Flowers are often associated with gentleness, beauty, and tenderness. They represent positive thoughts, they transmit positive messages, and they make for great gifts on almost any occasion. Poisonous flowers seek to balance out this reality by posing a toxicity risk to us or our pets, but this does not mean that they are not appreciated for their beauty.
Maybe you want to purchase flowers for your backyard or decorate your house with different species of flowers and plants. Whether you are specifically seeking the most beautiful poisonous flower or you want to know which ones to avoid, let’s keep reading to find out more about:
* Poisonous Flowers You Should Only Plant with Caution
* The Deadliest Flowers
Poisonous Flowers You Should Only Plant with Caution
Have you ever thought that such gorgeous and brightly colored flowers like daffodils, hydrangea, iris, lily of the valley, tulips, and many others can bring harm to people if they are not planted or treated in a specific way? Some of them are toxic, but others can become deadly.
Let’s check below some types of flowers and plants that you have to be careful when planting them. This is because when kids are touching their petals, leaves or stems, they can irritate their sensitive skin. Others can be very unsafe for your furry friends.
* Foxglove is a beautiful, trumpet-shaped, tall species of flower that comes in a variety of colors. Unfortunately, they are very harmful to dogs, cats, and horses but the most affected are humans. The symptoms can include shaking, sickness, even delirium. It might seem beautiful, but it is quite deceiving.
* If you ever purchased a bouquet from your florist, you perhaps saw some little beautiful, white flowers that are used as a filler for different arrangements. They are called baby’s breath and they can irritate your pet’s stomach if they are eaten accidentally by a dog or cat.
* Bleeding heart, as the name suggests, is a lovely, heart-shaped flower, perfectly designed to fool anyone who thinks that it’s just a typical plant. As much as you want to bring it home, you have to consider that it is poisonous for both people and animals. It contains a convulsant called isoquinoline that can cause serious damage if it’s swollen.
* If you haven’t yet had a daffodil in your home or garden, it is probably just a matter of time. They are bright, beautiful, and quite popular in many flower arrangements. Besides their gorgeous yellow color that can make any space look enlightened, you should know that their bulbs are very dangerous, mostly for dogs. If they eat a daffodil, they can suffer from diarrhea, tremors, and can even lead to heart problems.
* Hydrangea is a beautifully, naturally grouped bunch of purple flowers that you might think would be a perfect arrangement for any table. In fact, they are fatal for both humans and animals. They are native from Japan but nowadays are grown mostly in North America.
* As beautiful as the name is, iris is quite deceiving, as its components are poisonous. If there is physical contact with the flower’s juices, it can cause mild dermatitis, but if they are eaten, the symptoms can become worst. From abdominal pain to fever, an Iris gives us multiple reasons to keep the distance, even though it is gorgeous.
* Slowing heart rate, sickness, stomach cramps, and even death are the symptoms of a small and fragile bell-shaped flower. It is called Lily of the Valley and is better to keep curious children or animals as far as possible.
* Like daffodils, tulips can become an enemy to any dog. Tulips can be eaten by humans without any effect. However, if the bulb is swollen by dogs, cats, or birds, it can lead to death.
The Deadliest Flowers
In the previous section, we mentioned some species of beautiful flowers that can deceive with their appearance. In this part, we examine some plants that are considered the deadliest flowers:
* The castor oil plant, known also as the “palm of Christ”, is one of the most poisonous plants in the world. The religious name might come from the ability of the oil produced by this plant to heal wounds, but also one milligram of the plant’s poison can kill an adult. This plant is used in different forms all over the world. For example, in Brazil, it is used for biodiesel fuel, it can be found in chocolate as a cocoa substitute or even in soap, laxatives, ink, or plastics.
* Dracunculus vulgaris, Dracula’s flower, or voodoo lily, is a plant that usually grows in the Mediterranean area. Its name is inspired by its appearance that is shaped like Dracula’s cape. Furthermore, they hate direct sunlight and flourish in the shade. If it is ingested and touched, it might cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.
* The Drosera rotundifolia is a carnivorous plant that has its own favorite dish: insects, such as flies, and worms. It is usually found in North America and is known for the fact that the substance produced attracts its prey and grabs it like an octopus with its tentacle. It is round, has magenta hairs and lime-green leaves. This is a nice, but scary description of a plant!
All in all, there exists a huge range of plants and flowers, some are beautiful and ambient but some are not as pretty as they seem to be. Before buying or planting a flower in the garden, consider if it can cause any harm to you, your kid or your pet. While the deadliest flowers might not be the best addition to your garden, you might still consider choosing tulips, daffodils or similar, as long as you make sure your pets have no access to the plant.
