Whether or not you’re a self-described romantic at heart, you can’t deny that flowers are some of the most lovely things growing on our planet. The sheer variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and wonderful smells is staggering, each of which is an important evolutionary trait that attracts just the right pollinators to keep their legacy intact.
Despite their inherent beauty, however, not all flowers are as benign as their appearance would suggest. Some flowers incorporate deadly toxins in order to keep the wrong animals from decimating their population, humans included. Many of these toxins can only be a threat if the flower is consumed, but a fair amount can be absorbed right through the skin, making a strong case for “look, but don’t touch” when it comes to species in the wild. Although seemingly innocuous, here are just three flowers that kill. Watch out!!
1. Calla Lily
The species commonly known as a calla lily, despite the fact that it is not a lily at all, is one of the meanest beauties to grace our list, as well as countless bridal bouquets and ornamental gardens worldwide. Found on every continent save for Antarctica, the flowers and leaves of this species contain raphides, which are needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate that induce numbing, irritation, and burning sensations in the mouth and throat when eaten that can last up to two weeks, and if not treated, can block the airway, resulting in death.
2. Ragwort
If you think a bouquet of hand-picked wildflowers is a romantic gesture, just make sure you leave the common ragwort out of it. Found extensively across the globe, this unassuming, cheery blossom is such a terror that landowners in some Australian states are required by law to remove it from their property if found. The toxin in question comes in the form of alkaloids in quantities that don’t pose all that much of a threat to humans alone. However, if handled or consumed profusely, these alkaloids can accumulate in the liver, eventually causing cirrhosis.
3. Hemlock Water Dropwort
If you happen to find yourself in a survival situation and are foraging for food, you’d do well to keep your distance from the hemlock water dropwort. Just one root or stem of this dangerous beauty contains enough poison to kill a cow, in the form of a central nervous system toxin called oenanthotoxin, which causes convulsions and respiratory distress. Its allure to hapless victims is its similarity in appearance to other edible plants, with stalks and leaves that look like celery and roots that appear to be white carrots or parsnips. Its toxin is so effective that it was used to dispatch criminals and the elderly in Phoenician Sardinia.
Related to flowers that kill: Keep Your Distance From These Poisonous Plants, 3 of the World’s Most Poisonous Flowering Plants, and 3 Poisonous Berries To Avoid In the Outdoors
Featured Image from Manuel Torres Garcia/Unsplash
