Some plants can save your life. Others, on the contrary, can threaten it in just a few bites or even by simple contact.
In this article, discover 5 major types of risks associated with poisonous plants and how to identify them to survive without poisoning yourself.
1. Poisoning by ingestion: the deadliest
Eating a toxic plant can cause severe symptoms: nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, coma, or even death.
The spotted hemlock, for example, resembles the wild carrot, but is deadly even in small amounts. Never consume a plant without having identified it with certainty.
2. Contact risks: beware of the skin
Some plants cause contact dermatitis, with burns, redness, blisters, and itching. This can spread to the entire body.
Poison ivy, poison sumac, or even the cashew nut are formidable. Never burn a toxic plant: its smoke can be even more dangerous.
3. Dangerous plants according to their stage
Some plants are edible at one point, then become toxic as they grow.
This is the case of the American pokeweed, whose young leaves are edible, but become poisonous when mature.
Others are edible only when ripe, like the mayapple, whose green fruit is toxic, but when ripe, edible.
4. Toxic parts in edible plants
Even an edible plant can contain toxic parts.
Potatoes and tomatoes, for example, are common, but their green leaves and stems are toxic.
Never consume an unknown part without verification, even if the plant seems familiar to you.
5. The dangerous myths to absolutely avoid
Some popular advice is false:
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"If animals eat it, you can too" ❌
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"Boiling eliminates all toxins" ❌
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"All red plants are toxic" ❌
These ideas can cost you your life. Only rely on clear identification, or as a last resort, on the universal edibility test.
Conclusion
Knowing about poisonous plants is just as important as knowing which ones are edible.
Learn to recognize them, avoid unnecessary contact, and never eat an unknown plant, even if it seems harmless.
In survival, caution saves far more lives than courage.
