Belladonna is a medium-sized shrub with dark green leaves, distinct purple bell-shaped flowers, and shiny black berries.
It grows natively in Eurasia and has naturalized all over the world.
Bees produce honey from belladonna flower nectar, which is toxic for humans to consume.
The sweet, purplish-black berries attract children and are the greatest risk.
For example, the honeybees that make honey with belladonna nectar that is toxic for human consumption.
The toxic ingredients in belladonna include atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine.
What Does Deadly Nightshade Look Like?
Where Is Deadly Nightshade Found?
Belladonna is native to Eurasia from England throughout central and southern Europe, and North Africa to Iran.
It often grows in wastelands and areas with disturbed soil, such as dumps, quarries, and roadsides.
Wear long sleeves, long pants, boots, and gloves.
How to Prevent Belladonna From Spreading
Belladonna spreads rapidly like a weed.
The plant dies back during the winter and regrows in the spring from its thick, fleshy roots.
Birds that eat the seeds without ill effects spread the plant to other locations in their droppings.
However, as its common name suggests, twinberry honeysuckle produces a pair of two berries together.
Belladonna produces single berries.
Some believe belladonna has various homeopathic benefits, but little scientific evidence supports these claims.
Belladonna is legal to grow, buy, and sell in the United States.
One U.S. prescription drug contains belladonna.
The FDA bans the use of belladonna in over-the-counter products.
“Belladonna” comes from the Italian words “beautiful woman.”
Belladonna is extremely deadly when ingested and is also a member of the nightshade family, Solanaceae.
North Carolina State Extension.
The powerful solanaceae: Belladonna.
United States Forest Service.
Atropa belladonna L. Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
