Top 10 Most Dangerous trees in the World

Trees are very important, valuable, and necessary to our existence as they have furnished us with two important life essentials; food and oxygen. However, while some trees help to keep us alive, there are some dangerous trees that can cause great harm to humans.

While we aren’t sure about the man-eating tree portrayed in some mythology, all the trees that we have considered in this particular account show that truth can be even stranger than fiction.

In this article, we have listed the top 10 most dangerous trees in the world, how you can identify them, and why they are considered dangerous.

Most Dangerous trees in the World

1. Manchineel Tree

In 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records named the Manchineel tree as the most dangerous tree in the World. Nicknamed “manzanilla de la muerte” (meaning “little apple of death” in Spanish), this deadly tree is an endangered tree species native to the Caribbean coasts including regions extending along Florida, Mexico, and Central and South America.

All Manchineel tree parts are dangerous to humans, including their sap, bark, and leaves. The tree has a sweet apple-like fruit that can cause internal bleeding, edema, and shock when consumed. Even when burnt, the Manchineel tree contains toxic substances that can blind the eyes of those in the vicinity.

2. Murder Tree

Top 10 Most Dangerous trees in the World – The murder tree

The murder tree can be found in India and in several parts of Southern Asia. This tree is named so especially after people committed suicide by eating its fruits. Its scientific name is Cerbera odollym. It mainly tends to grow near marshy areas and in the coastal swamps.

The tree looks nothing like a murder weapon with its beautiful green leaves and white flowers. It also has no strong flavour, which makes it easy to ingest without knowing. It is a tree native to India and is mostly used for landscaping.

3. Bunya Pine 

Top 10 Most Dangerous trees in the World – Bunya pine

Found in Queensland in Northeast Australia, The Bunya pine trees grow very tall, reaching almost 148 feet. The danger from the tree comes from its spiky pinecones that are gigantic and fall from the tree for reproduction. The pinecones pose a danger to anyone or anything beneath the tree.

If one of the gigantic pinecones is hit, severe injuries or even death are imminent. There is limited seed dispersal of the pinecones, mainly because of their huge size. That means, the seeds can only be within a close range and on the forest floor, which highly contributes to the continued growth of the bunya pine tree and its pinecones.

4. The Sandbox Tree

Also known as the dynamite tree because its large pods explode and drop bulky seeds at a very high speed.  The sandbox tree can grow to about 200 feet above the ground, which makes the dropping seeds quite dangerous to anything beneath the tree.

The fruits of this tree tend to explode and spread their seeds in different directions after getting matured. The speed of its seeds can reach up to seventy miles per second and can be very dangerous for anyone standing in that range. This tree even produces a typical type of sap that has a very high level of poison causing rashes.

5. Milky Mangrove

Distributed widely in East Asian, Southeast Asian and Australasian waters is the Milky Mangrove, a toxin-oozing tree that humans must not touch, climb or otherwise handle due to its incredibly toxic composition.

If it touches human skin, blisters and swelling are witnessed in the affected areas. It can also cause blindness if it comes into contact with the eyes. The Milky mangrove creates beautiful scenery on coastlines, but its toxic sap makes it dangerous to have in areas with a human population.

6. Castor Beans Tree

Top 10 Most Dangerous trees in the World – Castor beans tree

Castor beans tree is used to make castor oil. It has start-shaped leaves and grows along cultivated field edges and river banks. It originated in Africa, but it can now be found in North America and some parts of the southern and eastern U.S.

Castor oil is used for medicinal purposes, but only because the toxins are removed during processing.

Eating a single castor bean with toxins in it is fatal. The castor bean contains ricin, a deadly and highly toxic chemical harmful to humans.

7. Strychnine Tree

The strychnine tree is native to Southeast Asia and India. The deadly tree produces a strychnine chemical that has been used as a chemical murder weapon for animals and humans.

The seeds present an expensive or deadly medical problem if ingested. Eye pain, dizziness, muscle cramping, paralysis and a heavy tongue are among the nasty symptoms that a victim may face if foolish enough to ingest the raw plant material or somehow end up poisoned by strychnine. Despite its toxicity, the plant has medical applications in cancer treatment.

8. Deadly Nightshade

Top 10 Most Dangerous trees in the World – Deadly Nightshade

The Deadly nightshade is a deadly plant with black cherry-like fruits that is not for human consumption. The fruit contains a deadly poison that could cause severe health conditions like gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disease, and symptoms like confusion, headaches, and blurred vision.

Ingestion of the fruit interferes with the body’s memory capacity. It could also lead to death if it takes too long to get the antidote.

9. Gympie Gympie

Commonly found in the rainforest areas of the northeast region of Australia. Gympie-Gympie is a deadly version of the stinging nettle that has stinging vegetation laced with toxic chemicals. The chemicals are fatal to the human body, and any contact with the plant could lead to death or prolonged discomfort.

The plant has the same effect on large animals. Other known effects are loss of visual function and a long period of pain after encountering the plant. The plant has huge beautiful leaves that might not look harmful from a distance.

10. Namibian Bottle Tree

The Namibian bottle tree is a desert tree that is shaped like a bottle to hold water for the tree. However, that water is highly poisonous and fatal to animals and humans.

The toxic water is a defence mechanism against desert animals that would otherwise consume all the water leaving the plant to die. This tree also has thorny branches to keep it safe from anyone trying to destroy it. The good thing about the plant is that you will not find it in most human habitats.

Its branches guarded by fierce thorns, the bottle tree bears its poisonous sap to protect its carefully stored water supply, which would otherwise be raided by thirsty animals ripping into the water-hoarding desert tree.

Summary

Trees provide a lot of benefits for humans, but some trees can be dangerous (and sometimes, deadly). However, knowing about them can help you know what to avoid.

You may also want to check out some other articles to learn about some of the world’s most dangerous:

• Top 10 Most Dangerous Dogs In The World
• 10 Most Dangerous Foods in The World
• Top 10 Most Dangerous Places in the World
• 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Europe

SOURCES: 8billiontrees, green.earth