The Gympie Gympie plant, also known as the “suicide plant,” is one of the most dangerous plants in the world — and it grows right here in Australia.
It looks like it’s covered in soft little hairs, but those hairs are actually tiny, needle-like stingers filled with a powerful poison. As soon as you touch the plant, the needles go into your skin and release a toxin that causes extreme pain.
People who’ve been stung say the pain can last for weeks, months, or even years. The stingers go deep under the skin and are really hard to remove. Just pouring water on the area or a change in temperature can make the pain come back all over again.
The plant was first found in 1886 when a man’s horse brushed against it. The horse went wild from the pain and sadly died within two hours.
One of the saddest stories is about a British soldier who accidentally used a leaf from the plant as toilet paper. The pain was so intense and nonstop that he couldn’t take it — and ended his life.
The tiny hairs are so fine that your skin can grow right over them, trapping them inside your body. The only real way to treat it is to use acid to burn off the top layers of skin so doctors can try to pull the stingers out.
This plant may look harmless, but it’s one of the most painful things you can ever touch.