Camping this summer? These “harmless” plants can cause temporary blindness
Everything you need to know if you come across this blindness-inducing plant this summer.
While plants sit there in silence, seemingly up to nothing other than taking in the sun and the rain, there is a whole world we cannot see.
Meet Excoecaria cochinchinensis, known to its friends as the Chinese croton. This species of plant is a tropical shrub native to Southeast Asia, including countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and southern China—and it can turn you blind.
Also known as ‘the blindness tree’ (saying it earlier would’ve given away the punchline), Excoecaria cochinchinensis has a striking appearance that can be red, green, and cream-coloured leaves, attracting unwilling victims.
It is an evergreen shrub, usually growing up to 2 metres tall, sometimes becoming a tree up to 15 metres tall that is a common houseplant as it can succeed in both shade and in full sun, producing fruit all year round.
While nothing will happen if you leave it alone, a toxic sap seeps out of the plant, which can cause skin irritation and severe eye problems that, if the sap comes into contact with the eyes, can induce a condition popularly known as “temporary blindness,” with symptoms appearing just minutes after contact.
If you do find yourself affected by the dangerous sap, rinse your eyes out with lukewarm water for around 20 minutes. If you’re still suffering after that, seek medical assistance; drops can be prescribed which will calm the irritation of the cornea and conjunctiva, restoring sight.
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It’s not all Chinese blindness, however. GlobalInMed reports that although the plant is considered poisonous, it does have beneficial uses as an antiparasitic, antipruritic, and haemostatic treatment. As well as that, parts of the plant are used for the treatment of measles, parotitis, tonsillitis, and lumbar muscle strain; in India, the leaves are even used for epilepsy.
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