Don't Let Your Kids Play in the Plants at McMenamins Edgefield, Lawsuit Warns

A Florida family is suing the Portland bar and hotel chain McMenamins for $85,500, claiming their children suffered rashes from playing in poisonous plant beds at the McMenamins Edgefield resort in Troutdale.

The Zuk family filed the lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Tuesday. The Gresham Outlook first reported the suit on Thursday.

The Zuks say they were visiting Edgefield last July when their sons, then ages 2 and 4, played in the landscaped plant beds outside the Loading Dock restaurant. The family claims the children were seen playing in the plants by the restaurant's wait staff, along with other children—but no one warned the Zuks the beds contained poisonous plants.

The suit says the next day both boys developed rashes on their faces, and were taken to an emergency room in Bremerton, Wash.

Their parents claim when they called McMenamains, a company "botanist" immediately identified the poisonous plant as euphorbia.

Euphorbia is an ornamental plant that secretes a toxic milky wax.

The suit says the Zuks' now-5-year-old son, Mason, developed a rash on his face.

"The rash on Mason's face subsided somewhat over time, but it is still visible, especially when Mason is in the sun or exercises," the suit says. "The rash has not changed for several months, and for that reason the Zuks believe it will be permanent."

A McMenamins spokeswoman has not yet returned calls from WW seeking comment.

WWeek 2015