As survivalists, we all know that you have to look around you and make do with what you have. This means knowing what is safe and what could cause you harm.  If you know about these five poisonous plant families it might be the most important skill you have. It just might be what saves your life!

The Five Poisonous Plant Families Include

Anacardiaceae – The Poison Ivy Family
Anacardiaceae is also known as the Cashew Family. Poison Ivy  is a complex species group that may or may not include what is otherwise known as Poison Oak. They deserve mention here not only due to “poison” in their name but because these plants are among the most trouble to people spending time outdoors, some people anyway. A decent percentage of people can react to the Poison Ivy oils and experience a troublesome, blistering rash.

Poison Sumac  is another in the genus. Sometimes when people get a bad  rash they will say it is Poison Sumac because of how bad the rash is. However, because Poison Sumac grows in swamps and bogs it is much more rare to come in contact with.

Mangos and Cashews  belong to Anacardiaceae, as do our Sumacs. It is believed that eating these foods can help against Poison Ivy reactiveness. People sometimes worry about consuming Sumacs because of Poison Sumac. But Poison Sumac belongs to Toxicodendron and Staghorn Sumac and its close relatives belong to Rhus.

Apiaceae – The Carrot Family
Apiaceae is also known as the Poison Hemlock Family, the Parsley Family, and by its old name, the Umbel Family or Umbelliferae. This latter designation has persisted since Apiaceae became official largely because it describes the flower type, the umble, which is characteristic.  Carrots  Angelica, Parsnips, Dill , Poison Hemlock , and Water Hemlock  all have umble  flowerheads.

Poison Hemlock, Water Hemlock, and the related species are very deadly. Water Hemlock has been considered the most poisonous plant in North America. Umbel flower-heads should be a warning. Eat and use such plants carefully to avoid confusing a desired species with a fatally poisonous one. Even those that are edible can produce toxic parts. For instance, Parsnip has been cultivated for generations as a delicious vegetable, but the above-ground portions of Wild Parsnip are well known to produce rashes in some people.

Wild Carrot is the wild version of the domestic vegetable. It is one of the most commonly consumed vegetables around the world. However, it is not considered safe to freely eat the greens or seeds in that there are some toxic properties.

Apocynaceae – the Milkweed Family
Apocynaceae is also known as the Dogbane Family, especially since Milkweed was formerly classified in Asclepiadaceae. I call it the Milkweed family because Milkweed  is a much more commonly known plant.  Dogbane is commonly known as the poisonous relative of Milkweed. Besides the toxic properties of Dogbane, the survivalist should get to know the plant as an important source of fiber for cordage.

Ranunculaceae – the Buttercup Family
Buttercups  are generally toxic. One species, Marsh Marigold  is a well-known edible , but the family should be treated with caution. , from the Common Buttercup  to the “most deadly plant” in the world – Aconite. If you live in an area where Aconite or poisonous relatives like Larkspur grow, you should learn these plants. Aconite is also known as Monkshood and Wolf’s Bane.

Another member of the family is known as Baneberry. It has created some confusion since Black Cohosh, formerly Cimicifuga, was included in the genus, and some concern since the common medicinal is not as toxic as the Baneberries.

Ranunculaceae is also known as the Crowfoot Family. Members of the family are quite common, especially in wet areas. Often, they go unnoticed when not in flower. It is worth learning the leaves, by which they get the name Crowfoot. Even Ranunculus species can blister your mouth if chewed on.

Solanaceae – the Nightshade Family

Solanaceae produces deadly poisons  hallucinogens (like Jimson Weed and Belladonna), food crops (like Potatoes and Tomatoes), and other exceptionally interesting plants.

Jimson Weed, Deadly Nightshade and other similar plants are very toxic. They are also important medicinals. Before asthma inhalers these plants were often used in the same fashion, though inhaled as smoke. Still today, we get crucial medications from these plants like atropine and scopolamine.

Tomatoes  first came from South America. It is widely believed that they were first cultivated as an exotic ornamental and thought to be poisonous before they became a staple cooking ingredient and primary garden “vegetable. Wood Nightshade  helps to show why Tomatoes were once thought to be poisonous, as it has small, poisonous, red fruits that look very much like Tomatoes. Black Nightshade  is still believed by many to be deadly poisonous.

 

As you can see, some of these plants are poisonous but not fatal such as Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Sumac. Other plants like Black Nightshade can be fatal. Other plants such as wild carrots may seem harmless but eating the fresh green leaves and seeds may be toxic. Finally, other plants even though they are in the Buttercup family may be very poisonous and should be avoided. If you have to live off the land to survive knowing about these poisonous plant families might just be extremely valuable.

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