Paulding County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers Manchineel Tree By Robbie Cheatham As I was participating in the Spring Forward event, the programming people asked me to prepare a vegetable gardening presentation for future use by the Master gardeners. My research ranged far and wide until I came upon an interesting aspect of fruit and vegetable growing. I discovered that potatoes and tomatoes are members of the poisonous night shade family. As a Florida native, I recalled another such deadly plant, the Manchineel tree, with a superficial resemblance to the fruit and leaves of an apple tree is called the manazanilla de la muerte, “little apple of death”. All the parts of the tree contain strong toxins. Rain water washing over the oil on its leaves will blister your skin. The fruit if eaten will give you indigestion or even worse it will cause your death. Legend has it, Ponce de Leon, the intrepid Spanish explorer, was laid to his final resting place by an arrow dipped in Manchineel sap. This poison has been around for many centuries. So beware of what you plant and how dangerous it can possibly be. Do your research ahead of time and know what you are planting in your garden. It may save your life at harvest time. For more information and details contact Paulding Email: [email protected] County UGA Extension Website: www.ugaextension.com/paulding Master Gardener Extension Volunteers Subscribe to our Home and Garden email newsletter at our 530 West Memorial Drive website Dallas, GA 30132 Phone 770-443-7616 .