The Poisonous Tree From The White Lotus Is Real & Has Killed Way More People Than You Expect
Death looms over the third Season of The White Lotus. That was creator Mike White’s clear intention, and it all unraveled in the finale. One question that viewers might have had throughout the series was if the mysterious and lethal Pong Pong tree was real.
In the season premiere, the Ratliff’s butler Pam (Morgana O’Reilly) explains to the family that the tree that grows in the resort is extremely poisonous and suggests not to eat the tree because it can result in death. After a week of suicidal thoughts due to his company being investigated by the FBI, Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs) decides to do a murder-suicide plot where he poisons his family by blending the Pong Pong fruit seeds together into a Piña Colada. The family Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), and Victoria (Parker Posey) all drink the poisoned cocktail (not knowing that their father had put it in their drinks), except for the youngest Lochlan (Sam Nivola).
Related: Every Death in The White Lotus from Season 1 to 3
The next day, the family wakes up fine. Lochlan decides to follow in his brother’s footsteps and make himself a protein shake. However, he doesn’t clean the blender from the night before, and some of the remnants of the Pong Pong seeds spill into the drink. Lochlan naively drinks his concoction and feels extremely sick in the moments after. He faints and Timothy finds his somewhat lifeless body, but his son miraculously awakens (both physically and spiritually). It’s a life lesson for the patriarch that his family’s life is more precious than he previously thought.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available. Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential counseling.
Is the poisonous tree from The White Lotus real?
Yes, the poisonous Pong Pong tree is real and can have devastating effects on the human body. According to National Geographic, symptoms from consuming the fruit of the tree can occur within about 20 to 30 minutes, as the body’s defense system prompts nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to flush the poison from the system. Hence, why we see Lochlan throw up profusely and pass out. The chemical responsible is Cerberin, which is a glycoside that attacks the heart and is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Within an hour, death could be a big possibility with the fruit seeds helping slow down the heart functions. “It will basically override the polarization within the body that’s required for the heart muscle to contract and relax,” Owen McDougal, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Boise State University, told the magazine. “Without the impulse and relaxation phases, the heart muscle just stops working.”
How many people have died from the Pong Pong tree?
The Pong Pong tree has been a popular choice for poison in Southeast Asia and South Asia for centuries. The tree has been used for suicide, homicide, and witchcraft. A study from 2004 suggested that 3,000 people a year die from ingesting the Pong Pong seeds. However, a majority of the deaths occur in rural areas where treatment is rare.
At least six people had cases of digesting the Pong Pong seeds in the US in 2018, according to a medical study. In one case, the Pong Pong seed was ingested by a woman who bought a weight loss powder treatment online that had the seeds included in it.
Like what the HBO show exemplifies, the seed gives off a bitter taste which makes animals not want to eat more of it. “Animals come and eat it once, and the taste puts them off eating anymore. It’s a defense mechanism.”
