I got some great help on this forum recently with some red berries so here I am again! It started growing in my yard and the paddock next door a few years ago and has been allowed to spread in the paddock. The horses don't eat it. I never worried about it but someone told us that she'd been weeding it and her arms went numb. She thinks it's toxic. I really want to read up on it but haven't been able to find out its name.
My cat is currently at the vet and we don't know what is wrong with him at this stage so the sooner I can rule out this plant or blame it the better.
It looks like some kind of euphorbia to me. The sap of some varieties is very toxic - can cause blindness if you get it in your eye and often causes skin irritation like your friend mentioned. Garden centres still sell some varieties but I tend to think of them all as weeds
maclad,
Nov 13, 3:39am
Yes that makes sense, good, astute call. I could not ID it at all but thought it looked like a plant with white sap in the stems. What you say makes sense and some are very toxic, have not seen this one before
melagray,
Nov 13, 3:40am
It is, thank you. Lathyris. A nasty looking plant but hopefully not the cause of problems with my cat.
maclad,
Nov 13, 4:06am
Hope your cat is OK
melagray,
Nov 13, 5:51am
Same! The xrays haven't shown anything so they don't know what has caused the nerve damage in his leg. He should be coming home for cage rest tomorrow. That plant does sound nasty so I'm going to make sure I rip out what I can reach of it in the neighbouring paddock and will mention it to the people grazing their horses in there.
summersunnz,
Nov 13, 11:37am
Wear gloves and arm covering when you get rid of it. hope your cat is ok.
koru67,
Nov 13, 6:16pm
. and sun glasses or safety glasses. Not worth the risk of getting some sap in your eye.
trade4us2,
Jul 31, 10:49pm
I've seen Euphorbia lathyris on my property. I'll pull them all out with gloves on! Apparently it can be used to make petroleum with.
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