09.13.2018 at 16:38 · oksioksi · 1 450

10 poisonous plants that should not be kept at home

Indoor plants are available in many houses and apartments. They are very popular due not only to their beauty, but also to their ability to release oxygen, make indoor air cleaner, and create an atmosphere of home comfort. Some indoor plants are medicinal and even edible. However, not all representatives of the plant world are beneficial to human health. You should figure out which indoor plants are best to avoid (especially if there are pets or small children living in the apartment).

10. Monstera

Some people think that this plant releases carbon dioxide and absorbs oxygen, as a result of which a person may begin to suffocate during night sleep. However, at the moment this theory has not been confirmed. This plant is dangerous if its juice gets on the skin or mucous membrane: it can cause irritation and an allergic reaction. Monstera can be kept in a living space, but it should be placed where children and pets cannot reach it.

9. Oleander

This plant always looks very beautiful, but it is extremely dangerous to human health. Even honey, which is obtained from oleander nectar, can be fatal. The cause of death among people was also the pollen of such flowers: under no circumstances should it enter the human body. Even the smell of oleander can cause a significant deterioration in well-being and dizziness. The juice of this plant should not come into contact with the skin or mucous membranes: it can cause burns.

8. Primrose

Thanks to the velvety leaves, small size, and large number of beautiful shades, this plant is very popular among housewives. However, not everyone knows that it can significantly worsen a person’s well-being. When the primrose begins to bloom, it releases harmful substances that cause dizziness and nausea. Its leaves have small fibers that cause a burning sensation. To avoid this, you will need to wash your hands immediately after touching the primrose.

7. Trichocereus

This indoor plant poses a great danger to human health. Trichocereus produces the alkaloid mescaline, which has a very negative effect on the central nervous system: because of this substance, a person can be paralyzed. Additionally, visual hallucinations may occur due to exposure to this poisonous plant. It is necessary to ensure that trichocereus does not come into contact with human skin. Otherwise, she may lose sensitivity for a while.

6. Croton

Many people love this plant for the interesting reddish-green color of its leaves. It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family. Croton looks like a small tree. Its leaves are elongated, its flowers are rather inconspicuous. If the juice of this completely harmless-looking plant gets on a person’s skin, a burn occurs. If it somehow enters the body (for example, through wounds on the skin), more severe consequences arise - even death.

5. Nightshade

This plant is evergreen and has a very aesthetic appearance. However, it should be borne in mind that all its parts are poisonous. Nightshade's attractive orange berries are particularly dangerous to the human body. This plant should not be kept indoors if a small child lives in it. The baby will almost certainly be interested in beautiful berries, and he will decide to find out what they taste like. As a result, the child will suffer from severe indigestion.

4. Euphorbia

This plant looks like a small palm tree. Euphorbia is so called because of its juice, which is similar in color to milk. The juice of this plant is very dangerous for the human body - as are its seeds. If they come into contact with the skin, they will cause blisters and irritation. Particular care must be taken to ensure that parts of this plant do not get into the eyes, otherwise they will become inflamed. Temporary blindness may even occur. People poisoned by milkweed begin to become delirious, experience convulsions and dizziness.

3. Philodendron

Many people love this plant for its beautiful, dense greenery and ease of care, but not everyone knows that it must be handled with the utmost care, trying not to damage it. It contains toxic substances that pose a danger to people and pets. However, philodendron juice can only be harmful if it gets on the mucous membranes or skin. An intact plant is absolutely safe. To avoid trouble, you need to place the philodendron on high shelves: there, animals and children will not be able to reach it.

2. Gesner Tulip

This tulip blooms very beautifully. The flowers of this plant have a variety of shades: from red to yellowish. Extracts from the Gesner tulip are used in folk medicine, but in its pure form it is dangerous to human health. It is not recommended to stay near this beautiful flower for too long, otherwise a problem such as partial hair loss may arise later. Regarding the use of the Gesner tulip extract for medical purposes, people who are poorly versed in this or have insufficient experience are better off choosing other treatment methods.

1. Azalea

This plant is very popular among housewives because it blooms very profusely and beautifully (if you care for it properly). However, it should be borne in mind that its juice is dangerous for humans. If you swallow nectar or a piece of azalea leaf, lacrimation, nausea, excessive salivation, nasal discharge, and convulsions will occur. Its flowers have a very strong smell, which can cause an allergic reaction. It will manifest itself as headaches and skin rashes.

Readers' Choice:

Mother Nature is mysterious. At times she is benevolent, like a real mother, but sometimes she becomes as cruel as people treat her. Life is beautiful, and to protect it, nature has developed protective mechanisms for all living beings. Some of the living organisms have developed a defense system, namely a toxic poison that is strong enough to kill when necessary.

Many people are afraid of spiders and poisonous snakes, but few people know that there are beautiful plants and flowers that can be as poisonous as insects and reptiles. Today, it is known that more than 100,000 people are affected by poisonous plants every year. We have compiled a ranking of the most dangerous plants that you need to stay away from.

1. Wisteria

These are beautiful purple flowers that grow in Japan, parts of the US and China. Wisteria trees are quite strong and can reach 10 meters in height. Although the flowers look quite charming, they are believed to be highly toxic.

Using any part of the bush can lead to the following consequences:

• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Fever and diarrhea.

Treatment is quite simple: you need to take anti-nausea medications and drink plenty of fluids.

2. Prayer Abrus

It is a perennial plant that grows around trees. Its height can reach 6-8 meters. The main feature of the plant is its small boxes that are pea-shaped. When ripe, they open to form red seeds. That's why they are toxic. In fact, one seed can produce enough poison to kill a person. They produce abrin, which is one of the most powerful poisons known to man.

Departure symptoms:

• Fever.
• Gastrointestinal disorders.
• Excitability.
• Diarrhea, colic, salivation and vomiting.

3. Oleander

This is a phanerophyte shrub that has a stem reaching 3-5 meters in height. The flowers of the plant are a calyx with a dense glandular structure inside, and the seed pods are red-brown in color. The plant can be found in the desert, steppe, among small bushes and in Mediterranean forests. Flowers, seeds, leaves, bark and roots are poisonous.

Consumption of any part of the flower may result in:

• Tachycardia or bradycardia.
• Visual impairment.
• Drowsiness and fatigue.
• Abdominal cramps and vomiting.

4. European yew

This is one of the oldest trees in Europe. The European yew usually grows slowly, but can reach 40 meters in height. The leaves of the plant are dark green, flat and narrow. Every millimeter of the plant is toxic. When dried, the toxicity of the plant increases significantly.

Consumption of poisonous parts of the plant may cause:

• Cardiac arrest.
• Impaired blood circulation.
• Labored breathing.
• Convulsions, muscle spasms, tachycardia.

5. Tevetia, Yellow Oleander or Lucky Nut

This is a beautiful evergreen plant that originates from tropical America. The plant grows up to 5-7 meters in height, and blooms all year round. All parts of the bush are toxic due to the presence of glycosides in them, which the body carefully concentrates in the heart muscle. Seed kernels are known to contain the highest concentration of toxins of any part of the plant.

If you eat a few, you may experience:

• Burning sensation in the mouth, burn of the mouth and throat.
• Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
• Dizziness and dilated pupils.
• Irregular heartbeat and heart failure.

6. Aconite

These are dark blue flowers with straight and tall stems. The plant originates from mountainous regions of Europe such as Switzerland. Aconite prefers the humid environment of alpine meadows. Moreover, the most poisonous parts of the plant are the roots, especially the subspecies of the Aconitum napellus flower. Victims of poisoning by this plant suffer from disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, and central nervous system.

Common symptoms include:

• Muscle weakness and numbness of the face.
• Ventricular ectopic and sinus tachycardia.
• Pain in the abdomen and chest.
• Vomiting and hypotension.

7. Castor beans

This plant grows in East and Northeast Africa, as well as the Middle East. As a rule, it grows from 1 to 10 meters in height. The plant has small leaves, the width of which can reach 30 centimeters. The round fruits are covered with soft bristles containing seeds called pods. The seed contains the toxin ricin, which is one of the most poisonous compounds known to man.

Ingestion of poisonous parts causes:

• Heavy bleeding in the intestines and stomach.
• Severe bleeding lesions of the esophagus and mouth.

8. Cestrum

These are small shrubs and trees that originate from Central and South America. The plant has greenish-white flowers and light-colored berries. Unripe fruits produce solanine. This substance is toxic, causing disruption of the digestive tract and affecting the central nervous system. Solanine poisoning causes:

• Diarrhea, headache, vomiting, nausea.
• Hallucinations and disorientation.
• Irritability, anxiety, redness of the facial skin.

9. Melia Azedarah

This plant grows in tropical Asia. Sometimes it reaches up to 20 meters in height, has wide spreading branches. The fruits are golden pea-shaped balls that hang from the plant during the fall and winter. The seeds usually have a sour taste and a nauseating odor. Moreover, it contains most of all alkaloids. The plant contains a powerful toxin that damages the human digestive system even if just a few grains are ingested. The fruits are poisonous, but the roots, flowers, bark and leaves are much more toxic.

Symptoms of poisoning:

• Diarrhea and intense vomiting.
• Abdominal pain.
• During the poisoning process, the person's tongue becomes numb and he cannot speak.

10. Hemlock

This plant belongs to the same family as parsley and can grow up to 2 meters in height. Hemlock primarily grows in humid areas and has a root stem similar to a sweet potato. The leaves are large and wide, and the flowers resemble those characteristic of carrots or parsnips.

If ingested, poisonous hemlock can cause:

• Excessive salivation.
• Nervousness, weak pulse, dilated pupils, tremors, weakness and headache.
• Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain.

Finally

Many poisonous plants are similar to their edible counterparts. For example, hemlock is similar to wild carrot. Your best chance of avoiding poisonous plants is to be able to identify them using the information above.

These dangerous plants are less known than nettles, although many of them burn much more severely. At the same time, they can be found in your favorite park, along the sidewalk along which you walk to work, on the green lawn where you decided to have a picnic.

1. Hogweed Sosnovsky

This giant "dill" with large white inflorescences on thick stems can reach three meters in height. If you see one like this, don't come close.

Contains furanocoumarins, which deprive the skin of ultraviolet protection. Therefore, burns and large blisters appear on the affected areas even under the gentle morning or evening sun. And if the juice gets on the mucous membranes of the eyes, you can go blind.

To be fair, let’s say that there are also non-dangerous species of hogweed. Some of them are even eaten. For example, for preparing borscht, hence the name.

But if you are not a botanist and are not sure that specific umbrellas and the stems with leaves located under them are harmless, it is better not to risk it.

2. Meadow parsnip

This is also an umbrella plant. True, smaller and with faded yellow inflorescences. Parsnip juice and pollen contains Parsnip psoralens are substances that, like furanocoumarins in hogweed, increase skin sensitivity to sunlight. The result is (stripes, spots, rashes, blisters) that appear on the affected area within 24 hours after contact. Parsnips are considered the most dangerous during the flowering period, that is, in July - August.

3. Buttercup

The name sounds gentle, even touching, but this plant is only a flower in appearance (yes, yellow, beautiful). The berries begin after contact.

Poisonous buttercup juice BUTTERCUP causes serious skin irritation - with itching and blisters. Once in the mouth and nose, flower pollen provokes coughing and laryngeal spasms.

So it’s absolutely not worth collecting buttercup bouquets and smelling them.

4. Larkspur (delphinium)

This plant is also from the insidious family of buttercups, although it seems that its tall stems, covered with small blue and purple flowers, do not in any way resemble a buttercup.

When in contact with skin, larkspur sap and pollen can cause irritation, similar to what occurs when coming into contact with stinging nettle.

Sometimes delphinium flowers are bred as. In this case, you can work with them only with gloves, and also keep children and pets away from the flowers.

5. Lumbago (sleep-grass)

Another relative of the seemingly harmless but predatory buttercup. Its juice contains poisonous alkaloids that cause inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, it is advisable to wear gloves when picking such flowers.

6. Poison Oak

This beautiful shrub with almost glossy leaves saturated with juice belongs to the genus of toxicodendrons - “toxic trees”, if this name is literally translated from Latin.

Its leaves and stems contain urushiol oil. Allergies to Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. It irritates the skin and can cause severe allergies - an itchy red rash with bumps and blisters.

According to experts from the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), severe reactions even require POISONOUS PLANTS emergency medical care.

7. Poison ivy

The closest relative of poison oak, and its habits are the same. It is easy to distinguish it from other ivy: each poisonous ivy branch ends in three glossy leaves. Depending on the season, the leaves can be either green or beautiful yellow, orange and even red.

8. Yasenets (burning bush)

Ash forms a slender bush with many beautiful inflorescences and is often used as a decoration for gardens. But this spectacular plant is dangerous. When its seeds ripen, a huge amount is released. If you bring a match to a plant, a flame will flare up above it. In this case, the ash tree itself will not be harmed. This curious feature was the reason for the appearance of the second name - the burning bush.

You cannot touch the ash tree without gloves and closed clothing. BURNING BUSH. You won't feel anything right away, but after about a day, burns with blisters may appear on the affected area of ​​skin. Later, the blisters will burst, and scars will remain in their place.

9. Euphorbia

You can touch the castor bean. But you shouldn’t pick it: if you accidentally damage the skin of the fruit, you may get a dose of ricin. If ingested (for example, from poorly washed hands), this substance may cause A Case of Castor Bean Poisoning to the development of gastroenteritis, including death. Additional side effects are neurological disorders and damage to the mucous membranes of the eyes.

How to make sure that you have a poisonous plant in front of you

It is quite difficult to distinguish a dangerous plant from a safe one. Often, only a professional botanist can cope with this task. Therefore, there is only one piece of advice: if in doubt, it is better not to approach.

Bookworms can use the PlantNet app. Just take a photo of the plant, indicate your location (to speed up the search) - and get the most likely name of your flower.

What to do if you touch a poisonous plant

1. Rinse your skin as quickly as possible with running water or at least wipe with a damp cloth.
2. Apply an antihistamine cream to the affected area to reduce symptoms of irritation.
3. Take an antihistamine. Any will do, just follow the instructions carefully.
4. If we are talking about contact with plants that increase skin sensitivity to sunlight, try to hide from the sun over the next few days: spend more time indoors and wear long sleeves.

Gifts of nature such as flowers and plants decorate our lives, making the world around us more vibrant and interesting. Beautiful magnolias, graceful lotuses or passionate roses - these and many other flowers have become an integral part of our everyday life.

However, in addition to the charming aroma, external beauty and beneficial properties, there are also plants that are harmful to any living creature, even in small quantities. These are the ones we will talk about in our rating. Getting to know them will certainly help you in the future. Knowing what they look like can save your life if you ever come across these plants.

The family of these plants is very large and includes more than thirty species, however, the most common types you probably know are the famous “poison ivy” and “poison oak”.

The chance of stumbling upon such trees is great, mainly in different parts of America and Asia. They contain urushiol oil, and it can cause a fairly serious allergic reaction in humans.

The history of the origin of names for these plants is also interesting. Most often, plants were named for their allergic properties and phenotypic similarity with other plants or trees that are not related to them. For example, poison oak is not actually a tree at all, but is only named so because its leaves are similar to those of white oak.

You can come across this herbaceous plant throughout almost the entire European territory and temperate parts of Asia. It prefers rocky places, bushes and calcareous soil.

The oils contained in this plant can pose an immediate danger to people. Upon contact with skin, they can cause severe chemical burns that heal rather slowly. Therefore, you cannot smell the ash tree, much less touch it.

Despite this danger, the plant is often used in ornamental gardening. Ash tree is unpretentious to conditions, has a pleasant aroma and its flowering lasts for quite a long period of time.

There are more than forty-two species of this plant, which are widespread in the Eastern Hemisphere, or more precisely, in its temperate zone. Some of them are used as livestock feed, some are suitable for human food, and some simply serve as ornamental plants.

But other types of it contain special substances that cause severe photochemical burns in humans. Their peculiarity is that as long as the area of ​​​​the skin on which the hogweed juice has fallen is in the shade, nothing will happen to it.

But as soon as the sun's rays hit the wound, a very severe and painful burn will immediately appear.

You can stumble upon it mainly in the Siberian forest, or in those located in Central Europe.

The plant is interesting because it is completely poisonous. Berries and rhizomes are especially dangerous, because the substance contained in them causes symptoms in humans such as nausea, cramps, vomiting, and in especially severe cases can lead to paralysis of the respiratory tract.

Despite the increased level of poison in the plant, its berries and leaves are often used in folk medicine, albeit in dried form.

Datura is a fairly large herb of the nightshade family. Its genus has thirteen species, which can be found everywhere in such zones as temperate and steppe.

Even mild dope poisoning can cause speech impairment, delirium, and hallucinations. In severe cases, convulsions may occur, which will lead to loss of consciousness. Comatose states in humans, as well as paralysis of the respiratory tract, are also common.

Since Datura is a hallucinogen, it is often used in folk medicine, and previously in witchcraft rituals. Several centuries ago, it also played an important role in many religions.

The danger of this plant begins immediately with its appearance. The problem is that hemlock is very easy to confuse with another plant - angelica, which is edible. Therefore, you need to be very careful. If you make a mistake, the consequences can be dire, since hemlock is one of the most poisonous plants on the planet.

It is also insidious because of its aroma - pleasant, reminiscent of carrots, and the taste of the rhizome - radish. However, do not forget that just one hundred grams of rhizome is enough to kill a whole cow.

If a person tries hemlock, then within just a few minutes the first terrible symptoms will appear: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and then possible dizziness and foam at the mouth. The victim's pupils will always be dilated, and there is a high probability that seizures and convulsions will result in death.

Hemlock can be found in Eastern and Western Europe and in the northern regions of Asia.

The beautiful appearance of this plant is very deceptive. The lush oleander carries an unimaginable threat, because even the pollen of the flower is very poisonous.

This shrub is widespread in subtropical areas because it is very heat-loving.

All parts of oleander are toxic, due to the presence of oleandrin, a cardiac glycoside. Drinking the juice of this flower will cause severe pain and vomiting in a person, and then damage the functioning of the heart and central nervous system, as a result of which the victim has a high chance of dying from cardiac arrest.

One of the species of trees of the Euphorbiaceae family. Manchinella is recognized as one of the most poisonous trees on the entire planet. It grows, for the most part, in Central America and the islands of the famous Caribbean Sea.

The peculiarity of this plant is that its height can easily reach fifteen meters, and the bark is so poisonous that a simple touch can cause a severe allergic reaction.

The milky sap, contained not only in the fruits of the Manchinell tree, but also in all its other parts, is poisonous and, if it enters the human blood, inevitably leads to death.

A fairly well-known plant that can be found in South America. It was, of course, glorified by the Indians, because it was they who smeared the tips of their arrows with curare poison.

The poison of this plant acts primarily on the respiratory systems of humans or animals, blocking those muscles that are directly responsible for breathing. As a result of this process, the victim dies from suffocation. The poison is so strong that just a scratch will be enough to cause death.

In addition to its main purpose, curare with its poison is also used in medicine.

This tree is the only species in its family and prefers warm tropics and subtropics. Today, it is actively bred in countries such as Egypt, China, Iran, Brazil and Argentina.

The shrub also has its own characteristics - it is evergreen and can reach ten meters in height, however, when placed in a different climate, for example a temperate one, the maximum growth of castor beans is only two to three meters.

All parts of this tree can contain up to sixty percent ricin, an incredibly toxic substance. If castor bean seeds are taken internally, a person may suffer from enteritis, internal bleeding and vomiting. Death in such a situation will occur very quickly - in five to seven days.

However, scientists have found a way to use ricin beneficially. From this substance they began to make castor oil, which in turn is an excellent laxative. And its technical types are widely used in a wide variety of industrial areas.

We presented the most poisonous plants in the world. Remember them! And when going outdoors or to exotic countries, be careful!

Interestingly, the most dangerous plants in the world are not necessarily some of the exotic tropical killer plants that we expect to see in a movie about the Amazon jungle or the lost worlds of Papua New Guinea. On the contrary, the plant that kills the most people in the world can be found in every second large flower garden, and it is grown on thousands of plantations around the world. Similarly, the most poisonous plant in the world, included in the Guinness Book of Records, grows throughout the southern part of Russia and Ukraine, is often cultivated specifically as an ornamental plant, and from its fruits poison is obtained (with which, by the way, some famous people were poisoned), and even medicinal raw materials.

And let us remind you once again that dangerous plants are not necessarily poisonous. They can injure and even kill not only with poisons. Look...

1. Stinging tree (Dendrocnide moroidea)

The stinging tree is not really a tree at all. This is a large shrub from the nettle family.

The tropical relative of our nettle, the stinging tree, is much more stinging and dangerous.

This plant grows in Australia, the Moluccas and Indonesia and is known to the aborigines for its leaves that are dangerous to humans. If the skin comes into contact with this plant, the victim receives a severe burn. Extensive blisters appear at the site of the burn.

Burns received from a stinging tree take a very long time to heal and can bother the victim from several days to several months. There is even one known case of a person dying after contact with a stinging tree.

In addition to humans, various animals periodically suffer from burns of this plant. There are quite a few cases where dogs and even horses received burns.

Interestingly, some animals, including insects and birds, are not sensitive to the sting of wood. This allows them to feed on its leaves and fruits.

2. Castor bean

Castor bean is a medicinal and ornamental plant, common in the warm climates of both hemispheres. This plant can often be found here, planted in flower beds in big cities or near fences in rural areas.

Castor oil in the private sector in Donetsk

It is from castor beans that a well-known remedy for constipation, castor oil, is made. And it is this plant that is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most poisonous plant in the world. Its seeds contain ricin, a toxin that is six times more poisonous than the well-known potassium cyanide.

On a note

Georgy Markov, a journalist and writer, was killed in 1978 by ricin, which was revealed during the autopsy. A stranger on the street, using a special umbrella, injected the journalist with a capsule of ricin into the calf muscle, from which Georgiy died the next day, despite doctors’ attempts to save his life.

In addition to ricin, castor beans also contain another poison - ricinin.

The toxicity of this plant is so great that just ten castor bean seeds will be enough to fatally poison an adult. If ricin itself is extracted from the seeds, a lethal dose of it will fit on the head of a pin. Given that this toxin is relatively easy to obtain, it is often used by terrorists. For example, at a destroyed al-Qaeda base, a whole production site was discovered.

This amount of seeds is enough to kill an adult.

It is not surprising that castor bean confidently ranks first in many rankings of the TOP 10 most dangerous plants in the world.

3. Manzinella

Manchinella or manchinella tree is one of the most poisonous plants on Earth.

Being a representative of the Euphorbia family, this plant in all its parts contains poisonous, burning milky juice. At the same time, its fruits look and smell very appetizing to everyone, and a burning sensation in the mouth does not appear immediately, which has repeatedly led to poisoning of people.

Thus, there are several known cases when sailors who escaped death on the water encountered this plant on land and, mistaking it for edible, consumed it as food. Poisoning was not always fatal (the burning juice did not allow one to eat much), but there were also cases of death.

Manchinella fruits look quite appetizing and it is not surprising that a person who finds himself in a tropical forest for the first time is willing to taste them.

The juice of this plant is dangerous not only when taken orally: if it gets on the skin, it causes severe burns, and if it gets into the eyes, it causes severe pain and sometimes blindness.

Where manchinella grows, they try not to graze livestock. It is difficult to destroy the plant with axes and saws without protecting the skin and eyes due to its milky sap. Even burning wood can cause illness if the smoke gets into your eyes.

4. Belladonna

Belladonna is a poisonous herbaceous plant from the Solanaceae family. By the way, many representatives of this family are known for their toxicity.

The atropine contained in belladonna, even in small doses, can cause severe agitation in a person, turning into attacks of insanity and violence.

Most often, people are poisoned by the berries of this plant, which, despite their toxicity, taste very good.

This is interesting

Only recently a sad story about vegan Igor, who ate belladonna berries on the way to Ai-Petri, thundered on the Internet. Igor liked the taste of the berries, and therefore he considered them safe (one of the common misconceptions is to consider all tasty plants edible) and ate them in large quantities. The doctors were unable to save Igor.

Belladonna can be found in almost the entire temperate zone, and once you try the berries, you won’t immediately deny yourself the pleasure of eating more...

When poisoning occurs, dryness and burning in the mouth occurs, and the heartbeat increases. Sometimes poisoning is accompanied by delusions and hallucinations. In case of severe poisoning, paralysis of the respiratory center is possible, leading to death.

5. Crow's eye

This plant from the melanthium family is one of the most poisonous in the world.

And if in some plants only certain parts of them are poisonous, then the crow's eye is completely poisonous: the rhizome causes nausea and vomiting, the leaves act on the central nervous system, and the fruits have a negative effect on the heart.

Most often, children are poisoned by this plant by eating its fruits - small black shiny berries up to 1 cm in diameter. Actually, this plant got its name for the characteristic appearance of the berry, “sitting” independently on a grassy shoot.

Crow's eye is a well-recognized plant, so its berries are eaten mainly by children who know nothing about its toxicity.

In case of poisoning, vomiting and diarrhea, dizziness and convulsions are observed, but the biggest danger is cardiac arrest.

Crow's eye is prohibited from being used for medicinal purposes, which is another evidence of its toxicity.

6. Hogweed Sosnovsky

This is perhaps one of the most famous plants in the vast expanses of the former USSR. The sad glory of Sosnovsky's hogweed is associated with the burns that remain on the human body after contact with it.

It is noteworthy that hogweed juice itself does not leave burns. But it also significantly increases the skin's sensitivity to the ultraviolet and visible spectrum of solar radiation. Thus, even a short stay in the sun after contact with the plant leads to terrible burns that do not heal for a long time, the scars from which can remain on the body for more than a year.

In addition to the danger to humans, Sosnovsky's hogweed is also a malicious weed, which is very difficult to fight.

Severe burns covering more than 80% of the skin can be fatal.

Among other things, the juice of Sosnovsky's hogweed contains substances that cause a mutagenic effect. It is not surprising that in the TOP 5 dangerous plants in Russia, hogweed always occupies one of the first positions.

7. Spotted hemlock

Many species of the umbrella family, which includes hemlock, pose a danger to humans due to their toxicity. Thus, hemlock is a relative of hemlock, which was most widely used for capital punishment in Ancient Greece. Spotted hemlock is not only one of the most dangerous in this family: this plant is one of the most poisonous in the world.

The composition of hemlock tissue includes a number of alkaloids. The most poisonous among them is horse meat, which has a nerve-paralytic effect.

When hemlock poisoning occurs, the victim will experience increased salivation, blurred vision, and may experience dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. However, the so-called ascending paralysis poses a danger to life: the feet are taken away and lose sensitivity, then the paralysis gradually “rises” upward until it reaches the diaphragm and causes suffocation.

On a note

According to the latest data, it was the spotted hemlock that poisoned the famous ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. There is constant debate among researchers about this; for a long time it was believed that Socrates took hemlock poison. Today, more and more evidence is emerging that the “official” poison in Ancient Greece was hemlock, and it was with its help that the philosopher was executed.

In places where there is a lot of hemlock, prolonged stay near its thickets can cause headaches only from the pollen of the flowers.

There are cases when people were poisoned by hemlock, confusing it with other plants. For example, some ate hemlock root, believing that it was horseradish root, others confused hemlock leaves with parsley leaves. There are also cases where hemlock seeds were mistaken for anise seeds. This, by the way, is also notable for hemlock and other dangerous plants from the umbrella family - they do not give the impression of being unusual at all and people do not expect that such a simple-looking “grass” can pose a threat to life. This is the insidiousness of hemlock and its relatives.

8. Fluffy toxicodendron, also known as staghorn sumac

This small shrub, slightly taller than a person, is not a poisonous plant as such. Its main trump card is urushiol, an oily toxin found in this plant that causes severe allergies. Even a light touch of toxicodendron can be enough to cause a severe allergic reaction.

Due to its beautiful foliage, sumac is often grown as an ornamental plant and if no parts of it are eaten, it does not pose a danger.

However, dermatitis is not the main danger: in some cases, the allergic reaction develops so violently that anaphylactic shock may occur, followed by loss of consciousness and suffocation. Moreover, if medical assistance is not provided, death can occur within a few minutes.

9. Strychnos poisonous

Strychnos is a liana from South America. It gained fame thanks to the poison (curare) contained in the roots and stems of the plant. It is this poison that the local Indians smear on their arrowheads when going hunting, and the vine itself in this regard was a competitor to the famous poison dart frogs, whose glands secrete an even stronger toxin - batrachotoxin.

Curare contains two toxic alkaloids - strychnine and brucine. Each of these poisons causes different symptoms, but ultimately leads to the same result - death.

It is believed that death from the poisons contained in strychnos is one of the most terrible and painful.

Strychnine belongs to the first class of danger (very toxic substances) and is almost twice as toxic as potassium cyanide. When ingested, it causes severe convulsions of the entire body and respiratory paralysis, leading to death.

Brucine is slightly less toxic than strychnine. Once in the victim’s body, it causes muscle cramps, which intensify when exposed to sound and light. This alkaloid also increases the heart rate with subsequent cardiac arrest.

10. Tobacco

Agree, it would be unfair not to mention him. Yes, he doesn't kill right away. Yes, its leaves, along with nicotine, contain the alkaloid anabasine, which can lead to poisoning when eating the leaves, but it is not as toxic as the components of the plants listed above. But according to statistics, tobacco smoking leads to the death of more than 5 million people around the world. No other plant, even the most poisonous and deadly, can compare with it in its “damaging” ability. Perhaps even all the other poisonous plants taken together will not catch up with tobacco in terms of the number of people killed. And at the same time, tobacco is the record holder for cultivation area among all other cultivated plants not used for food. There is a large dose of absurdity in this: people spend enormous resources on cultivating a plant that kills them...

Interestingly, tobacco is often grown as an ornamental plant. In this form, it is completely safe as long as you do not eat or smoke it.

Tobacco plantations where people grow a killer plant...

It is important to remember that most plants are dangerous only when people, out of ignorance or stupidity, themselves are poisoned or injured by them - they eat unfamiliar berries and fruits, push apart the wide leaves of hogweed with their hands, tear hemlock leaves instead of parsley. Therefore, always before you find yourself in nature, even in an area familiar to you, find out what dangerous plants can be found here, why they are dangerous and what you absolutely cannot do with them. Perhaps this will save your life or the lives of your children...