Deadly nightshade

Atropa belladonna, or as it’s most commonly known Deadly nightshade, is one of the most toxic plants known. All parts of this plant are toxic – from the flowers to the roots, and as few as 10 berries can be enough to kill an adult. This plant has charming bell flowers, of a luscious deep purple, However, its certainly best to admire its eerily beautiful flowers from a far.

Atropa belladonna, is a perennial herb, native to Europe, Northern Africa, and West Asia. Although this plant is a member of the Solanaceae family – a relative of tomatoes and bell peppers, this plant would not go down well in a salad. The common name for this plant is Deadly nightshade, and as the name suggests, it is one of the deadliest plants recorded. It’s toxicity comes from alkaloids, used to for defence against herbivores, which once ingested can cause a whole range of nasty symptoms. In small doses, belladonna poisoning include blurred vision, headaches and rashes. In high enough doses this plant can cause a heart attack or even paralysis!

The latin name Atropa belladonna was chosen by the 18^th century biologist, Carl Linnaeus, and has origins in both greek mythology, and the renaissance. Atropa, comes from Atropos, who in greek mythology was a personification of fate, and responsible for “cutting a persons thread of life”. Belladona, means “beautiful woman” in italian, and refers to the renaissance period, when women would drop the juice of the berries into their eyes to appear more seductive.

Humans have been aware of the deadly properties of Deadly nightshade for centuries, and has long been used as a poison, and to make poison arrows. Ingestion of the leaves, berries, seeds and even flowers can be deadly, thanks to the tropane alkaloids present in all tissues. Symptoms can include blurred vision, loss of balance, headache, rashes, slurred speech, confusion, hallucinations, convulsions and eventually death.