Have you ever brushed up against a plant and been met with a surprising jolt of pain? The plant kingdom is not always as benign as it seems.
In fact, in 2015 alone, over 46,500 encounters with toxic plants were reported to U.S. poison control centers, accounting for nearly 2% of all their calls.1 These encounters remind us of the potential dangers lying low in the seemingly innocent world of flora.
Here’s a list of the 10 most painful (and poisonous) plants on Earth.
1. Gympie-Gympie (Dendrocnide moroides)
The Gympie-Gympie, native to Australia, is considered the most painful plant in the world. Its leaves and stems are covered in tiny, needle-like hairs that inject a potent neurotoxin upon contact.
The resulting pain has been described as being burned with hot acid and electrocuted simultaneously, and can last for months or even years. Some victims have reported experiencing pain so excruciating that they’ve been driven to suicide.
2. Stinging Tree (Dendrocnide excelsa)
Another Australian native, the Stinging Tree, is a close relative of the Gympie-Gympie. It also possesses venomous hairs that cause intense pain upon contact. However, the pain from the Stinging Tree is generally considered to be less severe and shorter-lasting than that of the Gympie-Gympie.
3. Blume Chew (Dendrocnide sinuata)
The Blume Chew (Dendrocnide sinuata), also a close relative of the Gympie-Gympie, is an Australian rainforest tree with stinging hairs that deliver a potent neurotoxin, causing excruciating pain that can persist for months and potentially lead to hospitalization.
The extreme pain inflicted by this plant has earned it the grim nickname “Suicide Plant,” though no confirmed suicides are directly linked to it.
4. Tread-Softly (Cnidoscolus stimulosus)
Native to North America, the Tread-Softly plant is covered in stinging hairs that inject a venom causing intense burning and itching sensations upon contact.
The pain is usually not as severe or long-lasting as that caused by the Australian stinging trees, but it can still be quite unpleasant.
5. Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Giant Hogweed is a large, invasive plant found in various parts of the world. Its sap contains chemicals called furanocoumarins, which, when exposed to sunlight, cause severe burns and blisters on the skin.
These burns can be quite painful and may leave long-lasting scars.
6. Manchineel Tree (Hippomane mancinella)
Native to Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, the Manchineel tree is dubbed the “Tree of Death.” Its sap is highly toxic, causing severe burns, blistering, and even blindness upon contact with the skin or eyes.
Even standing under the tree during rainfall can be dangerous, as the raindrops can carry diluted sap. Burning the wood of the Manchineel tree releases toxic fumes that can cause respiratory problems.
7. Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
Poison Ivy is widespread in North America and is notorious for its ability to cause an itchy, blistering rash. The plant’s sap contains urushiol, an oily resin that triggers an allergic reaction in most people.
The rash can develop within hours or days of contact and may last for weeks.
8. Pain Bush (Smodingium argutum)
Native to South Africa, the Pain Bush is covered in fine hairs that release a potent irritant upon contact. The resulting rash can be extremely painful and may last for weeks or even months.
In some cases, the pain is so severe that it can lead to hospitalization.
9. Blister Bush (Peucedanum galbanum)
The Blister Bush, also native to South Africa, contains furanocoumarins, similar to Giant Hogweed. These chemicals, when activated by sunlight, cause severe burns and blisters on the skin.
The burns can be incredibly painful and may leave long-lasting scars.
10. Nettle Family (Urticaceae)
The Nettle family, which includes Stinging Nettle, is found worldwide. These plants are covered in hollow stinging hairs that inject a mixture of histamine, acetylcholine, and other chemicals upon contact. This causes a stinging sensation, followed by itching and redness.
While the pain is usually not as severe as that caused by some other plants on this list, it can still be quite unpleasant.
Source:
Read Next:
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.