When taking a cutting from my pencil cactus, a thick white sap is produced. I've been informed that the sap is poisonous. Is this accurate? If so how - by ingestion? Certainly not by touch, or I'd be dead by now. Any information would be appreciated.
This is true to a certain extent for all members of Euphorbia. When my daughter was a baby, she pulled a E. trigona (candleabra cactus) over onto herself. I washed off the sap, not thinking anything more about it. That evening her head was full of blisters and my face was on fire (from kissing her on the top of the head). This past Christmas, my stupid cat decided to chew the Poinsettia. No problem there. But the OTHER stupid cat walked past the bleeding plant and got the sap into his eyes. The poor cat couldn't open his eyes for nearly a week. It's a wonderful genus. Some of my favorite plants are in it. But it's just something you gotta know if you raise them.
