The manchineel tree produces the fruit known in Spanish as manzanilla de la muerte, or “little apple of death,” and its toxic sap can cause severe blistering. The tree, scientifically Hippomane mancinella, belongs to the spurge family and grows across tropical regions of the Americas, often near beaches.
Its milky latex contains several irritating and poisonous compounds. Contact can cause intense dermatitis, while even rainwater dripping through the foliage may carry enough sap to blister skin. Smoke from burning the wood can injure the eyes, and eating the fruit may cause severe gastrointestinal illness, swelling, shock, or death.
The name is easy to confuse with ordinary apples because the fruit resembles a small green apple and “manchineel” comes from Spanish manzanilla, meaning “little apple.” Oleander and cherry trees are poisonous in other ways, but neither is the tree associated with this distinctive nickname and blistering sap.