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
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.