When it comes to cactus, one of the most common questions that’s asked is: is cactus poisonous? Typically, the answer is no. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule – so it’s safe to say: if you’re ever in the desert and come across one, it’s probably best not to mess with it.
In this article, we’ll explore five poisonous types of cacti.
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Will Cacti Poison My Pet?
If you have pets and are wondering if your cacti plant will poison them, the typical answer is no. On the other hand, sometimes the needles will cause irritation and could trigger an allergic reaction if they ingest any of the parts or come into contact with it often enough.
Be careful if you have dogs that like to dig up plants in your yard, because they could end up getting pricked or ingesting prickly pear fruit. If they ingest the prickly pear fruit, it could lead to dangerous consequences such as vomiting blood because the toxicity levels are so high. In fact, even after eating only two pieces, it’s lethal.
Check out our article on Cats and Cactus here!
Will Cacti Poison Me?
Cacti are not typically poisonous to humans, but they can be potentially dangerous if you eat them. If you ingest cacti, it can result in stomachache and diarrhea. Additionally, the needles on cacti could trigger an allergic reaction, so it’s best to avoid touching or eating them.
Do Cacti Spines Contain Poison?
The spines on cacti are modified leaves and are typically found on the outer edges of the cacti plant. They can be soft or sharp and are there to protect the plant from predators by causing pain when they are touched. There are many types of cacti spines, such as glochids and bristles.
The glochids are tiny hairs that cover a variety of plants in dry climates. They cause irritation when touched because the barbs hook into flesh tightly so that they come off the plant without bringing any tissue.
These bristles are like glochids, but not as sharp and don’t cause as much irritation.
Many people believe that cacti spines are poisonous, but for most species, this really is not true. Even so, you still should be very cautious when handling them because they can cause skin irritation.
What Do You Do If You Get Pricked by a Cactus?
Make sure that you wash it with soap and water as soon as you can,If you do end up getting pricked by a cactus. If you see any debris on your skin or there’s dirt in the open wound, be sure to clean that out as well.
Finally, make sure to use an antibiotic ointment to protect yourself against infection. The tiny barbs can embed themselves so deep and your body will be trying to fight against them.
Now that you know a little more about cacti, let’s take a look at 5 poisonous types.
5 Types of Poisonous Cacti
While it is true that most cacti are not poisonous, there are a few that are. We will look at some of those below.
Peyote Cactus
The Peyote Cactus (Lophophora williamsii, syn. Lophophora diffusa) has no spines, and you would assume that it would be the least harmful. However, this is not the case. This particular cactus grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. It’s a slow growing plant, and takes about three to four years to grow. Peyote cactus remains fairly small throughout its life.
This species of cactus is cultivated for its psychoactive and medicinal properties. The natives typically use it to treat illnesses such as skin diseases, diabetes, fever, rheumatism, colds, and even pain in childbirth.
Mescaline
Mescaline in this cactus is what causes the psychoactive reaction. When consumed, the individual will feel the psychoactive effects after a while. Among the natives, this plant also offers cultural and religious uses. It is commonly used and ingested for medicinal purposes in the areas where it grows.
Since this species of cacti has many good uses, you are probably wondering what makes it so harmful.
When abused, this healing cactus can have adverse effects. In some instances, there are dangerous side effects including fatality. If you overdose on the peyote, it can be disastrous.
When used with other substances, this plant can cause a psychotic breakdown. Also, those with mental health issues should not use this cactus as it can aggravate those issues. Therefore, if you have mental challenges, you should avoid this plant. If your loved one has mental challenges, you should keep this plant forward from them as well.
In some cases, people experience addiction after ingesting this cactus. Therefore, it is not safe to have when there are children in the home.
This plant may also have emetic effects. The bitter flavor of this plant makes it nauseating, so it should not be in a place for children and pets can access it. It might catch their attention and they may end up ingesting it. Since it has no spines, it makes it easier for them to get.
Though spineless, this cacti is not very friendly, as it can cause other issues such as problems breathing, variations in blood pressure and heart rate, and pupillary dilation.
San Pedro Cactus
The second cacti on our list is the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi (syn. Trichocereus pachanoi). This one has gorgeous flowers and spines. It grows in the Andes mountains in Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Peru. San Pedro cactus is a lot like the peyote because it contains high amounts of mescaline and other psychedelic compounds.
Historically, the San Pedro cactus has been used for healing dealing, recreational purposes, and in to facilitate psycho exploration. The cactus plant has a bitter taste. It can be consumed as a dry drive powder added to drinks to hide the taste or as a slushy liquid.
Since it can be quite dangerous, most countries have labeled mescaline as an illegal substance. It is not advisable to consume this cactus. However, for aesthetical and gardening purposes, it is permitted to plant and grow these cacti. Since it is an attractive plant, this idea is not that strange. Just be sure you understand that it can cause serious health issues if consumed.
When consumed without control, mescaline can result in visual and auditory hallucinations, as well as affect the store at the mental state thought process of a person. Due to this, it is not advisable to keep one in your home, especially if you have children or pets.
There are a few side effects that you could suffer from ingesting this plant. These include dizziness, tremors, nausea, palpitations, stomach pains, and vomiting. Additionally, since, it is easy to build up a tolerance with continuous consumption, this can ultimately lead to addiction.
Canary Islands Spurge
The Canary Islands Spurge (Euphorbia canariensis) grows quite well in full sun and well-drained soil. It is a low-maintenance plant and is typically found in the narrow coastal belt of the Canary Islands. This plant can live for 100 years or more.
It is self-sustaining and can survive well in harsh weather conditions. The leaves are green, but it produces flowers along the edges that are reddish/brownish. It survives well in extreme cold when other plants will wither. This plant can be grown indoors or out, but rarely is it used as a domestic plant.
This is because it’s toxic and should not be consumed. It produces a silky sap that causes eye and skin irritation. Since any breakage will expose the sap, you must make sure that you are carefully handling it. If the sap gets on your skin, it can burn and if consumed, it can cause cold sweats, sneezing, and/or fainting.
Bolivian Torch Cactus
Bolivian Torch Cactus (Echinopsis lageniformis, syn. Trichocereus-bridgesii) is another fast-growing species of cacti. It is found in the Bolivian mountains. It is a green/blue color and has spines that range in color from brown to honey. It also contains mescaline which, as you already know, can be harmful.
Mescaline is a hallucinogenic substance. There are many side effects that come along with consuming this cactus, including visual effects.
The mescaline can result in disordered thoughts and an altered point of view or perception about the world around you. While it can be used for medicinal purposes, you must be careful with the dosage that you don’t use too much.
Mescaline can also cause nausea and can result in fits of vomiting when this cactus is ingested. Natives did not see this as an adverse effect- they actually believed that it was part of a cleansing process. Of course, after several fits of vomiting, you’re not likely to feel cleansed. You’ll feel weak. This is why it’s advised that you don’t keephave this plant indoors, especially with children around.
Finally, it is believed that excess consumption of this cacti can result in addiction because of the mescaline. These plants have high levels of mescaline and there have not been any studies to indicate what a safe level is.
The Peruvian Torch Cactus
This cactus is also a fast-growing variety and is found in Peru on the western slopes of the Andes mountains. The Peruvian Torch Cactus (Echinopsis Peruviana) has long spines that and grows 3 to 6 meters tall inches. It is the same species as the Bolivian Torch and the San Pedro.
Though it’s named after Peru, it is fairly easy to grow and thrives well in moist regions- but it can store enough water to adapt to a dry region. This cactus has stunning white flowers near the tip of the stem. They open at night and feature a strong fragrance.
In the past, this cactus was used for religious festivities. It also has psychoactive properties like the others on this list, due to the alkaloids it contains, including mescaline.
This is what made it appropriate for religious activities, such as purging. Once again, the mescaline can be dangerous when consumed, as it causes nausea, vomiting, and can even result in a psychotic breakdown if too much is taken.
Consuming this cactus can result in disordered thoughts and hallucinations. You should keep this plant away from children and pets and if you do consume it, make sure that you have supervision.
Conclusion
Typically, cacti are not poisonous, but they can be potentially dangerous if you’re not careful with them. The plants mentioned here all contain mescaline, which does have medicinal properties – but can be dangerous if too much is consumed or misused.