Atropa belladona (Image by Google)
I remember hearing about Belladonna in "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) as Deadly Nightshade, when Sally is making a special potion for Jack. Since then I often wondered which were the real properties of the plant.
Turns out that Atropa belladona is a very poisonous plant (all of its parts can kill!) and legend tells that the Devil watches this plants growth. Its scientific name, however, comes from Greek mythology. Atropos was one of the three Fates, the one responsible for cutting the mortal's threads of life. Its name means ineluctable, inevitable. Makes sense! Women in ancient Rome used the Belladona's fruit juice to dilate the pupil of the eyes as a cosmetic, and that is where the "Bella Dona" name comes from.
Its fruits commonly poisoned children, who were attracted by their sweet taste and black color. Only 3 or 4 were enough to kill a child! No wonder it is not often cultivated!
Turns out that Atropa belladona is a very poisonous plant (all of its parts can kill!) and legend tells that the Devil watches this plants growth. Its scientific name, however, comes from Greek mythology. Atropos was one of the three Fates, the one responsible for cutting the mortal's threads of life. Its name means ineluctable, inevitable. Makes sense! Women in ancient Rome used the Belladona's fruit juice to dilate the pupil of the eyes as a cosmetic, and that is where the "Bella Dona" name comes from.
Its fruits commonly poisoned children, who were attracted by their sweet taste and black color. Only 3 or 4 were enough to kill a child! No wonder it is not often cultivated!
~Ally
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