The Mandevilla is one of the most popular climbing plants for the living room at home, and its popularity has increased significantly since the turn of the millennium. It is also known under the name Dipladenia, which is merely a synonym, and as a special cultivar Sundaville, which was created by the Japanese company Suntory on the basis of the Mandevilla sanderi. The tropical plant is adorned with attractive flowers and rich, green foliage, but one question remains, is the Mandevilla poisonous?
Dipladenia - a dogbane plant
The Dipladenia is a plant in the dogbane family (botanically Apocynaceae), which originally occurs in about one hundred species in South and Central America. The tropical plant is a welcome guest in Germany due to the long flowering period from April to winter, as the flowers come in many different colours. Like many other dogbane plants, for example the oleander, the question arises as to whether the plant is poisonous and how strong the effect is.
Poisonous?
The Sundaville and other varieties of the plant are poisonous in all parts of the plant and therefore should not be consumed. The roots are particularly strong in the concentration of the poison. However, it is extremely weakly dosed compared to other dogbane plants. In and of itself, there is no danger from the toxicity of the plant, but the following symptoms can occur once parts have been eaten or chewed on, such as the leaves:
- Stomach complaints, in rare cases diarrhea
- burning and itching in the mouth, throat and throat
Adults won't really have any problems with the Mandeville, other than an upset stomach. Small children, however, should not eat, chew or lick any of the plant parts, as the symptoms are much more severe here. This is also the case with pets. The smaller and more sensitive the pet, the higher the effect. Dogs tend to stay away from Dipladenia, but cats have this habit of chewing on plants. Out of sheer caution, keep the Sundaville away from cats to protect them. Likewise, turtles should not eat the leaves, as they often experience dogbane cravings.
Notice: It is also important that pets and small children do not put any parts of the Mandevilla in their mouths due to the numerous chemicals. Because the tropical plants are heavily bred and frequently sprayed with insect repellents or fertilizers, these could be ingested through the mouth, which is not healthy.
The milky juice
The milky sap produced by the Sundaville, which is also found in all parts of the plant, is more toxic than the plant parts themselves. This has the highest effect of the contained toxins and should neither be eaten nor touched. When caring for the mandevilla, be careful not to tear off any leaves, flowers or shoots, as this could get the milky sap on the skin. Likewise, this can happen if you prune the Mandevilla in spring. The Dipladenia produces the milky sap all year round and for this reason you must be careful if you touch it without gloves. The symptoms:
- skin irritation
- Stomach discomfort if drops of the milky juice are drunk
It is important that you carry out any pruning care on the Mandevilla with gloves so as not to touch the milky sap. While the milky sap of the Sundaville has no side effects on humans, it can become quite uncomfortable over time. Depending on how much milky juice you touched, the itching intensifies. You should therefore make sure that you wear gloves, especially with large specimens, as you can come into contact with a considerable amount of milky juice. Even small cuts are enough to allow the juice to drip onto your skin.
disposal
Due to the low toxicity of the Dipladenia and Sundaville, it is necessary that you do not dispose of the green waste of the plant on the compost. If you were to use the compost made from the Mandevilla for vegetables, it could negatively affect the growth of other plants. Therefore, you should only dispose of the cut leaves and shoots with household waste. So you can be sure that your pets will not get to the cut leaves and eat them.
Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is the name of a drink, more precisely a brew made from different plants, which is produced in Central and South America. The Mandevilla, despite its rather lower toxicity, is also used for this potion, which consists of the following main components:
- Banisteriopsis caapi, a tropical liana
- Psychotria viridis, a tropical tree
- other DMT-containing plants, often poisonous
DMT is short for dimethyltryptamine. An alkaloid that induces hallucinations and for this reason is used by the local people for ayahuasca. Mandevilla is also a component of the drink here, causing hallucinations, motor impairments and the ability to hear better. In addition, numerous side effects such as stomach problems, diarrhea or vomiting can be observed. A hallucinating effect was not found in the mandevilles, which makes them quite safe in your own four walls. They are mostly used to increase the effect of the potion.
Notice: Despite the potency of this brew, it is not banned in many South American countries. The reason for this is the use in spiritual customs that depend on this drink.