Succulent graphed to a cactu

[Hermit447]

I'm new to cactus so please excuse if I make a FoxPaw.

First the story. My wife and I were in Lowes. She handed me a plant and said I should buy it. It looked like a wrinkled fan on a fat handle. It was labeled Coral Cactus, Rhipsalis cereuscula. When I got home I spent a few minutes on the web and found that it was likely a Eurphorbia lacteal crest graphed onto a cactus stem.

Now the question. Assuming my sleuthing was correct, is it common to use the botanical name of the graph root plant when referring to the whole?

Now the comment. If I'm correct this plant is poison, the succulent part that is. However it was not marked as such. I called the store and told the plant "manager" what I had found. Don't know what happened-likely nothing.

One more question. Is it common not to include a poison warnings on plants?

Thank you,
PS I kept the plant and am keeping it well out of reach.

[Carl_B]

It looks like the entire label was a bust as the stock will most likely be Hylocereus undatus or similar when referring to a grafted plant it is usual to describe it by the scion (the actual grafted bit) as that's most likely the bit anyone's interested in, as to labeling poisonous plants I would think it varies however I have never seen a plant labeled as such for the simple reason that it would put buyers off although I have seen labels stating "not for human consumption" on ornamental crab apples and fruit plants from garden centres which already have ripe fruit attached.

[CactusFanDan]

It looks like the entire label was a bust as the stock will most likely be Hylocereus undatus or similar when referring to a grafted plant it is usual to describe it by the scion (the actual grafted bit) as that's most likely the bit anyone's interested in, as to labeling poisonous plants I would think it varies however I have never seen a plant labeled as such for the simple reason that it would put buyers off although I have seen labels stating "not for human consumption" on ornamental crab apples and fruit plants from garden centres which already have ripe fruit attached.

No, the stock has to be a Euphorb. Latex and cactus sap doesn't mix.

It's most likely Euphorbia lactea cristata on Euphorbia trigona or similar. Sounds like you got he most incorrect label in history. Also the sap is only really toxic if you have a latex allergy. E. lactea doesn't have particularly toxic sap. Euphorbia resinifera is a nasty one for poisonous/chemical deterrent.

[Saxicola]

Dan is correct, you can only graft a Euphorbia with another Euphorbia. But a lot of succulent Euphorbias look like a cactus so it is easy to make that mistake. I wouldn't worry about it being poisonous. Unless you have a young child that would smash the plant and get sap in their eyes it won't be a problem. It is only mildly toxic and even if you get the latex on your skin it won't do much if you wash it shortly after. A large number of the plants people grow (succulent and non-succulent) are toxic to one degree or another.

[Carl_B]

Oh that's interesting to know I assumed it would be like those lollipop cactus but of course thinking about it all cactus are related so of course it would be grafted on another cactus where as "succulent" describes a huge selection of unrelated plants which would need to be grafted with other related plants

[DaveW]

People pull out labels to read them and put them back in the wrong plants, or they fall out in transit and some shop assistant just sticks them back anywhere, particularly if they are not familiar with the plants. As everybody has said the name usually refers to the scion rather than the stock, whatever they are grafted on.

I doubt the manager would know whether you were correct either, he might know the difference between patio furniture and a lawn mower, but not Succulent plants!

The toxicity of Euphorbia sap depends on species and most are OK if you don't ingest it or get in on the skin, if you do wash it of quick preferably under running water:-

http://www.theamateursdigest.com/epoisons.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Euphorbiaceae is a massive family containing both succulent and non succulent plants, some are even grown as garden plants.

[Hermit447]

Thank you one and all for your responses. Educational and fun.