A Santa Barbara Independent reader wrote in to suggest a possible story based on an incident she had while working in her garden. It seems that her husband was in the yard, trimming the branches on their ‘sticks on fire’ plant (Euphorbia tirucalli). Apparently, she became very ill and was in substantial pain for a week after cutting up the branches and disposing of them in the green bin. Since her close call with this plant, the reader has noticed how prevalent this showy, succulent, yet potentially dangerous plant is in the landscapes and gardens around town.
Well, this scenario does not surprise me since one of the characteristics of the plants in the Euphorbia genus is that many of them have an often poisonous, white, latex-like sap. Depending on the type of Euphorbia — whether it be a poinsettia, crown of thorns, African milk tree, or the previously mentioned sticks on fire, the plants can vary in toxicity. How toxic the plant is also depends on whether you eat it, get the sap on your skin, or, worse yet, get the sticky white stuff in your eyes.
In part of the description for this plant on the San Marcos Growers website ( website ), President and General Manager Randy Baldwin writes, “Be very careful when handling this plant as the stems break easily and the milky sap can burn the skin or cause welts if one is sensitive to it, and certainly is not something to get into the eyes. When working with this plant, use protective goggles, and if you do get it in the eyes seek medical attention promptly. For this reason, this plant should also not be planted near paths or locations where a casual visitor to the garden might accidentally come in contact with it.”
