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Wilczomlecze are a very large family of popular plants. Flowers belonging to the spurge family are so different that it's hard to believe that apart from the name, there is anything they have in common. Meanwhile, each of them has the same property: it is toxic, especially to children and pets.
Wilczomlecz( Euphorbia ) is called a plant cosmopolitan for a reason - it feels equally good on every continent and looks just as great.
These plants are found almost everywhere except both poles: they bloom in the countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
In Poland, spurgeons can be found in almost every home where flowers are present. Not only because it is an exceptionally large family with nearly 2,000 species.
These plants are very popular mainly because they survive without difficulty even in the homes of people who "do not have a hand" for flowers.
They have a very different appearance: from leafless, cactus-like, through small shrubs full of ornamental flowers, to small trees, thanks to which even an inexperienced grower can enjoy a large and varied garden on the windowsill.
Euphorbia: species
About 30 species of spurge are grown at home in Poland. The most popular varieties of this plant are:
- beautiful spurge (the so-called Bethlehem star, or poinsettia)
- shiny spurge moth (whose most characteristic feature are small, red-orange flowers)
- Three-ribbed spurge with thick stems, the edges of which are spiked
Apart from them, in our homes you can also often find the golden spurge, so named because of the golden-colored inflorescence.
One of the more original species is a spherical and small spotted eagle with tiny flowers appearing on its top in summer, and the spotted euphorbia, which at home reaches a height of "only" two meters (it is much taller in natural conditions) and has the appearance of a spindly coral, and an extremely decorative appearance gives it a characteristic green-red-orange coloration.
What is poisonous in the spurge?
Euphrasias are not difficult to admire, because the vast majority of their varieties are extremely decorative. It's worth it thoughremember that every representative of this family, regardless of appearance, size or area of the world from which it comes from, is toxic.
Juice sap - thick and usually white, present, depending on the plant variety, in its roots, stems, leaves, or in each of these parts - because it contains euphorbic acid, euphorbine and cyanogenic compounds.
When it enters the body through the alimentary tract (e.g. swallowed with a leaf), it may cause unpleasant symptoms from the digestive system:
- vomiting
- nausea
- diarrhea
The situation to cause more serious ailments is rare, because this juice, as well as parts of plants in which it is present, have an extremely unacceptable taste, so no one is able to swallow it enough to seriously hurt.
Contact with the skin may cause skin contact inflammation, as well as cause blisters and ulceration. Some spurgeons - e.g. the star of Bethlehem - can also be dangerous for allergy sufferers, as they contain large amounts of latex.
If you plan to breed a flower from the spurge family by tearing off the leg, you better wear gloves. Its milky juice can cause unpleasant symptoms immediately after it comes into contact with the skin.
Wilczomlecze: who is it dangerous for?
Young children and pets are most exposed to the toxic effects of the spurge.
If there are flowers belonging to this family in the house and the child or pet is vomiting seemingly for no apparent reason, or around the mouth, and the children also have strange blisters on their hands, it is worth making sure that they did not accidentally swallow a leaf or did not lick the juice flowing from the damaged plant.
If so, rinse the sore area as soon as possible and see a doctor.
Read also:
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- Dieffenbachia: a poisoner from Brazil
- Narcissi: all poisonous
- Tulips: edible petals, stems and leaves, poisonous
- Monstera: as beautiful as she is dangerous
- Dracaena: dangerous to children, toxic to animals
- The star of Bethlehem, or the beautiful spurge
- Peaceflower: decorative but poisonous
- Passiflora - exotic passion flower
- Common ivy (hedera helix) - poisonous, although healing
- Cyclamen: poisonous beauty
- Anthurium: challenging and dangerous
- Kliwia - rich in poisonous alkaloids
- Hoja full of toxic juice
- Ficus - poisonous ficus
- Amarylis:poisonous belladonna
- Common oleander - is oleander poisonous?