Considered one of the most dangerous plants in the world, the sandbox tree isn’t suitable for home landscapes, or any landscape for that matter. The unusual tree grows 90-130 feet in its native environment and can be easily recognized by its gray bark covered with cone-like spikes. The tree’s fruit looks like little pumpkins, but once they dry into seed capsules, they become ticking time bombs. When fully mature, they explode with a loud bang and fling their hard, flattened seeds at speeds of up to 150 mph to distances of over 60 feet. The shrapnel can seriously injure any person or animal in its path. As bad as that is, the exploding pods aren’t the only way sandbox trees can inflict harm. The fruit is also poisonous, causing vomiting, diarrhea and cramps if ingested. The tree’s sap is said to cause an angry red rash, and it can blind you if it gets in your eyes. The sap has been used by tribes in the Amazonian forest to make poison darts. Horticulturists warn against planting a sandbox tree, as they are too dangerous to have around people or animals, and when planted in isolated areas, they’re likely to spread.
