Myrtle spurge: B.C. children left burned by invasive plant
The Invasive Species Council of B.C. is asking the public to report sightings of a "highly toxic" plant that can leave people's skin blistered and burned – something one family recently learned the hard way.
Okanagan residents Doug and Sandra Nimmo were hosting their granddaughters over the July long weekend when the children came into contact with Myrtle spurge, a garden perennial that carries a nasty sap capable of causing blindness in severe cases.
Fortunately, the children, who had been picking plants for a bouquet, only woke up the next morning with red and irritated skin, according to the Invasive Species Council, which shared the family's story.
"They got out of bed, and I was shocked to see their faces puffed up with blisters," Sandra Nimmo told the ISCBC, adding that the children weren’t seriously hurt.
“They laughed when they saw their faces in the mirror, and it only took about a week and a half to clear their skin.”
Myrtle spurge, or euphorbia myrsinites, is described as an extremely aggressive invasive species from the Mediterranean that can quickly take over gardens and other green spaces.
If ingested, the plant can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. To cause blindness, the sap has to come into contact with someone's eyes.
The Invasive Species Council said Myrtle spurge is recognizable by its small, yellow flowers and light blue-green leaves, which are sharp and spiral closely around the stem. The plant grows 10 to 15 cm tall and forms a "low, spreading mound," according to the ISCBC.
Myrtle spurge is seen in an image from the Invasive Species Council of B.C.
The plants are mostly found in the Okanagan, where they thrive in its warm climate and dry soil. They’re also sometimes found for sale at garden centres, despite being provincially regulated.
"With our PlantWise program, we are working with growers, retailers, and consumers to spread the word about which invasive species shouldn’t be sold and grown in B.C.," ISCBC's Allison McCabe said in a statement. "Great alternatives to Myrtle spurge include Lanceleaf Stonecrop (sedum lanceolatum), a beautiful native succulent that thrives in hot, dry conditions.”
The Invasive Species Council of B.C. said people can find more alternatives through its Grow Me Instead website. Anyone who has been in contact with Myrtle spurge or another invasive species is urged to report it online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.