#Toxic Plants

[trexalicious]

A reminder for those of us with cats at Easter that lilies of ANY kind are BAD for cats. Some species such as Calla, Peace and Peruvian do not cause kidney damage or death like Easter and daylilies, but they can still cause irritation and gastrointestinal issues if ingested...

[banefolk]

Wild rabbits eat belladonna on purpose as self-defense to poison predators. Wild rabbits who live in the same areas as belladonna’s natural growing range are immune to belladonna’s deadly alkaloids because they produce an enzyme called atropinesterase that breaks down the atropine in the belladonna they ingest. The darker the rabbit’s fur, the more poisonous it may be.

Source

[mrokat-art]

Belladonna Cyanotypes

Based on my linocut design.

(Available here)

[samirafee]

#ACONITUM LYCOCTONUM - WOLF‘S-BANE - GELBER EISENHUT⚠️☠️

@samirafee

[magickkate]

Today, let's delve into an important aspect of ethical and responsible witchcraft—understanding and avoiding the use of toxic plants and oils in our magical practices. While the natural world offers a vast array of botanical allies for spellcraft and healing, not all plants are safe for human, animal, or environmental health. Join me as we explore the importance of ethical considerations when choosing botanical ingredients and oils for our magical work.

Understanding Toxicity: Ethical and Practical Considerations

Health Hazards:

Human Safety: Some plants contain toxic compounds that can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, or serious health issues if ingested or absorbed through the skin. It's crucial to prioritize safety when selecting botanical ingredients for spells or rituals.

Environmental Impact:

Ecological Responsibility: Using plants that are endangered or harvested unsustainably contributes to environmental degradation and threatens biodiversity. Responsible witches strive to protect and preserve natural habitats and species.

Plants and Oils to Avoid

Poisonous Plants:

Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade): Known for its toxic berries, belladonna can cause severe poisoning and even death if ingested. Mandrake: While mythologically potent, mandrake roots contain toxic alkaloids that pose risks if mishandled or ingested. Foxglove: Recognized for its beautiful flowers, foxglove contains cardiac glycosides that are poisonous to humans and animals.

Allergenic Oils:

Cinnamon Oil: Highly concentrated cinnamon oil can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Nutmeg Oil: Ingesting large amounts of nutmeg oil can lead to nausea, dizziness, and other health complications.

Ethical Guidelines for Responsible Witchcraft

Research and Education:

Botanical Knowledge: Educate yourself about the properties and potential risks of plants and oils before incorporating them into your magical practice. Alternative Options: Explore safe, ethical alternatives that align with your intentions and respect the well-being of all living beings.

Sustainable Practices:

Harvesting Practices: If gathering plants from nature, do so responsibly and ethically, ensuring you're not depleting wild populations or disrupting ecosystems. Cultivation: Consider cultivating your own herbs and plants in a sustainable manner, promoting biodiversity and ecological balance.

Choosing Ethical and Safe Alternatives

Herbal Allies:

Lavender: Calming and protective, lavender is safe for various magical uses and promotes relaxation. Rosemary: Known for purification and clarity, rosemary is versatile and safe when used appropriately. Chamomile: Soothing and gentle, chamomile is ideal for spells involving peace, sleep, and healing.

Essential Oils:

Lemon: Uplifting and cleansing, lemon essential oil is safe for aromatherapy and spiritual purification rituals. Frankincense: Sacred and grounding, frankincense essential oil is valued for meditation and spiritual connection.

Final Thoughts:

As practitioners of witchcraft, we have a responsibility to honor the Earth, protect its inhabitants, and practice magic with integrity and mindfulness. By avoiding toxic plants and oils, we uphold ethical principles and promote a harmonious relationship with nature and the spiritual realms.

[crudlynaturephotos]

[ad-caelestia]

common toxic plants

[long post]

this is not a complete list by any means, but these commonly noted plants, herbs, and flowers should be handled with care or avoided altogether. 

aconite (wolfsbane, monkshood) - all parts: dermatoxic, hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic

adam and eve (jack-in-the-pulpit, wild arum) - root: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested

african sumac - leaves: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

agave - juice: dermatoxic  

angel’s trumpet - all parts: cardiotoxic; often fatal

apple - seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

apricot - leaves and seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

arnica - gastrotoxic 

asparagus - berries: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested

azalea - all parts: cytotoxic and neurotoxic; rarely fatal

betel nut palm (pinyang) - all parts: gastrotoxic if ingested

bittersweet nightshade - all parts: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; rarely fatal

black hellebore - all parts: cardiotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

black locust (false acacia) - root bark and flowers: gastrotoxic

black nightshade - all parts except ripe fruit: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

bleeding heart - leaves and roots: neurotoxic

bloodroot - rhizomes: cytotoxic

blue passion flower (common passion flower) - leaves: cytotoxic

bracken - all parts: carcinogenic

buttercup - all parts: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic 

calabar bean (ordeal beans) - seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested in large doses

cassava - leaves and roots: cytotoxic in large doses

castor bean (castor oil plant) - seeds: cytotoxic if ingested or inhaled

celandine - nephrotoxic 

cherry - leaves and seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

christmas rose - all parts: gastrotoxic

cocklebur - seedlings and seeds: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic

columbine - seeds and roots: cardiotoxic; easily fatal

corn lily (false hellebore) - all parts: cardiotoxic; often fatal

cowbane (water hemlock, snakeweed) - root: neurotoxic if ingested

daffodil - bulbs and stems: gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

datura/moonflower - all parts: gastrotoxic and cardiotoxic

deadly nightshade (belladonna) - all parts: cardiotoxic and neurotoxic; often fatal

desert rose (sabi star, kudu) - sap: cardiotoxic with skin contact

dumbcane - all parts: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

elder (elderberry) - root: gastrotoxic

elephant ear (angel wings) - all parts: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic

ergot - neurotoxic 

foxglove - leaves, seeds, and flowers: cardiotoxic; often fatal

garlic - all parts: gastrotoxic in animals

giant hogweed - all parts: dermatoxic

golden chain - all parts, especially seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

goldenseal - all parts: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic in large doses

grapes/raisins - all parts: gastrotoxic in dogs

greater celandine - all parts: gastrotoxic in large doses

hemlock (spotted cowbane, poison snakeweed) - all parts: neurotoxic; possibly fatal

hemlock water dropwort - roots: neurotoxic if ingested; possibly fatal

henbane - all parts: neurotoxic and cardiotoxic

holly - berries: gastrotoxic

honeybush - all parts: gastrotoxic

honeysuckle - berries: gastrotoxic in mild cases and cardiotoxic in severe cases

horse chestnut - all parts: neurotoxic

hyacinth - bulbs: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic; possibly fatal

iris - rhizomes: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic 

jequirity (crab’s eye, rosary pea) - seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; often fatal

kava kava - nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic 

kidney bean - raw: gastrotoxic

larkspur - young plants and seeds: neurotoxic; often fatal

lemon - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic to animals  

lily - all parts: nephrotoxic

lily of the nile (calla lily) - all parts: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested; possibly fatal

lily of the valley - all parts: cardiotoxic; possibly fatal

lima beans - raw: gastrotoxic

lime - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic in animals

lobelia - all parts: gastrotoxic 

mandrake - roots and leaves: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic

mango - peel and sap: dermatoxic

mangrove - bark and sap: dermatoxic and eye irritation

mayapple - all green parts and unripe fruit: gastrotoxic

meadow saffron (autumn crocus) - bulbs: gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

mistletoe - leaves and berries: gastrotoxic, cardiotoxic, and neurotoxic; rarely lethal in adults

moonseed - fruits and seeds: gastrotoxic; often fatal

mountain laurel - all green parts: gastrotoxic

nutmeg - raw: psychoactive in large doses

oak - leaves and acorns: gastrotoxic; rarely fatal

odollam tree (suicide tree) - seeds: cardiotoxic; often fatal

oleander - all parts: dermatoxic, cardiotoxic, and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

onions - all parts: gastrotoxic in animals

orange - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic in animals

peach - seeds and leaves: cytotoxic in large doses

pokeweed - leaves, berries, and roots: gastrotoxic; often fatal

poison ivy/oak/sumac - all parts, especially leaves: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

poison ryegrass (darnel) - seeds: neurotoxic

potato - raw: cytotoxic

privet - berries and leaves: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

ragwort - all parts: hepatotoxic

redoul - all parts: gastrotoxic, neurotoxic, and causes respiratory issues; can be fatal in children

rhubarb - leaves: nephrotoxic

skullcap - hepatotoxic

spindle (spindle tree) - fruit: hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic; possibly fatal  

stinging tree (gympie gympie) - bark and sap: dermatoxic; sometimes fatal

strychnine tree - seeds: neurotoxic; often fatal

sweet pea - seeds: neurotoxic and damaging to connective tissues

tomato - leaves and stems: cytotoxic in large doses

uva ursi - neurotoxic, dermatoxic 

white baneberry (doll’s eyes) - all parts, especially berries: cardiotoxic; possibly fatal

white snakeroot - all parts: gastrotoxic; often fatal

winter cherry (jerusalem cherry) - all parts, especially berries: gastrotoxic; occasionally fatal, especially to children

wisteria - gastrotoxic

yew (english yew, common yew) - leaves and seeds: gastrotoxic if ingested and respiratory issues if inhaled

glossary: 

carcinogenic - a substance that can cause cancer

cardiotoxic - toxic to the heart

cytotoxic - toxic to living cells

dermatoxic - toxic to the skin

gastrotoxic - toxic to the gastrointestinal system (stomach, intestines, etc.)

hepatotoxic - toxic to the liver

nephrotoxic - toxic to the kidneys and urological system (ureters, bladder)

neurotoxic - toxic to the neurological system (brain, nerves, brainstem, spinal cord, etc.)

psychoactive - pertaining to substances that change brain function and result in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness

© 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺 𝙰𝙳-𝙲𝙰𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙰

[bluebelly-sun-serpentine]

Look but don't touch. Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) is in every one of these pictures, and is out in full color on most of the trails in my area. I've always thought them beautiful at this time of year, although most people reasonably recoil on sight. I know folks who've had to be hospitalized after close encounters (when poison oak burns, for instance, you really, really don't want to be anywhere near the smoke), but these plants also give life; towhees, squirrels, and even deer eat their berries and shelter in them, and I think we owe something to their power to discourage people from trampling carelessly through the undergrowth. I like to think of them as protectors.

Also present here are Eucalyptus (I'm not sure which variety – the scent is transporting, but they're aggressively invasive and explode if fire catches their crowns, so I'm not that happy to be living in such close quarters with them) and a roadside thistle (probably Cirsium vulgare – also known as bull thistle – and certainly not a native). Poison oak is one of the few plants that manages in Eucalyptus stands here; the litter is so thick and full of tannins that most plants just don't make it. It looks like there's some coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis) in there, though!

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

List of Toxic Plants, Foods, Household Items for Pets

42 Toxic Plants for Cats (RSPCA)

Toxic Plants for Dogs [Agriculture Victoria]

Household Items, Plants and Foods that are Dangerous to Dogs [RSPCA]

Poisonous Plants for Pets [Burke's Backyard]

Human Foods that are Toxic for Cats [RawzFoods]

Poisonous Plants for Animals (Cats, Dogs, Horses) - ASPCA

8 Foods Poisonous to your Horses [EquiSupermarket]

Toxic Plants for Horses [ASPCA]

Feel free to add your own links or diagrams, if you know of something that will help fellow pet owners keep their animals safe.

And remember, do not go feeding random horses random stuff, no matter how kindly intentioned the apple etc, it can cause horrifying issues and even death.

[tulipe-rose]

I was going through a list of flowers, and their symbolism with the intent of finding some info for future reference when I came upon the Belledonna.

Atropa belladonna, commonly known as belladonna or deadly nightshade, is a toxic perennial herbaceous plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae.

An alternative name for the belladonna according to a review on one of the sites I looked through was 'The assassin's drug' in past history, because it tastes sweet, and causes death.

Another review came up to say that Belladonnas help with fevers, and a third one said that the op had a cystoscopy on their left kidney, and the surgical notes stated that once the stone, and equipment were removed, a "Belladonna & Opium suppository" was administrated (B&O for short); they are common after kidney stone removal procedures because they help control what is essentially a painful post-op cramping of the urethra.

The name originates from it's historic use by women, as bella donna is Italian for 'beautiful woman'. It was used to dilate woman's pupils since it was considered to be attractive, and seductive.

In light of my short research, I assume that Dazai used this as a pet name for the women he invites to double suicides knowing all of this. A beautiful woman that agrees to a double suicide would be a deathly one, but her presence would bring comfort alongside the death to come.

It would make a funny pun for florists/plant enthusiasts (me)/pharmacists, and maybe even doctors out there who are exposed to Dazai's flirtatious pick up lines.

'Just being in the presence of your beauty makes my heart race, my dear Belladonna!'

'You should go see a doctor then, my chemistry would start affecting your digestive system pretty soon if you don't hurry lol'

[hersurvival]

i was scrolling through the hemlock tag and saw your post; thus i ask, humbly, to hear everything you know about water hemlock (or poison hemlock, or both, if you prefer).

Ooo, I love that you were just casually exploring the Hemlock tag! I am a Wolf's Bane girl myself when it comes to toxic plants. BUT Hemlock, here we go!

It is part of the carrot family and (as is common in toxic plants) the entire plant itself is toxic but especially the roots and seeds.

I actually love Hemlock because it is so bold yet delicate. They can reach up to 8 feet tall, something about flowering plants that start from nothing but are taller than me in a single growing seasons gets me GOING (Fireweed is my favorite of these, though, not toxic, actually delicious). Anyways! The stems are thick but the leaves and clusters of blossoms are so lacey and elegant. Succubus plant.

Fun fact! At the end of the season, and Hemlock dies back, the stems are hollow and you can find them standing tall still, brown, and "woody." And it's a rite of passage growing up to chase each other with them, like sword fighting. Buuuuut don't do this 🙏 The toxins remain in the stems for several years.

Six to eight leaves is all it takes to have you dead. And as stated, seeds and roots hold the most toxins. I'm not a chemist, pharmacist, scientist in any way. I just like pretty deadly things. But it has a narcotic effect that will lead to paralysis of the respiratory muscles and you'll asphyxiate.

There is no antidote! So watch what you put in your mouth out there! I encourage everyone to try wild native flora, make tea, jelly, put some greens in salads, dry and grind for fancy salts, etc. But do your research 💚

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK

[banefolk]

This tea cup with foxgloves and poison hemlock I found second hand 😭🤌

Yes it most definitely came home with me!

[katiajewelbox]

Halloween Countdown Day 4

The curse of the Toxic Squash!

My 2023 pumpkin harvest includes Winter Luxury pumpkins, Patty Pan squash (Cucurbita pepo), Autumn Crown (C. moschata), Crown Prince, Candy Roaster, Hubbard, Ute, Turban, and Uchiki Kuri (all C. maxima).

A pumpkin patch is a wholesome Halloween sight, but there is evil lurking in the domain of squash… Toxic Squash Syndrome! Squash can develop unusually high concentrations of a naturally occurring toxin called cucurbitacin E. This toxin is a tetracyclic terpene whose smell and taste repel insect and mammal pests.

If humans consume too much cucurbitacin, they can suffer excruciating symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, and hair loss over a period of several days. Fortunately, it is easy to detect the toxin before consuming an unknown squash. Simply lick the raw squash pieces after the fruit is cut up. If they taste bitter, do not eat! It is important not to eat the bitter squash because poisoning can result from a small amount.

Wild squash species have higher cucurbitacin E levels than domesticated squash. The eldritch ornamental squash with bizarre shapes and patterns found in fall home décor were bred for looks rather than culinary use, so they have the wild squash genetics for high cucurbitacin E production. Other types of toxin-loaded squash and gourds, such as Calabash and Colocynths, are sometimes grown for ornamental use. People may consume these unusual squash due to ignorance, or experimentation with traditional medicinal uses of these species.

Toxic squash syndrome can be prevented by only eating squash from reputable sources, such as supermarkets and home vegetable gardens where there is no chance of cross pollination with wild squash species. The progeny of ornamental and edible squash may look like edible squash, but they contain the dangerously high levels of cucurbitacin E. If the only squash in the local vicinity are edible domesticated squash varieties, the seeds should be safe to save and grow for next year’s harvest. However, bitter squash can be caused by harsh environmental stress so always taste before cooking. Make sure your Halloween pumpkin soup and pie is a treat not a nasty trick!

#katia_plantscientist #pumpkinpatch #toxic #squash

[samirafee]

#TOMMY👁️🐈👁️IMPORTANT JOB TODAY:

💛🌿*PLANTS INSPECTOR*🌿💛

@samirafee

[cryptidroots]

Everyone on my post about toxic invasive air potatoes vines in florida:

'Wow, it looks like ube, you can eat it! :D'

Me, typing fast : " they're in the same family and the leaves look the same, but this isn't ube and can be unsafe to eat for you and your pets'

Next comment: obviously you don't know what you're talking about, the leaves look like an ube plant'

Me: the leaves do look the same! but when the aerial tubers grow in they'll look very different to ube; these plants are poisonous, please don't eat them.

Next comment: ma'am that's an ube plant. I know cause I seen leaves once, and the leaves look like those leaves, and no plants in the world have similar leaves, so imma eat em

Me: Please. DONT. Eat. Them.

[crudlynaturephotos]