You probably don’t realize that you have poisonous plants in your garden. In fact, many beautiful garden plants are poisonous and can even be fatal to small children and pets. Therefore, it is of great importance that you can identify poisonous garden plants. Below we list some of the most common poisonous plants. In doing so, pay more attention to five of them. Stay tuned to learn more about these poisonous garden plants…
Are there poisonous garden plants in your garden?
Do you know that the desert rose is a poisonous plant?
Poisonous Garden Plants:
- hydrangeas (Hydrangeaceae)
- water hemlock (Cicuta)
- manchinel tree (Hippomane mancinella)
- Miracle Tree/Castor (Ricinus communis)
- oleander (Nerium oleander)
- White Daffodil/True Daffodil (Narcissus poeticus)
- thimbles (digitalis)
- herb (Colocasia)
- Climbing poison oak (Toxicodendron radicans)
- Philodendrons/ Tree friend (Philodendron)
- lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
- Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia)
- figs (ficus)
- desert roses (adenium)
- Black deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
- Pontic Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
- true aloe (aloe vera)
- angel trumpets (Brugmansia)
- aconite (aconite)
Poisonous Garden Plants: Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella)
lily of the valley
The lily of the valley is a perennial flower that is distributed worldwide. Many gardeners grow lily of the valley as an excellent groundcover. The garden flower blooms in late spring and the beauty of its white, bell-shaped and delightfully fragrant blooms is absolutely magical.
Scientists have determined that this plant contains forty extremely toxic cardiac glycosides in its flowers, berries, leaves and stems. This gives the plant both healing and toxic properties when overdosed.
If you accidentally swallow any part of this poisonous garden plant, you may experience blurred vision, headaches, drowsiness, disorientation, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In addition, it is possible that you will get skin rashes and irregular heartbeat. To avoid death, you should seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Lily of the valley is so beautiful and delicate, yet poisonous
wondertree
The miracle tree comes from Africa, the Mediterranean region and India. Commercially, this plant is grown in China, India and Brazil. Nowadays it is spread all over the world thanks to its beauty and the healing properties of its oil.
This garden plant is incredibly beautiful, but the poisonous seeds of the flowers contain ricin, which is probably nature’s most toxic substance.
The miracle tree is also known as castor oil
thimble
Fungus hat’s bell-shaped, purple, white or pink flowers are enchanting in their beauty. But don’t let that fool you. All parts of this beautiful flower are poisonous, especially the leaves. Toxic chemicals such as digitalin, digitonin and digitoxin are highly concentrated in their tips.
About 20 minutes after eating leaves, the first symptoms of poisoning appear, including bradycardia, irregular pulse, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
The brightly colored thimbles are also poisonous
Black deadly nightshade
Although deadly nightshade is relatively easy to care for, few people have grown it in their gardens. It’s a shame because this garden plant is completely harmless to birds and animals. Deadly nightshade is only poisonous to humans if you eat the fruit of the plant.
Deadly nightshade is actually a useful plant and an effective medicine for dilating the pupils. It also helps in the treatment of stomach ulcers, intestinal syndrome and motion sickness. However, deadly nightshade is considered one of the deadliest plants in the world. Eating just two or three fruits can be deadly for both children and adults.
The most common symptoms of poisoning are sensitivity to light, dilated pupils, rapid heartbeat, headache, convulsions, hallucinations, confusion. Eventually, death comes from respiratory failure. So if you suspect poisoning, see a doctor immediately.
Deadly nightshade is native to western Asia, northern Africa and Europe
Real daffodil
There are sixty varieties of these garden flowers, native to Africa, Europe and Asia. Since the daffodil is a highly prized ornamental plant, there are more than 12,000 hybrid varieties of it.
These delicate garden flowers contain the toxin lycorine in their bulbs. Fortunately, the venom concentration is fairly low and it is not fatal to humans. However, eating flower petals causes diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. It can also cause liver damage and abnormal heart rhythms in pets, especially dogs.
Daffodils are one of the most popular spring flowers
Some of the most beautiful plants in our garden can be dangerous for us and our loved ones. However, the fact that a plant is poisonous does not mean that it should be avoided at all costs. Be well informed and proceed with caution! Only then can you freely enjoy the intoxicating beauty of poisonous garden plants.
Dieffenbachia as a potted plant
Real Aloe
monkshood (aconite)
Angel’s Trumpets (Brugmansia)
Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina)
Hydrangeas (Hydrangeaceae)
Climbing poisonous oak (Toxicodendron radicans)
Tree Friend (Philodendron)
Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
Wormroot (Colocasia)
