarke"
wrote:

In article , paghat
wrote:

I probably wash my hands at least hourly on long gardening days. The
garden is full of stuff that is only rarely apt to cause injury to the
skin unless someone is overly sensitive or allergic, but which can make
ANY nose-picker or eye-knuckler VERY sorry. There are also potential
life-risking infections that can be gotten from soil, including tetanus
which makes death-by-gardening sufficiently a realistic threat that some
nurseries & gardening organizations should make tetanus booster shots a
requirement.

Try to imagine the results of chopping red Savina peppers ( an upgraded
Habanero pepper ) without wearing gloves. Hands were washed, but not
sufficiently... before going to the bathroom. Eyes are not the only mucous
membranes on the human body.

DOH!

Cheryl

I wouldn't rub an Opuntia biglovii all over my body, and as far as I
know, they are not considered toxic.

poinsettias cost too much to try your experiment.


On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:49:50 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

May those who insist that the Poinsettia is not toxic rub the sap all over
their bodies and see what happens!!!!!

All Euphorbia are toxic to some degree.


"Charles" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:38:33 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

Its not a cactus and its not a pencil.
It seeks revenge only on those who don't know that.

The plant is Euphorbia tirucalli.

Like all Euphorbia, it has a caustic white sap that can blister the skin.



Would you consider "some" or maybe "most" Euphorbia?

It is Killer Poinsettia season again.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:49:50 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

May those who insist that the Poinsettia is not toxic rub the sap all over
their bodies and see what happens!!!!!

Most people I know aren't allergic to poinsettia sap.

What could be the error in your logic? Lets see........

Either you don't know many people or most attribute their allergic reaction
to something else.

What other possibilities could there be?

Of course, there is that remote possibility you aren't telling the truth.


"Jim Shaffer, Jr." wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:49:50 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

May those who insist that the Poinsettia is not toxic rub the sap all over
their bodies and see what happens!!!!!

Most people I know aren't allergic to poinsettia sap.

The big question is why do so many people so desperately want the florist
Poinsettia to be non-toxic?

What is their real motivation for making that claim?


"Cereus-validus..." wrote in message
...
What could be the error in your logic? Lets see........

Either you don't know many people or most attribute their allergic
reaction to something else.

What other possibilities could there be?

Of course, there is that remote possibility you aren't telling the truth.


"Jim Shaffer, Jr." wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:49:50 GMT, "Cereus-validus..."
wrote:

May those who insist that the Poinsettia is not toxic rub the sap all
over
their bodies and see what happens!!!!!

Most people I know aren't allergic to poinsettia sap.

Cereus-validus... wrote:

The big question is why do so many people so desperately want the florist
Poinsettia to be non-toxic?

What is their real motivation for making that claim?


Maybe to *sell* more poinsettias?

It seems reasonable to me; it's not like they are saying cigarettes are
non-toxic (or that real butter is actually low-fat) so they can sell more.

Bob