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You’ve probably seen those cheesy old B-movies where a giant flower swallows a man whole or an extremely fast-growing vine reaches out and entangles people until they are no longer distinguishable from the plant itself and they too die a most gruesome death. Those are dangerous plants, indeed, we would all agree. Thankfully there are no flowering plants or vines that can do that, at least not that we know of. That is not to say, however, that there aren’t plants just as dangerous as these imaginary ones.
Even if there are no man-eating plants there exist many plants which are dangerous to the touch.
These plants have subtle ways of causing harm to humans. Others however, are not so subtle. There are those plants with fine hairs on stems and foliage that cause stings and welts to appear. There are those bearing thorns that prick, scratch and pull at skin. Some have seeds encased in Velcro-like capsules which entangle in clothes and your pet’s hair.
Then there are those plants containing skin irritants either in the sap or plant oils on the leaf surface lying in wait for an unsuspecting victim to bush innocently against them. The more sensitive of victims may soon be covered in blistering rashes. Although these dangerous-to-touch plants may not exactly cause a hideous death as giant man-eating flowers and killer vines would, they still can cause enough trouble. Therefore, it would behoove us to steer clear of them.
Some folks might even think we should rid ourselves of any and all plants which can cause harm but that would be taking extreme measures and potentially cause quite a bit more trouble. The thing is almost any plant can cause some harm. Some plants which are quite useful in one way can cause major problems in others. Those would-be, dangerous-to-touch plants make up a vast number of plants within our flora kingdom. To rid the world of all of them would reduce our planet to as lifeless a place as the moon. We wouldn’t want that, surely!
With this thought in mind wouldn’t it be wise then to learn exactly which plants are dangerous to touch? It would, so, let us take a look at some of the most dangerous plants to touch but ones you will agree, mostly anyway, that we could not possibly do without.
Poison Ivy, Sumac, Oak.
These undesirable plants may be the exception to the rule. For the most part all people would consider it a good thing to rid the world of these menace plants but as much as people have tried, much like the endless suburban battle against the totally innocuous Dandelion, Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac and Poison Oak will forever be with us and creep up when we least expect it to make us break out in itchy, blistering rashes.
You’ve probably heard that little rhyme “Leaves of three, let them be” and think that’s all you need to stay protected from these dangerous-to-touch plants but don’t be fooled. That doesn’t always help when you’re wandering through the woods with no idea on what you are treading. Best defense against these is never to touch them at all. So cover up every inch of skin if you are ultra-sensitive to them. Where there may be some lurking around wear protective clothing and gloves when poking around the garden .
Rosa Rugosa.
This is one of the hardiest of the Shrub Roses with beautifully fragrant blossoms and is absolutely deadly if you were to fall into a hedge of these. Unlike other Roses where the thorns are perhaps an inch or so apart these Rosa Rugosa bushes are covered with close-growing sharp and painful thorns from branch end to tip with no place to grasp without getting stuck. Why grow such a dangerous plant in your yard? Rosa Rugosa makes a completely impenetrable hedge. One person’s dangerous plant is another’s protecting plant.
Cactus.
Could you imagine a desert without the prickly Cactus? Of course not! They provide sustenance and homes for many desert creatures but there is nothing saying they are not dangerous to touch. They are indeed that. If you were to land on a Cactus you will not be happy. Best carry a pair of tweezers with you if you plan on strolling amongst the Cactus.
Stinging Nettles.
While some people actually grow these in their herb and vegetable gardens to use in medicinal infusions and as greens for cooking, the Stinging Nettle can cause itchy, stinging welts to appear upon the skin of unsuspecting gardeners, mostly because they don’t know what they look like or have never even heard of them.
Hops Vine.
A major ingredient in beer and a lovely, fragrant vine to grow along a fence but the Hops Vine can also cause skin irritation if a lose branch happens to whip you in the face. Tiny unseen but stiff hairs along the stem, which help the plant cling to any and everything in the way in its effort to grow up toward the sun, catch onto skin much like a thorn and can make long welts when pulled away quickly.
Thistle.
The bane of many a gardener, Thistle is a wild flower or weed, depending on how much you like birds. They have pretty purple flowers but also many long, sharp thorns that grow along the stems and also on the leave tips making it horrible to grasp and pull out of the garden even while wearing thick gloves. The seeds are the favorite food of the Golden Finch which makes it one of the best weeds to keep in a garden if you would like to attract this bird in particular but also butterflies and bees but at the same time, these little birds throwing seeds around willy-nilly make it impossible to eradicate this most heinous and dangerous-to-touch plant.
Ragweed.
While this plant is known to make many people sneeze their heads off during their blooming season some folks cannot touch it for fear of getting a most uncomfortable rash on their skin much like that Poison Ivy gives. For the sensitive-skinned gardeners who pull Ragweed out of their flowerbeds and wonder why they start itching like crazy when you can see no Poison Ivy or Poison Oak anywhere, now you know.
Mangroves.
A wonderful tropical and sub-tropical plant, the Mangrove grows in the Everglades and along many marshy, brackish waterways on the east coast providing food, shelter and the means for the Everglades to continue to thrive as a wildlife region like none other in the world. Only problem is the sap can cause quite a bit of damage. To a sensitive-skinned person Mangrove is just as bad if not a worse irritant than Poison Ivy. If not treated it will become systemic and appear all over the body. Not a pretty sight!
As you can see there are many seemingly harmless plants in woods, rain forests, open fields, meadows and even within your own home and garden which can actually be dangerous to touch. Can we live with dangerous-to-touch plants? If they are kept at a distance or treated with the utmost care the answer would be yes. But can we live without them? That is a question only you, the gardener, the wildlife enthusiast or the plant lover can and must answer for yourself.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 Short Stories @ Helium: http://www.helium.com/users/32782/show_articles
How to create your own backyard bird sanctuary: http://www.helium.com/zone/2884-how-to-create-your-own-backyard-bird-sanctuary
Shrub Zone: http://www.helium.com/zone/2881-
Violet’s in Bloom, a romance novel: http://www.helium.com/zone/3012-violet-in-bloom-a-romance-novel-by-glory-lennon
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