It rains poison, blinds on contact – and its fruit could kill: Inside the ‘Tree of Death' - BBC Wildlife Magazine

The nickname of this species – the ‘Tree of Death’ – tells you everything you need to know about its lethality.

Native to the Caribbean, Florida, the Bahamas, and parts of Central and South America, the Manchineel can grow as tall as 15 metres, with every part of the tree containing strong toxins.

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Stand underneath its branches during rainfall and you can expect your skin to blister. Rub its sap in your eyes and temporary blindness is likely to ensue. It's no surprise that we deemed it the most poisonous tree in the world.

However, eat one of its small, apple-shaped fruits and the consequences will be even worse – in his journal, 18th-century explorer Nicholas Cresswell wrote: “They are rank poison. I am told that one apple is sufficient to kill 20 people.”

Thankfully, these days, the Manchineel is often marked with a red cross or band to warn of its hazards. 

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