20 Poisonous Desert Plants To Keep Your Kids Away From

Desert plants must adapt to their surroundings to survive the rough desert climate as they must deal with the hot sun, extreme temperatures, and lack of water. They are disturbed by birds, insects, and animals that see the plants as a source of water.

Dangerous desert plants have got their name because of their adaptation to threats. Although these plants are referred to as poisonous, they have varying toxicity grades.

The toxic levels also depend on the kind of plant, and its parts also have different amounts of toxicity. In some plants, stalks or leaves can be poisonous, while in others, seeds are toxic.

Some poisonous plants include poison ivy, rosary pea, castor bean, and poison oak. Keep reading to learn about the various kinds of toxic desert plants and their impacts on humans and animals.

List Of Famous Poisonous Desert Plants

Here are some of the dangerous desert plants across the world.

Barrel Cactus

The barrel cactus of the Ferocactus genus has a globe- or cylinder-shaped plant body covered in 3-4 in (7.6-10.16 cm) long spines. It is the largest cactus specimen in North America, growing up to 10 ft (3 m). Barrel cactus also occurs in southern Arizona's Sonoran desert.

New Mexico Locust

The New Mexico locust (Robinia neomexicana) grows across the Arizona forest. Between late spring and early summer, pink flowers bloom on the plant.

Once the flower dries up, a bean pod takes over. The seeds within the pods can kill an animal or a child. However, Native Americans traditionally ate New Mexico locust flowers uncooked and used them as cattle feed.

Silverleaf Nightshade

The prickly silverleaf nightshade has poisonous fruits and leaves, which hold toxic solanine. If ingested, silverleaf nightshade causes abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. The most poisonous part is its ripe fruit. Silverleaf nightshade's metabolites are suspected of upsetting the blood-brain barrier.

Tree Tobacco

South America's tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauna) has also adapted to the southwest United States' surroundings. Tree tobacco can cause auditory hallucinations, altered vision and hearing, dizziness, and diarrhea. Its leaves also have alkaloid anabasine toxin, which can also be lethal.

Desert Tobacco

The Desert Tobacco (Nicotiana obtusifolia) is a part of the nightshade family, which has highly poisonous plants like sacred Dracula and deadly nightshade. Alkaloids in this plant can become poison at a higher dosage, dangerous to all livestock and humans. Desert Tobacco flowers have a funnel shape with a green or white tinge.

Russian Thistle Tumbleweed

Russian thistle tumbleweed is a bomb-proof pest. Adverse growing states boost the nitrate levels of tumbleweed, increasing it to a lethal level. If ingested, the plant can cause seizures, ataxia, tremors, vomiting, stomach upset, and death.

Buttonbush

Buttonbush (Cephalanthu occidentalis) is found in floodplains, ditches, swamps, and riparian wetlands. It also produces white flowers. Buttonbush's flowers contain cephalothin poison, which, if ingested by humans, can cause paralysis, convulsions, and vomiting. Buttonbush typically encompasses six plant species characterized by the round inflorescence of their flowers.

Poodle Dog Bush

The poodle dog bush (Eriodictyon parryi) occurs in the desert mountains of Southern California. Its leaves can give skin blisters with just one touch.

Eriodictyon parryi have purple bell-shaped flowers. If one comes in contact with this plant, one must avoid topical ointments containing benzocaine.

Once a person's immunity system is exposed to toxin from the poodle dog bush, later contact will force a memory response. This can cause the previously exposed area to break out in blisters again, even though it might not have been exposed a second time.

Texas Mountain Laurel

Every part of the Texas mountain laurel (also called mescal bean plant) is poisonous to humans and animals. The scent of its purple flowers is also considered to be toxic. This plant is identifiable by its glossy dark green compound leaves and drooping clusters of bluish-purple flowers.

Harmful Effects Of Poisonous Desert Plants

Poisonous desert plants have varying toxic levels with different reactions in humans and animals. For example, angel's trumpet and jimson weed are rated 1 in toxicity class, while Balsam fir is 4.

Desert plants with major toxicity cause severe sickness or even death, while those with minor toxicity will cause diarrhea or vomiting. Some plants can also cause skin irritation or rash, a condition called dermatitis.

Other harmful effects of poisonous desert plants are respiratory distress, weakness, dizziness, and confusion. With some toxins, the symptoms show up after hours or even for a few days.

Poisonous Parts Of Desert Plants

Poisonous plants have toxins in all or several parts of their body. Poison is present in their seeds, flowers, and pods. Some plants can be toxic if ingested, some upon touch, some are airborne, and some create photosensitization.

The Datura plant stands out in that all its parts are poisonous. It blooms between spring and fall. Dumbcane leaves can cause burning and swelling in the mouth if ingested.

The milky sap of the Candelabras cactus is poisonous. One must not make contact with it as it can irritate the eyes or skin. Castor contains toxins in its beans which can cause injury when eaten.

Toxic Substances In Poisonous Plants

Different types of toxins are present in poisonous desert plants. They also have varying impacts on humans and animals. Phytotoxicology is the study of plant poison. Toxic plants are identified as per their toxin's chemical nature.

For example, the tropane alkaloids in desert-thorn apples can kill humans and animals if ingested. Most dangerous desert plants have alkaloids in them. Alkaloids contain nitrogen and salts, and more than 100 desert species have alkaloids, including locoweed, threadleaf groundsel, and Senecio.

Organic acid is also a common type of poison in desert plants. It is present in plants like Gambel oaks, Russian thistle, and greasewood. Organic acids can cause colic, leading to kidney failure.

Also, Locoine (present in locoweed) can cause death in cattle, weakness, loss of appetite, impaired vision, and edema of eyelids in humans.

Ricin is the toxin found in castor beans. It can cause mild to fatal gastroenteritis.