Plants may look harmless, but some plants can harbor some of the most deadly poisons known. In this list we are going to look at some plants that contain such high doses, of toxins to which humans are sensitive, that some can kill you in a matter of hours. Here is the list of top 10 plants that can kill humans:
Top 10 Plants That Can Kill You
10. Rhododendron
Rhododendron are poisonous to grazing animals because of a toxin called grayanotoxin in their pollen and nectar. People have been known to become ill from eating honey made by bees feeding on rhododendron flowers.
9. Water Hemlock
Water hemlock is one of the most poisonous plants in North America. It contain a toxin named cicutoxin which causes central nervous system stimulatory effects including seizures following ingestion. Deaths usually occur from respiratory paralysis a few hours after ingestion.
8. Manchineel
All parts of the Manchineel tree contain strong toxins. Its milky white sap contains phorbol and other skin irritants, producing strong allergic dermatitis.
7. Castor Plants
Castor Plants is known for its deadly beans which contain ricin, a water-soluble toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant.
6. Jimsonweed
Jimsonweed is a tall herb plant that grows wild in all the world's warm and moderate regions. It is mostly found along roadsides and at dung-rich livestock enclosures.
5. Oleander
Oleander is one of the most poisonous commonly grown garden plants. It is extensively used as an ornamental plant in parks, along roadsides and in private gardens. All parts of the oleander plant are toxic whether the plant parts are dried or green. Ingestion of this plant can affect the gastrointestinal system, the heart, the central nervous system and can lead to serious illness and possibly death.
4. Belladonna
Belladonna is one of the most toxic plants native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids. It is so toxic that eating a small quantity of its leaves or berries can be fatal to humans and some animals. Simply touching the leaves can irritate your skin.
3. Daffodils
Daffodils are common ornamental plants with a bright, cheery and fragrant flowers that bloom in the spring. It carries two toxic agents in its showy flowers, stems, leaves and bulb. The above-ground parts of the daffodil contain lycorine and calcium oxalate crystals, which can be toxic to both you and your pets.
2. White Snakeroot
White snakeroot is a poisonous perennial herb, native to eastern and central North America. It contains the toxin tremetol which is responsible for many deaths in the past. Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks was died after drinking the milk of a cow who had grazed on the plant. The poisoning is also called milk sickness, as humans often ingested the toxin by drinking the milk of cows that had eaten snakeroot.
1. Rosary Pea
Rosary Pea plant is best known for its pretty seeds, which are mostly black and red in color. These seeds are commonly used in making jewelry around the world. But along with its attractive appearance these seeds are also very toxic because of the presence of abrin. Ingestion of a single seed, well chewed, can be fatal to both adults and children.
No comments: