5 Most Dangerous Plants in Existence

Plants serve as the backbone of most ecosystems, although it means that they have to sit at the bottom of the food chain and wait at the other end when animals return to the earth. However, not all plants passively process sunlight and wait to be eaten by the closest herbivore. To remind us of the creatively scary ways nature instilled fear in humans, here are eight of the most dangerous plants in existence:

1. Gympie-Gympie

Although it might have a child-friendly name, this dangerous plant from Australia is far from any kind of human-friendly. Dendrocnide moroides comes in a variety of names, including permutations of Gympie and stinger, although it has been called the suicide plant and the moonlighter.

This dangerous plant heart-shaped leaves contain small follicles, hair-like protrusions that deliver a sting that lasts for months or even over a year. A scientist, despite wearing thick welding gloves, got stung describing the pain as "like being burnt with hot acid and electrocuted at the same time."

In the poisonous versus venomous debate, the Gympie-Gympie delivers its notorious sting from the small syringe needle-like protrusions from its leaf and its body. Its toxin also reportedly causes sneezing and "copious production of mucous from the nasal membrane."

2. Water Hemlock

Also known as Cicuta douglasii, the water hemlock is a relative to the poison hemlock that has gone down in history for killing the philosopher Socrates. This perennial plant can go up to more than eight feet tall and is usually mistaken for edible plants - parsnips or even celery.

Considered one of the most dangerous plants in North America, mistaken ingestion of the water hemlock would affect nerve impulse transmission up to muscles, risking death through respiratory failure.

3. Castor Bean

Originally a native plant from the African continent, the castor bean, or Ricinus communis, its tiny beans are enough to knock off a full-sized human adult. Sitting still, Ricinus is highly allergic and has been known to trigger asthma and skin rashes.

Its toxicity is worse with the ingestion of beans, causing ricin overdose characterized by nausea, diarrhea, hypotension, and seizures that lasts for a few days. Poisoning by ingestion of the "beans" often begins with a burning sensation from the mouth, nose, and throat and can even lead to death if left untreated.

4. Oleander

Nerium oleander, commonly referred to as nerium or oleander, is a shrub with pink flowers. It is historically known as an equally poisonous and visually appealing plant, appearing in texts written by Pliny the Elder. Its bitterness has largely caused animals and humans away from ingesting large amounts of this dangerous plant.

Taking in substantial amounts of oleander causes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive salivating, and bloody diarrhea. Prolonged exposure of the sap to the skin causes dermatitis and skin irritation.

5. Manchineel

It appears that this entire plant was made only to terrorize life around it. The Manchineel is a flowering tree whose parts, almost all of them, are poisonous. The plan is found across the Caribbean and some parts of Central and South America. In the U.S., it is found in Florida.

To start, its sap is enough to cause blisters upon contact on skin and blindness if it gets in the eyes. Its brightly colored green-apple doppelganger causes oral swelling, enlargement of lymph nodes, throat bleeding, breathing difficulties in even death.

Given you're familiar with the tree and make no physical contact, simply standing under the tree as it rains can get your skin erupting in blisters. Even though it looks like nothing but trouble, you can't burn it. Burning Manchineel trees would only turn the caustic sap into a fume that also causes blindness upon contact.