Thursday, April 25, 2013

ToXic Flowers




Over the winter season last year 
a "relative of a relative" 
cultivated some shoots of the "Angel Trumpet" plant,
and then shared them with us after my husband
had complimented them on the beautiful and unique plant in their yard.

We eagerly set them out, anticipating the beautiful blossoms they would produce.
After babying them all summer,
(they were very thirsty, and took frequent watering)
I was so thrilled at their magnificent blossoms.



At one time it had as many as 26 "trumpets" blooming,
each of them nearly a foot long.



Their fragrance was as sweet as their showy beauty.


Here's the thing that's troubling,
or as some people say, "Here's the rub" -
They are poisonous!
BEAUTIFUL BUT DEADLY!
Just check it out at Wikipedia, and scroll on down to the part about toxicity.

It's hard to believe that something so beautiful can be so deadly.
Paul has some strong words in Galatians 1:8 that seem to go along with this:
"But though we, or an angel from heaven,
 preach any other gospel unto you
 than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
Sometimes things that appear so right, can be so wrong!

Beauty can be deceiving!

So here's my dilemma.
After rooting several shoots,
do I want to continue to enjoy their beauty this summer?
...Or are they a hazard to keep?

What would you do?


Oh, I almost forgot!
If you want to check out my Name for God on Rocks for this week,
click HERE!
Thanks for your visit!

10 comments:

Gail Dixon said...

First of all, thank you for helping me identify a plant at our botanical garden that I've been trying to do for a year! It certainly is beautiful, but I don't know if I'd have a poisonous plant in my yard. Quite a dilemma!

betty-NZ said...

Love the brugmansia color! I have seem them around here in Ne Zealand gardens but didn't know they were poisonous! I guess there are hidden dangers in many things if we don't know the facts.

Anonymous said...

Amazing!

EG CameraGirl said...

Truly beautiful. How sad the plant is also deadly!

Jim said...

Thank you, Ester. I haven't seen these around here (Texas Gulf Coast area, Houson, etc).

There are a lot of growing thing though, that are poison when dogs eat them. Our beagle, Adi, ate something bad. Out vet saved her life.
..

Lola said...

Great, creative post for *X*– great photography!

Here they're called Datura - oleander is also a danger for animals!
Have a great Alphabe-Thursday, here’s mine!

Lmkazmierczak said...

WHat a dilemma...I guess I'd keep them for a season and not plant them again next year...they are beautiful! My X effort: http://lmkazmierczak.blogspot.com/2013/05/exclamations.html

Pam Beers. said...

There are a lot of deadly plants out there. If there are animals or children around and about I say do NOT grow again.

If no pets or kidlets roaming around, let the flowers grow and enjoy their beauty and fragrance.

Your friends are still alive and they are the ones who gave them to you.

Just don't eat in a salad.

Lovely pictures. Always a pleasure.

Splendid Little Stars said...

so beautiful!
I would continue to grow them, but plan NOT to eat them!

Jenny said...

It seems like I've always had kids or Grandlittles around my garden and I've always avoided growing toxic plants.

Yours are quite magnificent, though.

This would be a tough decision!

Thank you for linking.

A+