You can understand why it may be a really bad idea to be close to a sandbox tree when the fruits are dry and seed dispersal begins.Īlthough the sandbox tree is widely thought of as being a dangerous tree, it does have a few uses. The seeds themselves can fly up to 46 feet (14 meters) away from the tree at a speed of up to 150 m/h (242 km/h). When the fruits dry out, they literally explode, sending the seeds flying. This is why the cute pumpkin fruits are possibly the most dangerous part. The method the sandbox tree uses is dispersal via explosion. It uses a method that has far more impact and makes sure that the seeds do leave the parent tree. The sandbox tree doesn’t use wind, water, or animals to disperse its seeds. More importantly, it can cause blindness if it gets into the eyes.Īll of that is nothing compared to the danger posed by one of the smallest parts of the sandbox tree: the seeds. The sap of the tree is quite toxic and can cause bad itching and a horrible rash on the skin. The seeds are not dangerously poisonous, but they can cause an extremely upset stomach with diarrhea and vomiting.
Then we have the bark and leaves, which contain poison that can be deadly. Climbing the tree is practically impossible.Įven if there is a chance of trying to get anywhere up the tree, the spikes are likely to win the battle.
The most obvious dangerous part of the tree is the spikes, which act as physical armor. In fact, it is highly recommended to steer clear of it if possible and never to plant one in your garden. The sandbox tree is not one to be trifled with. This means you may come across one of these trees in northern Mississippi. Mississippi has a warm, humid subtropical climate, which are the conditions that the sandbox tree grows in. It also grows naturally in humid conditions. The tree needs a lot of water, but in the form of gentle rainfall spread through most of the year. Hura Crepitans (or the sandbox tree) naturally occur in tropical regions of South America, but it can also be found in some areas of northern America. They may look cute, but their exterior hides what they are really like. They are rounded, 1-2 inches (3-5 cms) high, and 2-3 inches (5-8 cms) in diameter, and they look like fat little pumpkins. The fruits appear to be the most friendly, even cute parts of the tree. The male flowers are long clusters of dark pinky-red clumps. The female flowers look something like a multi-legged starfish: round in shape, with about 15 ‘legs’. There are female and male flowers on the tree, which means that it is self-pollinating. They are usually quite close together but can grow so wide that they actually touch.Ĭompared to the scariness and toughness of the trunk, the leaves of the sandbox tree are quite friendly looking: rounded heart-shaped leaves up to 23 inches (60 cm) long. The spikes that cover the trunk of the sandbox tree are about one inch (2.5 cm) long and about 1.5 inches (4 cm) round at the base. The trunk can have a diameter of up to 3.3 ft (1 m). The sandbox tree is a magnificent tree that is used to competing for the sun in its natural forest habitat, so it can grow very tall: over 100 feet (30 meters). The fruits of the tree were cut across the top and used to hold the sand, just like a little sandbox. Before blotting paper was invented, very fine sand was used to absorb the excess ink from writing. The name ‘sandbox tree’ comes from the time when people wrote with pen and ink. This is definitely a case of ‘monkey – no climb!’ Hence, the name. To understand where this fun name comes from, you just need to think about a monkey trying to climb up a trunk that is covered in wicked spikes. The most obtuse of these is ‘ sandbox tree’, while possibly the most obvious is ‘monkey-no-climb tree’. The Hura Crepitans has a few common names, depending on the region in which it’s found. Hura Crepitans is part of the Euphorbia tree family and lives predominantly in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America.
Most commonly known as the sandbox tree, this is the spiky tree in northern Mississippi. The spiky tree in northern Mississippi is Hura Crepitans. What is this Spiky Tree in Northern Mississippi? In fact, this particular tree is so efficient at protecting itself and dispersing its own seeds, it’s a wonder it hasn’t overrun the whole world. That doesn’t sound like a very friendly tree, does it? Lethal spikes, poisonous leaves, exploding fruit.