Poisonous Poinsettia Plants

When your Aunt Wendy comes to visit for Christmas and starts freaking out about the poinsettia sitting on the dining room table, she's not completely off her rocker. Rumor has it that these popular Christmas plants are poisonous. It all started in 1919 when a doctor claimed a two year-old girl died from eating a poinsettia leaf.

Not surprisingly, florists have a hard time trying to sell any plant that people believe is poisonous. In fact, customers who have received poinsettias as gifts often try and exchange their plant for a different one. If you were trying to convince the public poinsettias are harmless, how far would you go? Can you believe that some people are willing to go as far as eating the leaves on TV?

Laurie Scullin is more than willing to scarf down a leaf or two every year just to prove that these plants won't kill you. They aren't edible either, but apparently, the thick, white, gooey looking sap doesn't bother Laurie a bit. Or the bitter taste. He's willing to do what he has to, to prove that the rumor about poinsettias being poisonous is nothing more than a myth.

What do you think? Has this guy lost his marbles? Does he really eat the leaves or is he just making it up? Take our poll and see what others think. Or drop us a note.

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