Good to know before you go to a garden center:you have poisonous flowers and plants:beautiful, but deadly. Flowers and plants are indispensable in our lives:whether it's a birthday, wedding, Mother's Day or a little extra, flowers and plants are part of us. You can find these in different colors, shapes, with and without scent.
It is a personalized gift for many occasions and especially women love flowers. Flowers and plants, they are so beautiful… But what if these flowers and plants that we find so beautiful could be poisonous and deadly? In this article you will find a list of poisonous flowers and plants:beautiful, but deadly.
We start with the least poisonous flower, the Western crimson berry. The plant is originally from North America, but has since become naturalized in Europe and can be found everywhere. The flowers that form before the berries arrive on the plant are small and quite beautiful. Unfortunately, when consumed, the flower still contains enough poison to cause a lot of trouble.
It starts with gagging and vomiting, then the symptoms get worse. You start to sweat, get cramps, you start to feel weak and the body starts to shiver. After this you can suffer from diarrhea and you give up blood. Finally, you will have to deal with convulsions. If you are really unlucky and react violently to the poison in this flower, you will first lose consciousness, then fall into a coma and in the worst case you could die.
Brugmansias can be divided into 7 types and are very similar to the well-known datura. Originally they are exotic plants that come from South America. The flowers are very beautiful to see. Especially in view of the fact that from the 7 original species, by means of crossing, etc., very special flowers have arisen, with the most diverse colors. However, the following applies to all these flowers:they are beautiful, but very poisonous!
This does not only apply to humans, but also to animals. One of the symptoms is dilation of the pupils, as well as having two differently sized pupils. The flower is deadly! Due to the high poison content in these flowers, there are countries that have banned the import of these flowers/plants.
This is the same flower from which the drug opium is made. The flower itself is quite beautiful to look at. Opium, morphine and heroin are made from the papaver somniferum. Opium consists of the dried white milky juice of this plant. The poppy or poppy contains a number of alkaloids, of which codeine and morphine are especially important.
The drug will eventually lead to a slow death, but latex in the plants themselves can speed up this process. This can cause the lungs to collapse, cause cardiac arrest or put the victim in a coma. Unfortunately, there are still countries where opium is prescribed as a kind of medicine.
The poppy therefore also falls under the name poisonous flower! It is remarkable, however, that the seeds of the poppy are edible. That is because the so-called poppy seed, something that almost everyone has eaten.
Small is beautiful! The Lilies of the Valley are used as medicine on the one hand, while the plant is highly poisonous on the other. This applies not only to the flowers, but to all parts of the plant. Lily of the valley contain certain glycosides, which can cause heart problems. However, the pharmaceutical industry has modified these substances and uses the Lily of the Valley as a heart medicine. For the ordinary person, there is no harm in looking at it, but do not consume it!
Digitalis or foxglove has very beautiful flowers. In the most diverse colors it is a favorite flower/plant for many plant lovers. The foxglove, just like the Lilies of the Valley, is used as a medicine, but on the other hand it is poisonous and can cause a lot of trouble. Symptoms to expect after poisoning:diarrhea, decreased vision, hallucinations, and very low heart rate, which in some cases can lead to death.
As already indicated, the datura is often confused with the angel's trumpet. Flowers of the datura are beautiful to see, but here too the following applies:better stay away from them! The plant is rich in alkaloids and poisonous in its entirety, not just the flowers. Symptoms of poisoning include:reddening of the skin, dry mouth, restlessness, drowsiness and/or hallucinations. Confusion, enlargement of the pupils, cardiac arrhythmias, unconsciousness and falling into a coma. All these symptoms can lead to death.
A beautiful plant to see, but keeping your distance is highly desirable. The plant contains the following toxic substances:poisonous milk juice, flavonoids and various other toxic substances. This makes the orleander very poisonous! Although there are various 'medicines' for sale online that contain orleander, it is better to stay away from it.
Even the mainstream pharmaceutical industry stays away from orleander because of its high poison content. Symptoms of poisoning include:vomiting, diarrhea, excessive saliva production, and severe abdominal pain. Furthermore, dizziness, heart rhythm disorder, shivering, seizures and coma resulting in death.
Spotted hemlock is a plant from the umbel family. The flowers of this plant are quite small and less conspicuous, but this does not alter the fact that the plant is poisonous and deadly. Not only toxic to humans, but also to animals. The plant is widely distributed in the Netherlands. The poison in this plant (all parts of the Conium maculatum are poisonous) acts on the central nervous system. For example, the poisoning will initially cause total paralysis, after which breathing will also be blocked. The consequence of this can be guessed…
The plant can be found everywhere, including in the Netherlands. They belong to the nightshade plant family. The whole plant contains poisonous alkaloids and is extremely poisonous. Especially the berries, which are very attractive to many children, should be avoided. Consumption of all parts of the plant can cause a slow and painful death.
It starts with symptoms like:dilated pupils, blurred vision, balance disorder, headache, rash and hallucinations etc. These symptoms progress to the failure of various bodily functions, including breathing, which will eventually lead to death.
A plant that is adorned with very beautiful flowers, which it is better not to touch at all. The plant is poisonous and the poisonous sap should not even come into contact with the skin. The poison can penetrate through the pores of the skin and thus cause poisoning. Unfortunately, a few drops are enough for an instant death. The flowers are suitable as cut flowers, but with the aforementioned points in mind, it is better to think carefully about whether you really want to have these flowers in your home.
Conclusion poisonous flowers and plants:beautiful, but deadly
Flowers and plants are beautiful, but know what you get in your house and garden! Especially with (small) children and animals in the vicinity, it is advisable to consult a book or the internet regarding the toxicity of some flowers and plants.
What do you think of the above list? Is it a reason to stop buying a certain flower or plant or do you think it's all exaggerated? Let me know in a comment below this article.
