Strictly speaking, the spit palm (Euphorbia leuconeura) is not a type of palm tree, but rather a type of Euphorbia that, according to its name, can throw its seeds far away like the Indian jewelweed. As a houseplant, a spit palm is certainly decorative, but not entirely harmless.
Is the spit palm poisonous?
The spit palm (Euphorbia leuconeura) is poisonous because its white milky sap contains toxic substances such as ingenols, diterpene esters, phorbol esters and triterpene saponins. The juice can cause irritation and have a cancer-promoting effect when it comes into contact with skin and mucous membranes.
Be careful of the white milky juice
The poisonous milky sap of the spit palm is clearly visible when the leaves or trunk are injured and contains, among other things, the following ingredients:
- Ingenole
- Diterpene esters
- Phorbol esters
- Triterpene saponins
The euphorbia sap is not only toxic, but can even have a cancer-promoting effect due to the tumor promoters it contains.
Precautionary measures without panic
The toxicity of the milky sap should not fundamentally speak against cultivating the spurge family on the windowsill. With proper handling and adequate ventilation, these plants pose no greater threat than many other poisonous house and garden plants. However, you should choose the location very carefully and be very attentive if there are children or pets running around in a room on a regular basis.
Tip
Just touching a spit palm usually doesn't cause any problems, but protective gloves (€9.00 on Amazon) should be worn as a precautionary measure when caring for the spit palm.
