Tuesday, April 9, 2013

How About The "Zombie" Plant...?

Nature can throw us a curve ball once in a while, just to remind us who is really in charge!

What better way to prove that point than to create something like the so called "Zombie" plant? This is one insidious rascal, let me tell ya! Certainly proves my point!

Angel Trumpet



The spectacular Angel Trumpet vine is native to the forests of South America, and delivers a dark triad of potent toxins—atropine, hyoscyamine, and the mind altering scopolamine. Unlike the other plants on this list, Angel Trumpet is less dangerous in of itself, than as a biological weapon in the hands of humans. In 2007, Angel Trumpet was featured in the documentary “Colombian Devil’s Breath,” for its use by criminal gang members who refined scopolamine from the ethereal looking weed and used it to turn victims into zombies – literally. This “hypnotizing herb” leaves its victims unaware of the nature of their actions, but still completely conscious. The documentary contained numerous horror stories of scopolamine attacks, including one eerie case where a man had scopolamine powder thrown in his face, and promptly emptied his entire apartment into the van of the robbers. Voluntary experimenters have seriously injured themselves in their psychotic state.

Sounds to me like I don't want this stuff growing in my back yard! I can think of some good uses for the powder, though. Know what I mean?

How about some coffee out on the patio this morning? Anyone want some peach cobbler?

12 comments:

Phyllis (N/W Jersey) said...

Saw a whole documentary on on the web on this one. Drug gangs use it to rob people. The plant even grows on city streets!
Spring has arrived for a few days - it's 59. I love peach cobbler. Please hide an extra one for me!

Momlady said...

I used to have an Angel Trumpet but didn't realize it's darker nature. Thanks for the info. Peach cobbler sounds divine.

Baby Sis said...

Wow, Bubba - my next door neighbors have these all over their backyard, and they are beautiful plants. Guess I'd better warn them about letting their 3 year ingest any, though, huh? You alwasy have more information than we ever knew we needed! Thanks!

linda m said...

That sounds like one nasty plant. You are right about not wanting that thing growing in your yard. Coffee outside sounds good. Raining here - again.

Dizzy-Dick said...

I know people who don't need to ingest that plant to act like zombies (grin).

JO said...

Leave to some one to find the nasty sided of this very pretty plant.

I will be happy to sit out with you all and have coffee and peach cobbler.

HermitJim said...

Hey Phyllis...
It's nice to know that this plant has been discussed by many folks before me!

Why do they let it grow in the city, I wonder?

Glad you are getting some warmer weather and also that you came over this morning!



Hey Momlady...
It is a very pretty plant, but I guess we should know about it's darker side, just in case!

Many thanks for coming over today!



Hey Sis...
Never hurts to be informed, that's for sure!

I wonder if the birds like them?

Thanks for the visit today!



Hey Linda...
I reckon that if folks knew the potential danger of the plant, they would make a nice yard plant. I just wouldn't feel comfortable with them around!

You sure are getting a lot of rain this Spring! Guess it will help come Summer!

Thanks for dropping by today!

HermitJim said...

Hey Dizzy...
I think we all know someone like that!

Some I've seen act like they have been dosed with it!

Thanks for coming over this morning!



Hey Jo...
There will always be folks that find an evil use for anything!

Not as windy here as it is at your place!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!

JMD said...

Morning H.J.,

Sounds like the plant might be in use by some in this country...it would explain a lot of things.

BBC said...

Hum....

Syrbal/Labrys said...

These are popular around here as landscape plants. I think I read up on them a good while back, they are iirc, botanically related to the wild "Jimson weed" which is native to the US and has some of the same effects.

HermitJim said...

Hey BBC...
That about say it all!

Thanks for coming over today!



Hey Syrbal...
We have a lot of plants growing around that we know very little about.

Our ancestors might have been more knowledgeable about some of them than we are today!

Thanks for dropping in this morning!