Deadly plants

[robby]

Do you have any highly poisonous plants or flowers in your garden or indoors?
I must admit I'm a bit paranoid about them. I could never have one in my garden let alone inside my home. Would always spend time washing my hands and checking there are no bits of those plants lying around because of pets and kids...
Though many deadly species like the nightshades are beautiful, it's just a strict No for me.
What about you?

 

[maddie]

I have Dieffenbachia or dumb cane which is supposed to cause cause swelling of the mouth and throat on ingestion and irritation of the eye if you manage to get the sap into your eye.


Aloe Vera is also supposed to cause irritation to the tongue, throat and your innards if the yellow juice over the gel is ingested. The clear gel needs to be washed and then consumed.
I have the crown of thorns or the euphorbia mili which has poisonous thorns and could hurt and irritate the skin.

I have had these for years and have no issues. I also have a pet and children. But they know that these plants will hurt them and don't touch them.

 

[claudine]

I don't have any poisonous plants in my garden. I'm very careful about that. I wouldn't like to plant them here even if they were extremely beautiful - I'm just too scared of them. I have a little dog who is naughty and curious about everything. He is always hungry and sometimes eats random things. I don't think he would like to eat poisonous plant, but you can never be sure. I just don't want to take the risk.

 

[Jed]

There's an outbreak of foxgloves on our neighbours property that I need to drive through. I pull them out from the track every summer as the seeds can be transferred so easily to new areas. If I don't wear gloves, I can feel a bit woozy from touching them.You may not know the entire plant is poisonous including seeds and roots.

 

[Lanie]

That foxglove is so pretty, too bad it's poisonous. If you feel woozy from just touching them, I don't doubt that you should be concerned. I have visions of some little girls collecting them to bring home to their mother. This is not something I have ever considered before.

 

[maddie]

There's an outbreak of foxgloves on our neighbours property that I need to drive through. I pull them out from the track every summer as the seeds can be transferred so easily to new areas. If I don't wear gloves, I can feel a bit woozy from touching them.You may not know the entire plant is poisonous including seeds and roots.

Yeah they are too pretty to be poisonous. What do they do Jed? Can you get sick or die from ingesting them or touching them? We don't have foxgloves here.. I am just curious.

 

[claudine]

Wow! Foxgloves are beautiful, I haven't seen them before! It's a shame that they're poisonous. I wish there were no flowers that can cause damage...something beautiful and subtle shouldn't be dangerous at the same time

 

[jubbly]

My uncle accidentally picked some foxglove along with his herbs. He and his wife ended up at the hospital.

I remember we had laburnum trees in my grandmothers garden. They are apparently deadly.

 

[Jed]

Yeah they are too pretty to be poisonous. What do they do Jed? Can you get sick or die from ingesting them or touching them? We don't have foxgloves here.. I am just curious.

All parts of the plant are poisonous leaves flowers seeds and roots.
You can get Digitalis toxicity from an overdose. It causes vomiting and diarrhea and blurred vision.
It is though used as a medicinal plant. A heart drug, Digoxin, is extracted from foxgloves.
It is best not to touch it with bare hands as it has been known to cause rashes headaches and nausea without even ingesting it.
Jubbly made mention of its potential poisonous properties,so it can be easily done.

 

[Trellum]

I have kalanchoes, they are highly toxic for cats and dogs (leaves), and you know how much most dogs and cats love chewing on things they shouldn't right? I try to keep them away from them, but you never know. I think there are a lot people out there who own toxic or deadly plants and don't know it. That's why I investigate every plant when I bring it home!

 

[zigs]

I ate the end 2mm of a Foxglove leaf tip to see what it would do.

 

[Khan]

@zigs and what it did?

 

[zigs]

Gave me palpitations all night, not very nice.

 

[justusforus]

I remember family trips to Florida and Oleandar plants everywhere near the freeway. As an adult, I see Oleander used in Southern Califronia as a privacy fence despite its toxicity and the fact it is often seen in rural areas where there is livestock. In private homes and urban areas, I would not risk this with kids or pets. The flowers are beautiful and in so many hues.

Funny thing is I saw a foxglove plant at a nursery and I mentioned to a friend (who was taking digoxin) that I knew it was used for the medicine. How I knew that bit of trivia but not that is was poisonous is beyond me. I bought a plant but luckily had no pets or little ones here. I don't remember a warning or anything and it seems even touching it is a problem.

 

[zigs]

Oleander grows around the mediterranean coasts too, folk have died after using the long stems as skewers to barbeque meat on.