r/PoisonGarden

I often pass this yard on my dog walks through the neighborhood. It's honestly impressive.

Was picking berries on my property (no weed spray, or chemicals on them) and went to snack on one of them while I was picking and I soon as I put it to my mouth it started a tingling,burning,numb sensation and I spit out immediately (never have had that reaction before and have eaten multiple berries not washed before) and came inside and rinsed my mouth out but my concern in now the side of my mouth is slightly tingly/numb and I’m concerned as to what in the world I could’ve gotten ahold of (the berry was completely ripe and had nothing on it). Should I be worried about the tingly feeling? My mouth doesn’t look swollen or puncture marks and I can breathe perfectly fine. Do you think maybe there was weed or something mixed in that i somehow touched the side of my mouth on the berry??

Sorry if this is hard to read. And advice would be appreciated

These leaves are huge

So far so good. Included a picture of my full set up.Not sure if I will get berries.

Also, random observation: these gorgeous plants seem to have killed off the fungus gnat problem I was having. I noticed a few that were dead on the leaves. Maybe pest control, maybe not. Either way, pretty interesting.

Beautiful flowers

I shall try to not make a habit of this, but once in a while I think it’s nice to compare Northern Hemisphere Geraniums with Southern Hemisphere Pelargoniums. Especially when there is a botanical story.

At the weekend I visited a friend’s medieval physic/herb garden.

One plant in flower was a UK native - Geranium sanguineum, or Bloody Cranesbill.

It’s hard to see in the photo but the flowers have red veins giving its Latin name sanguineum (“blood-red”).

But its common name comes from its medical use of treating the “bloody flux” - what we’d now recognise as severe dysentery.

Under the old Doctrine of Signatures, plants resembling a disease or symptom were thought to treat it.
So a “bloody” plant for “bloody” diarrhoea made intuitive sense at the time.

There is some science too:

Bloody cranesbill contains significant amounts of tannins—compounds that:

- Tighten and contract tissues
- Reduce secretions
- Help constrict small blood vessels

In a condition like dysentery, where the bowel is inflamed, bleeding, and producing frequent loose stools, this would:

- Reduce diarrhoea
- Help limit bleeding
- Soothe irritated intestinal lining

It also has weak antimicrobial activity.

But remember this is medieval science - experimentation where doing nothing would be fatal so you might as well try.

Plants are a wonderful source of medicine because nature and evolution have found ways to synthesise chemicals.

But modern medicine is an extension of medieval medicine - researching better and better treatments. Modern herbology and homeopathy arent. Best stick to medically prescribed treatments for things as serious as the bloody flux.

Is this all just poison ivy? And if so best way to get rid of it.

This years new germinated mandrakes, are they too small, what should i do?

Beautiful flowers