Some succulents are hazardous.
Succulents are desert plants with thick leaves used to store water. Succulents are popular as both house plants and garden plants, prized for their exotic look and low maintenance. Although many succulents are safe plants, some do pose hazards that you should know about. In some cases, even touching the wrong plant can be an unpleasant or dangerous experience.
Spines
The most obvious danger posed by succulents is the spines. Cacti are succulents which have evolved spines to ward off predators. The largest cactus, the saguaro cactus, has spines which are 2 meters long, but even relatively small cacti can give painful puncture wounds. Some cacti such as the cholla cactus drop off spiky joints which can harm animals or barefooted people who accidentally step on them. If you have pets or small children, do not grow cacti with large, tough spikes anywhere they will be a hazard.
Euphorbia
Euphorbia is a genus of plants including succulent as well as non-succulent species. Like cacti, euphorbia defend themselves from herbivores, but they use a different and potentially more dangerous method. Euphorbia contains a highly irritating latex. Handling euphorbia can cause painful rashes to break out on your skin and getting the latex in your mucus membranes can cause severe inflammation, and getting it in your eye can potentially permanently damage your vision. For some individuals, even fumes from the cacti can cause pain, blisters and irritation. In some cases, the cactus can even be lethal. Use extreme caution if you choose to grow this succulent. Keep it in an out-of-the-way location where you will not knock it over accidentally, and do not handle it without cactus gardening gloves. Do not touch your eyes, mouth, nose or other areas with mucus membranes after touching this plant.
Poisonous and Irritating
Although euphorbia are an extreme case, there are a number of other succulents with caustic or poisonous properties. Agave, jade, Christmas cactus and several other succulents have irritating sap. Aloe is used to treat wounds and as a health tonic, but may cause colon damage, liver damage and increase the risk of colon cancer if taken internally too frequently. Desert rose is also dangerous to take internally and can cause vomiting and pain in the abdomen. As with any plant, know what its effects are before eating a succulent.
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