BellaDonna Atropa is extremely toxic to humans, dogs, cats, horses, deer etc.

This is considered a Baneful plant (Meaning it is poisonous) and should never be left to grow rampant in your yard. Animals are naturally turned off by this plant and will avoid it. However, human children aren't always so attune to their instincts and will grub on one of this pretty plants berries without giving it a second thought!

All parts of this plant are deadly (even to the touch) however, believe it or not, it also can be used medicinally. Recorded uses of Deadly nightshade include using it as a muscle relaxant, an anesthetic as well as a cosmetic and an anti inflammatory drug.

BellaDonna Nightshade was brought to North America for its medicinal qualities by European colonists, it escaped their gardens and naturalized itself in the surrounding landscape.

(Seems like they would have been more careful but here we are.)

The flowers are a flat purple and are bell shaped making it easy to differentiate from elder berries which look similar (elder berries are also toxic if eaten raw, however if cooked can be ingested but are tart) one should never ingest Belladonna Nightshade -

Only someone with extensive dosage knowledge should ever consider working with this baneful plant. If you decide to grow BellaDonna, deadheading the flowers will prevent berries from growing . (Handle with gloves only as they are literally toxic to the touch) .Growing BellaDonna from seed is easy enough, but be advised that a cold stratification process is necessary for seed germination.

Soak the seeds in your refrigerator for two weeks, changing the water daily, then plant in soil without letting the seed dry out.

Deadly Nightshade has had many names including Belladonna, Death Berries, Devils Berries, Banewort, Devils Herb , Beautiful Death Berries. These are the berries that Shakespeare was thought to be speaking of that was used in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

Symptoms of Belladonna nightshade poisoning are, hallucinations and delirium,

headache, vomiting, blurred vision, anxiety, seizures, irregular heartbeat and dilated pupils. The dilated pupils symptom drove women to use Belladonna juice drops in their eyes in European countries during the renaissance time period (this trend started in Italy 14th to 16th century) as it was considered aesthetically pleasing, which makes me roll my eyes so far back into my head they get stuck . When your eye doctor dilates your eyes they are using BellaDonna in the drops.

Luckily the antidote for Nightshade poison is fairly common now as Belladonna is used in moderation to treat many ailments and many symptoms including irritable bowel disease, whooping cough, fevers ,asthma, hay fever and arthritis pain but should never be used without Dr's care and dosage experience..

BellaDonna Atropos Devine