Top 10 Dangerous Plants

We have always looked at plants like sources of food. They have been considered as constituents of medicinal properties. And if not, they have always added a great look to our homes or our gardens. But not all plants are worth keeping in homes or gardens. There are some plants that are highly dangerous and can also be fatal to human life. Given below is the list of top 10 dangerous plants that all of us must stay away from.

1. Water hemlock:

The name of this plant is Cicuta and it is commonly called water hemlock. It is one of the most highly poisonous plants. It contains a toxin known as cicutoxin which can adversely affect the central nervous systems in human beings. The symptoms also include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and could follow by seizures. Other effects could include dilated pupils, kidney failure, high and low blood pressure because of which a person might go into a coma. Death to can occur due to the failure of the respiratory system. The plant is so poisonous that many of the symptoms continue for months together.

2. Daphne:

This plant is a kind of an evergreen shrub. They have flowers and berries growing on them. It is well known as an ornamental plant. Though the flowers look very colorful, the berries of this plant are poisonous. It has a poison called the daphnetoxin present in it. If consumed they can cause choking in humans. Only handling of the plant can also cause rashes and other skin diseases.

3. Angel’s trumpet:

This is a flowering plant that is a wooded tree or a bush. This plant is called so because of the trumpet shaped flowers present. Although this plant looks beautiful, it is highly toxic in nature. All the parts of this plant have huge amounts of poison which could result is death if ingested by humans and animals. They can affect eyes and cause dilation of pupil in them.

4. Oleander:

This plant is like a small tree. It is a poisonous plant that can be fatal if consumed internally. The leaves of this plant are considered to be extremely poisonous. They contain many toxic substances that are extremely dangerous for the human body. Even a small amount can be lethal. Depending upon the amount of poison ingested, there could be a variety of reactions like cardiac effects, diarrhea, abdominal pain, varying heart beat, seizures, comas or even death.

5. Castor:

This is a flowering plant which has many medicinal uses. Castor oil is widely used and even consumed by human beings. However raw castor beans are considered very dangerous because of a toxin called Ricin present in them. The normal symptoms that can be seen if this plant is ingested are burning sensation in the mouth, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, low blood pressure and if not treated immediately death could follow within 3 to 5 days.

6. Hydrangea:

These are flowering plants. The flowers grow in clusters and hence this plant is used as an ornamental plant in gardens. It is toxic if ingested and can cause problems like vomiting, irritation of the skin, sweating, coma, etc. in human beings.

7. Rosary Pea:

This plant is a climber that grows up trees. It has bright red seeds which are used as beads. However they contain a toxin called abrin and are hence dangerous for human beings. Abrin is a highly toxic chemical and if unknowingly the seeds are consumed, immediate death could follow.

8. Rhododendron:

These are basically shrubs or small trees. Many of them have beautiful clusters of small plants. Because of these they are normally used as ornamental plants in gardens throughout the world. It has many medicinal uses. However they also contain a toxin known as grayanotoxin which is present in the pollen grains of the flowers of this plant. As a result when human beings feed on the honey made by bees that have collected nectar from these plants, it causes problems like depression, vomiting, nausea and sometimes even death.

9. Bushman’s poison:

This is a very poisonous plant. It gives out a milky sap which is the poisonous substance. It is so fatal that this substance is used in many African countries to kill people. Their arrows are smeared with this sap and any person who comes in contact with this arrow will die instantaneously.

10. Chokecherry:

The Chokecherry is also a shrub or a small tree that is found mostly in the North America. This plant is toxic to animals like horses especially after wilting of the leaves has occurred. Due to the wilting cyanide is released and as a result an animal who feeds on this foliage can die of poisoning. The fruit, if consumed can also cause respiratory problems and choking in human beings.

These are some of the most dangerous plants that grow in our surroundings. They might appear to be beautiful from the outside just like normal trees and plants that we know about, but inside they have huge amounts of toxic substances running through them. The best way to prevent getting affected by them is to avoid them. If there is any plant that you are not aware of, do not touch it or eat its fruits. There are ways of curing toxicity but the best option would be to stay away from them, as far as possible.