Search launched for elusive deadly plant for UK s only Poison Garden collection
The Alnwick Garden, which famously grows cannabis, coca and opium in its renowned Poison Garden, has started a global search for one of the most powerful toxic plants in the world.
The Alnwick Garden, which famously grows cannabis, coca and opium in its renowned Poison Garden, has started a global search for one of the most powerful toxic plants in the world.
The Garden has launched an appeal to find Strychnos nux-vomica, whose seeds, blossoms and bark are a source of the highly poisonous alkaloid ‘strychnine’. Stychnine is deadly and produces some of the most dramatic and painful symptoms of any known toxic reaction, including muscular convulsions, spasms and eventually death through asphyxia.
The Alnwick Garden aims to plant Strychnine in its unique Poison Garden, a public garden that only grows plants that can seriously harm or kill people. It is kept under 24 hour surveillance, is only open as part of a specially guided tour and is locked securely behind 8ft wrought-iron gates when not in use. It even has a Home Office licence.
The Alnwick Garden team has searched nationally and internationally to find this noxious plant but have found only once source in the UK. Unfortunately this plant is in quarantine by order of DEFRA as it is infested with Chilean Thrips, a notifiable pest. This means no cuttings can be taken and the movement of the plant is prohibited until it has had government clearance, which could be some considerable time as Chilean Thrips are extremely difficult to eradicate.
And while it is possible to grow the plant from seedlings, The Alnwick Garden is not a botanical garden and does not have the necessary facilities to cultivate the plant from scratch.
Alison Hamer, The Alnwick Garden’s programme development manager, said: “The Poison Garden is one of our most popular attractions and is world famous for growing cannabis and opium. Given Strychnine’s reputation as a deadly killer, we very much want to include it.
“We are not a botanical garden and don’t have the required facilities to grow it from seed – we need a cutting, or ideally a mature plant. And now that we have exhausted all options, launching an appeal for help seemed to be the only solution.”
The Poison Garden is home to The Alnwick Garden’s drugs awareness activities. Specialist tours give school children the chance to learn more about the effects of drugs, while families can learn together in an informal environment.
Part of the fascination behind the Poison Garden are the tales of enthralling horror surrounding many of its deadly inhabitants. Currently the Poison Garden tour includes stories of how Strychnine has been used to kill through the ages – it remains one of the theories concerning the death of Alexander the Great and it was used in several of the murders committed by serial killer Thomas Neill Cream, who poisoned prostitutes on the streets of London.
Alison Hamer added: “The Poison Garden is a unique facility. It has a very powerful message about the dangers of plants – and drugs – but it is also a wonderful visitor attraction in its own right. The addition of Strychnine is a logical next step and would complete our lethal collection. We would be grateful for any assistance in bringing the plant to Alnwick.”
The Strychnine tree is an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia that grows in open habitats.