Completely Arbortrary Lil' Apple Make This Horse Go Crazy (Manzanilla de la Muerte)
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Oct 23, 2025 This week, the hosts dive into the eerie world of the Manzanilla de la Muerte, a tree known for making horses go crazy! They explore its toxic white latex, discuss bizarre ecological theories about its poisonous fruit, and recount firsthand accounts of its dangerous effects. The conversation includes the historical uses of the tree's toxins and the alarming symptoms from contact. With a blend of folklore, facts, and some playful trivia, they rate this treacherous tree while calling for more scientific research.
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Apple-Like But Not An Apple
- Manzanilla de la muerte looks like a small apple but is taxonomically a Euphorbiaceae mangrove species with apples-like fruit.
- Its coastal, tropical distribution runs from southern Florida through the Caribbean and into northern South America.
White Latex Is The Real Weapon
- The plant produces a white, caustic latex throughout leaves, bark, fruit and wood that acts as a broad-spectrum chemical defense.
- That latex contains phorbol esters and a cocktail of resins, tannins and saponins that irritate or poison many animals and humans.
Avoid Rainfalls And Ingestion
- Avoid standing or sheltering under the tree during rain because water dissolves toxins and drips can cause blistering contact dermatitis.
- Do not ingest any part of the fruit or sap; ingestion causes severe throat pain, vomiting and diarrhea and may be life-threatening.
