Deadly Nightshade facts
While investigating facts about Deadly Nightshade Plant and Deadly Nightshade Family, I found out little known, but curios details like:
Belladonna or deadly nightshade was used in eye-drops by women to dilate the pupils of the eyes to make them appear seductive.
how to get rid of deadly nightshade?
Fruit of deadly nightshade are black or purple berries. They contain sweet, black juice.
What does deadly nightshade look like?
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what does deadly nightshade plant look like. Here are 20 of the best facts about Deadly Nightshade Flower and Deadly Nightshade Identification I managed to collect.
what's deadly nightshade?
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Scopolamine (hyoscine) and atropine are two main alkaloids isolated from deadly nightshade. They are widely used in pharmaceutical and medical industry. Atropine is used as an antidote for poisoning induced by organophosphates, to dilate pupils during the eye surgery and in treatment of hypertension (it lowers blood pressure). Hyoscine is used as anesthetic, in treatment of major depressive disorders and to prevent motion sickness.
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Early humans were using deadly nightshade to prepare poison arrows. Ancient Romans were using deadly nightshade to eliminate enemy troops. Before the Medieval period, deadly nightshade was used as anesthetic during the surgeries.
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Birds and water disperse seed of deadly nightshade.
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Deadly nightshade is known as belladonna, which means "beautiful lady" in Italian. Unusual name of the plant originates from old habit of Italian women to use eye drops made of deadly nightshade to dilate pupils and produce seductive gaze.
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Deadly nightshade develops bell-shaped and purple colored flowers. Individual flowers grow in the axils of leaves.
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Despite high content of toxins in the plant, pheasant, sheep, rabbits, and hares eat deadly nightshade without visible side effects.
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According to the legend, witches were preparing ointment made of belladonna and opium poppy to lubricate brooms and facilitate flying.
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Poisonous beauty advice for Victorian women included: Lead face paint; Mercury for eye treatments; Belladonna drops (from the deadly nightshade plant) used for the 'dilated pupil is cool' look. Bathing in arsenic springs was highly recommended.
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All parts of deadly nightshade contain tropane alkaloids (group of toxic chemicals) that induce strong hallucinations, delirium, blurred vision, headache and loss of balance (among other symptoms). One leaf or 2 to 5 berries contain enough toxins to kill an adult man. Root of the plant contains the greatest amount of toxins.
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Deadly nightshade blooms from June to September. Main pollinators of the flowers are honeybees and bumblebees.
Why is deadly nightshade poisonous?
You can easily fact check why is it called deadly nightshade by examining the linked well-known sources.
Deadly nightshade is herbaceous plant that can grow to the height of 5 feet. Purple (or reddish) stem is covered with short hairs.
Deadly nightshade has long, ovate leaves. They are green colored and have smooth texture. Leaves are alternately arranged or grouped in pairs composed of two leaves of uneven size.
Deadly Nightshade of the species name belladonna (beautiful woman in Italian) was named because women would use it's poison to dilate the eyes for cosmetic effect. - source
Deadly nightshade is perennial plant (life span: more than two years in the wild).
Deadly nightshade is also known as Devil's Cherries, Naughty Man's Cherries, Divale, Devil's Herb and Dwayberry.
When does deadly nightshade flower?
Deadly nightshade has thick, white root that is usually 6 inches long.
How poisonous is deadly nightshade?
Tomatos are actually related to deadly nightshade because they come from the same plant family
Deadly nightshade is also known as belladonna, "beautiful lady" in Italian, because women in medieval times would use it to dilate their pupils, even though this meant an inability to focus, visual distortions and eventually blindness
