Lethal plant rarely seen in UK puts down roots in Freuchie
One of the world's deadliest plants has sprung up in the back garden of a home in rural Fife.
Jimson weed, otherwise known as Devil's Trumpet.
The highly poisonous jimson weed — otherwise known as the Devil's Trumpet — can kill a human or animal if its toxic black egg-shaped seeds, contained within a thorny hard capsule, are ingested.
Native to much of the US, Canada and Asia, reports of jimson weed in this country are understood to be rare. However, in the peaceful town of Freuchie the lethal plant — which gives off a strong, unpleasant odour — has laid down roots in the centre of a garden belonging to two shocked locals.
Gardening enthusiast Margaret Ritchie (51) and her husband Brian (55) told The Courier how the incredible find came about.
"We saw this growing in our garden towards the end of last month, after returning from a holiday in Norfolk," said Brian, who works as a mechanic in Inverkeithing.
"At first it was just a couple of leaves coming from the ground and we thought it might have been a courgette or cucumber plant — but it grew rapidly and we didn't know what it was.
"We even put a deckchair over it to protect it but it quickly grew all round that as well.
"I sent an email off to the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh to find out if they would be interested in this but they didn't get back to me."
Unfamiliar with the distinct species, Margaret, who works at the Smith Anderson Paper Mill in Falkland, decided to do some research.
"I was very intrigued and described it to somebody at my work," she said. "She told me to look it up on the internet so I went on to Google. I typed in 'seed pod poison' and it came up on my screen. It was a shock."
After discovering the identity of the toxic plant — reported to be the fourth deadliest in the world — Margaret immediately contacted Brian and warned him not to go near it. The couple are now planning to destroy the four-feet-wide jimson weed before any harm is done.
With the plant normally found thousands of miles away in warmer climes, the question remains as to how it made its way to Fife.
The most plausible explanation came from the Friends of the St Andrews Botanic Gardens, who suggested a seed was transported to the UK in bird feed. This theory was strengthened after Mr and Mrs Ritchie pointed out their own bird feeder in the garden.
Jimson weed can reach a height of five feet, bearing white flowers and prickly seed pods that split open when ripe, usually in the autumn.
The weed also has hallucinogenic properties and has been used as an ingredient in traditional medicines. Extracts help combat asthma, intestinal cramps, diarrhoea and bed-wetting.
Photo used under a Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user mullica.
04.08pm - 30.08.2010 Michael - Glasgow, UK Report This
Day of the triffids is upon us!
03.48am - 06.09.2010 Roebrt Young - Thornton, Scotland Report This
When my mother passed away in March 2009, we were given a book marker from the Crematorium in Kirkcaldy. We planted the book markers and these were identical to the plants that grew..
08.52pm - 06.09.2010 gayle walters - stretton, derbyshire Report This
we have this plant in our garden in derbyshire we didnt know what is was but assumed it had grown from the seeds in the birdfeeder if anyone wants to see it before i destroy it let me knoe
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