Top 10 Plants That Could Kill You

While these shrubs are perhaps best known for the array of colorful flowers they yield, they are also known for producing one of the world’s most notorious toxins: cyanide. Now, before you go tearing up every hydrangea in sight and chucking them into a wood chipper hear this: a human being would have to stuff large quantities of the flower down their throat for the deadly poison to have any effect. The same goes for household pets. So, you can continue planting them all around your home, just don’t go baking them into a cake…no matter how aromatic you think it’d be.

You’ve no doubt seen the stalks and leaves of this particular plant in the grocery store, but did you know that eating enough of them could kill you? While the stalks are perfectly safe to eat (and pretty tasty when put in a pie) the leaves are poisonous with a capital P. Many an unsuspecting person has fallen victim to these seemingly innocuous plants and the oxalic acid found in them. In fact, rhubarb leaves wreaked havoc in Britain during World War I, as food rationing led the British government to erroneously label them as an alternative food source. As if being at war wasn’t already bad enough!

Don’t be fooled by their pretty colors; these plants pack a seriously deadly punch if ingested. Larkspur is responsible for a large number of livestock deaths in the United States each year, with roaming cattle often stopping to feast on the plant despite its high level of toxicity. And you better believe that if something is potent enough to take down a cow, the farmer needs to be careful too. Larkspur can prove fatal if ingested by humans, with the symptoms including muscle spasms, nausea, paralysis and, eventually death (if left untreated). Basically, it’s not a good idea to go around eating random plants unless you know exactly what they are.

Why is it that plants with the nicest names are often the deadliest? Take Lily of the Valley. Pretty pleasant name, no? Well, in reality, every part of this innocent looking plant is highly poisonous! Ingesting even a small amount of the plant’s stem, bulbs or berries can lead to death. Symptoms include rashes, vomiting and a reduced heart rate; if left untreated, ingestion could cause the victim to actually die. And yes, it is the same plant as used in perfumes all around the world, a reported favorite of Christian Dior’s.

Like many on this list, this plant sounds innocent enough, but again… it’s lethal! The Foxglove is one of the most popular garden plants on earth, with spectacular colors and dramatic stalks. However, in a dark bit of irony it’s the plants attractive qualities that make it particularly dangerous, as children are often drawn to it. According to the good folks over at Poison Control: all parts of the foxglove “are poisonous” and might even be deadly “if swallowed.” In the right hands, the flower can also be developed into a life-saving heart medicine… But, for the average Joe just looking to spruce up their yard, it’s best to wash your hands after planting these.

Finally a plant whose intentions are transparent! As the name implies, deadly nightshade is exactly that: deadly. Found across Europe and Asia, it can cause irritation with a simple touch and prove totally disastrous if ingested. Any part of the plant can lead a person into an early grave, with the roots, stems, leaves and berries all being toxic enough to kill a full-grown human. The berries are said to be sweet, which is clearly part of the problem, as curious children may try one, find it tasty and keep eating - but ingesting deadly nightshade often leads to paralysis (among other symptoms) and can easily prove fatal.

Roll your eyes all you like, but the fact of the matter is the tobacco plant kills more people each year than all the other plants on earth combined. Not only is it the most pervasively grown non-food plant in the world, it’s also one of the most toxic. Tobacco plants contain the toxins anabasine and nicotine, with the latter, of course, being extremely addictive. In 2008, the World Health Organization released a report on what they called the “tobacco epidemic” and claimed; “tobacco use can kill in so many ways” that it’s officially considered “a risk factor for six of the eight leading causes of death in the world.” Talk about a morbid statistic.

Also known as the castor oil plant, this perennial contains another of the most lethal toxins on earth: this time, ricin. The castor oil used in medicines and other products has had the ricin removed during processing... But the pulp inside the plant’s seeds is particularly deadly, with just a couple of seeds being enough to kill an infant and roughly four to eight able to down an adult. Symptoms of this toxin include but are not limited to: nausea, vomiting, seizures and death. While fatalities are rare, it’s usually children and animals that fall victim to castor beans, although ricin has also been used in assassination attempts - including an infamously successful one against a Bulgarian dissident in 1978.

Considered by the US Department of Agriculture to be "the most violently toxic plant in North America", water hemlock is not to be trifled with. Despite being a member of the carrot family and indeed retaining some of the vegetable’s smell, water hemlock is 100% poisonous if ingested. Eating this plant will trigger everything from seizures and confusion to nausea and abdominal pain. Failure to seek immediate medical treatment often leads to death. And, even if you do survive, there’s a chance you’ll continue to live with tremors and, in certain cases, amnesia. Yikes!

Beautiful? Yes. Popular? You bet! Deadly? Absolutely. With its picturesque petals of white, red and pink, oleander is unsurprisingly one of the most commonly grown plants around; it’s also one of the most toxic known to humankind. Ingesting, smoking or even burning any part of this plant can prove fatal due to the high levels of oleandrin, among other toxic compounds. The bad news is that the symptoms include horrible things like seizures, falling into a coma and, you guessed it, death. The good news is that the plant tastes so bad that anyone who tries it is likely to spit it out immediately. Regardless, be sure to always identify a plant before eating or using it in any way.