Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) is a member of the Apiaceae family—otherwise known as the Carrot family. It’s also known as Beaver Poison, Devil’s Porridge, Herb Bennet, Poison Parsley, Water Parsley, and Spotted Hemlock. The plants can grow to 2.5m, and they’re commonly found in the British countryside. The whole plant is toxic. According to Mrs…

Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna) is part of the Solanaceae family, which also contains peppers, aubergines, tomatoes and potatoes! This most famous of poisonous plants is also known as belladonna, banewort, deadly dwale, Devil’s cherries, or death’s herb. The deadly nature of belladonna was noted as far back as 1550 BC. It’s not a particularly common…

Aconitum, referred to as ‘aconite’, is part of the Ranunculaceae family, or the buttercup family.  The Aconitum genus contains around 100 species, each of which is poisonous. Records of its use date back 3000 years.  The Anglo-Saxons apparently called it ‘thung’, which meant ‘poison plant’. The plant also gained the nicknames ‘helmet flower’, ‘friarscap’, ‘old…

Foxgloves are one of the most enchanting wildflowers you might encounter in a shady woodland. With their deep pink flowers on spikes that can grow as tall as a person, they certainly arrest the attention. Even their name is evocative, with a smattering of legends to explain where ‘foxglove’ came from. Yet as pretty as…

When we talk about poisonous plants, your mind might leap to the celebrities, like foxglove, aconite, or belladonna. You may not immediately think of cuckoo pint (Arum maculatum). It’s native to the UK and surprisingly common. I’ve equally found it in botanic gardens and city centre flowerbeds. Poisoning caused by this plant is thankfully rare,…

We’re finishing up Witches Month by switching gears a little to examine the genesis of a foundational text of modern Wicca – Arada: Or The Gospel of the Witches. To do so, I’m joined by Dr A. D. Manns to explore the life, work, and possible influence of Roma Lister, a longtime collaborator of Charles…