Is it possible to have a poison that’s not a poison unless there is another poison around? Ya sure, ya betcha. Enter Coprinopsis atramentaria, otherwise known as the ink, or inky, cap mushroom. The ink cap mushroom is found primarily in the northern hemisphere, and grows in fields during the spring and fall. It gets its name, ink … Continue reading
Mushrooms can kill. Make no mistake about that, and do not allow others to tell you otherwise. Even those that are experienced and wise can make a mistake that alters their life, and the lives around them, forever. Such is the case of Nicholas Evans, author of the bestseller “Horse Whisperer.” While visiting family in … Continue reading
Welcome to Mushroom Week on Nature’s Poisons, where I’ll highlight two poisonous mushrooms, one that severely sickens and one that can kill. Check back on Tuesday and Thursday for the history, chemistry and science of these two fungi. I plan on covering more poisonous mushrooms over time, so be patient, but if there’s one you’re … Continue reading
Spring is here, and that means one thing: poison ivy. Okay, that’s a bit melodramatic, as spring also kills off winter, brings my garden alive, and reminds us that summer is around the corner. But I happen to have horrid reactions to poison ivy – as well as insects. And besides passing on my genes of … Continue reading
With apologies to the 1979 cult classic “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes”, green potatoes are the real killer. Maybe killer is too strong a word. How about poisonous? Most of us have heard that green potatoes can make you sick, but is there any truth to this, or is it just a myth? The answer … Continue reading
I have been holding off on writing about ricin, not because it isn’t fascinating and one of Nature’s most deadly poisons, but because I wanted to do it justice. I wanted to put some thought and effort into it. You know, do it up right. And I will, but two Knuckleheads got in the … Continue reading
Ackee is a tropical fruit native to West Africa, where it is known as akye, but it is legendary in Jamaica. Brought to the Caribbeans in the 18th century, it is the National Fruit of Jamaica and one half of Jamaica’s signature dish, ackee and saltfish. Ackee is a member of the Sapindaceae family, an extensive … Continue reading
In search of a psychedelic high, some teenager, somewhere, will turn to nutmeg. Yes, that aromatic spice used in pumpkin pie and eggnog can take you for a trip. And people have been trippin’ on nutmeg for centuries. Nutmeg dates back to Indonesia and the “Spice Islands” near the turn of the 16th century. Then, … Continue reading
An algal bloom forces the precautionary shutdown of oystering in Galveston Bay (Texas), as reported by Galveston County’s Daily News. Since oyster season is only six months long, and ends April 30th, this closure is sure to have an economic impact in the area. But it’s just an algal bloom, what’s the big deal? Well, … Continue reading
Shamrocks have become the symbol of the Irish and of St. Patrick’s Day. In the United States hundred of thousands of shamrock plants will be given to families and children in celebration of Leprechauns and green beer (ewww). But while some may consider shamrocks lucky – who doesn’t feel lucky when they find a four-leafed … Continue reading
What if I told you that there was a natural compound, present in the bark and roots of a tree, that reduces or eliminates the addiction, craving, and withdrawal of drugs like heroin? What if I then told you that you couldn’t have it? That’s the story of ibogaine, an alkaloid found in the small … Continue reading
The phrase “truth serum” is a part of our lexicon, and we hear it in movies and read it in novels, but what does childbirth and scopolamine have to do with truth serum? I’ve written about scopolamine before, here, and briefly mentioned childbirth, but not truth serum. But trust me, they are related, and it’s … Continue reading
I am a product of the ’80s. I also grew up along the water in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. And during that time there were two words that caused worry and fear in children and adults alike. Red Tide. My family, excluding myself, loved eating clams and mussels. I just enjoyed harvesting … Continue reading
Wormwood, and its chemicals and concoctions, has an interesting history, and it’s difficult to know where to start. And whenever I’m in doubt, I start at the beginning, despite what my favorite author says (see rule 5). The plant genus Artemisia houses over 300 species, and includes the common sagebrush, as well as the cool sounding mugwort and … Continue reading
This has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve read in a while: “French hydrangea thieves search for the high life.” One, stealing someones plants, or those from a public garden or arboretum, is low. People spend time taking care of them so that others may enjoy them. And two, stealing them to get … Continue reading
Queen of Poisons. Where do you go from there? And names like that aren’t usually given away, you have to earn them. So how exactly did aconitine receive this highest honor? By being a bad ass, of course. The genus Aconitum is comprised of over 200 species of flowering plants, and grow in damp and part-shade areas … Continue reading
That smoking tobacco products is unhealthy comes as no surprise to any individual with a pulse. It is impossible for me to imagine someone thinking that inhaling smoke into their lungs could be anything less than harmful. Firefighters wear sixty pounds of respiration gear for the sole purpose of not inhaling smoke. But I digress. … Continue reading
Homepage featured image of Colchicum autumnale by ukgardenphotos (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Colchicum autumnale, the autumn crocus, the meadow saffron. I am neither a botanist, nor a taxonomist, so when something is called a crocus I naturally assume it is, well, a crocus. Silly me. They aren’t even in the same family, let alone order. They … Continue reading
So with the St. Valentine’s Day theme going on it makes sense to mention aphrodisiacs. In a nutshell an aphrodisiac is anything that increases sexual desire, and draws its name from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. I most often read about aphrodisiacs as being used by men on women to increase their libido, or … Continue reading
Nothing moves a woman’s heart more than chocolate. Maybe diamonds. But I can’t afford them, besides, diamonds in your blood stream can’t be good for you. So what is it about chocolate that is so attractive, maybe even addictive, to some women? Well, let’s start at the source. The cacao tree (yes, it is spelled … Continue reading
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