Deadly Texas Flowers You Should Never Touch

Texas might be full of wide-open spaces and pretty plants, but not everything out here is as safe as it looks. Some of the most dangerous things can be hiding in plain sight, like poison hemlock, a plant that looks harmless but can be deadly.

A woman from Lancaster, near Dallas, recently found this out the hard way. She was just pulling what she thought were regular weeds, but soon after, her arms started burning. She took a shower, thinking it was just splinters or irritation, but things quickly got worse. Her tongue swelled up, her skin burned, she started slurring her words, felt dizzy and shaky, and had a hard time breathing. When she got to the emergency room, doctors told her she had been poisoned by poison hemlock.

Avoid These Dangerous Flowers in Texas

So what is this stuff? Poison hemlock is a plant that looks kind of like Queen Anne’s lace or wild carrots, with tall, hollow stems and small white flowers in bunches. But don’t be fooled by its innocent looks. It’s one of the most toxic plants out there. In fact, it was used in ancient Greece to execute people, including the philosopher Socrates.

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The poison hemlock, with its alluring appearance, has managed to deceive many throughout history. In ancient Greece, this plant was infamously employed for executions, a testament to its potent toxicity. Even today, its innocent-looking structure belies the danger it poses. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service warns that the stems and leaves contain the highest concentration of the lethal toxins.

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According to Texas A&M AgriLife, the most dangerous parts of the plant are the stems and leaves, which are packed with toxic chemicals. And unfortunately, it grows in a lot of places around Texas, especially near Dallas.

Toxic Texas Blooms That Pose a Risk

While Texas boasts a wealth of incredible flora and fauna, it's crucial to recognize that some of nature's marvels come with a venomous sting.

The bottom line: just because a plant looks pretty doesn’t mean it’s safe. If you’re not sure what it is, don’t touch it, because poison hemlock doesn’t mess around.