Poisonous Plants and Fatal Fungi: The Lore and Lure of Deadly Botanicals

by Sandra Kynes

Explore humanity's fascination with death through toxic flora and how they have affected history, magic, warfare, art, and more.

Sandra Kynes shares sixty detailed profiles divided into five themes, from classic killers to frightful fungi. Each profile includes the plant's history, folklore, and medicinal uses, as well as how it may or may not be used today.

Aconite • Birthwort • Buttercup • Daffodil • Deadly Nightshade • Death Cap • Ergot • Foxglove • Funeral Bell • Hemlock • Liberty Cap • Mandrake • Mistletoe • Oleander • Pokeweed • Poppy • Tobacco • Wormwood

Dispatching people with poisonous plants isn't just an Agatha Christie plot—it began thousands of years ago and continues to this day. From penny-dreadful novels to true-crime television programs, we seem to have a penchant for ghoulishness. This book feeds our curiosity through detailed investigations of the murky roots of toxicology, witches and Indigenous healers, poisons in popular media, and much more. From datura to yew, deadly plants can attract you like a moth to a flame...but don't get too close.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Plants, Audiobook

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2025

About the author

I describe myself as an explorer of myth and magic. My inquisitiveness has led me to investigate the roots of my beliefs and to integrate my spiritual path with everyday life. I like to develop creative ways to explore the world, which serves as the basis for my books. I have written nine books; numbers ten and eleven are in progress. In addition to writing, I am a yoga instructor and Reiki practitioner.

Reviews

[Mary Havens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Libro.fm for an Advanced Listening copy!
That being said: this book is a reference book and listening to it, while enjoyable because the narrator was amazing, was difficult. It would be better to access a written copy since it is a list of plants and fungi with genus, species, phylum names in addition to multiple varieties of common names.
Do I remember anything from this book? Yes - don't eat mushrooms unless you buy them from the store. But that was also the last part and I kept saying aloud "eat a different mushroom if you want a mushroom!" So many unintentional poisonings....
While I remember the mushrooms, including the unfortunately named Destroying Angels, I missed having pictures. I don't remember a lot about the plants because of the listening. The common theme is if you eat random stuff, you will get an upset stomach/diarrhea and potentially death. You will also lose your baby if you are pregnant.
Should you try this book?? Yes!! It's well researched and accessible. I loved all the anecdotes.
Should you listen to it? No. Despite the excellent narration, it's a reference book and hearing the birth and death dates of every single person mentioned was weird. Plus all the other stuff I mentioned.

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think a reference guide on poisonous things would be better if there were more than a handful of illustration. Besides the lack of illustrations the problem is that it's a new book with nothing new to add. It's the same information found over and over on books about deadly plants and fungi.

[Hel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Libro.fm for an ALC of this book.

This was an entertaining and educational adventure. The author really worked hard to bring an enormous amount of history into every single entry! Did you know, for instance, that LSD came from a dude making an artificial chemical from ergot? Or that the Victorians made jewelry out of castor beans that took out children who sucked on it? You’ll learn about it in this book!

[Aileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up from 3.5ish. Nice as background if no new information for me.

[Emily Rundle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Libro.fm, Llewellyn Publications, and Tantor Audio for the free ALC of Poisonous Plants and Fatal Fungi: The Lore and Lure of Deadly Botanicals in return for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this book! I hold a degree in biology, but did very little studying of plants. I have always been fascinated by poisonous plants and have always been curious regarding how we figured out what plants were food and what plants are dangerous. Plant folklore is fascinating and this book does a great job of turning all those points of curiosity into a collected format.

The stories attached to the plants in this book are very interesting, the science is fascinating, and overall the book is an enjoyable read!

I would highly recommend it to those interested in botany and/ or folklore!

[Marija Skoog]

I received this as an Advanced Listener Copy through the Libro.FM Librarian program. Thank you Libro!

Unfortunately, I did not love this, but I think that it was a case of a good book in the wrong format. The narrator was not my favorite, and I know that if I had read this on my Kindle or in a book form, I would have loved it. This type of non-fiction is right up my alley, but because of the above reasons, I didn't want to pick it up. If you like Natural History and have a taste for the macabre, this is a good read. But maybe pick up the digital or physical book.

[Sauti Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love all the info, a lot of it I already knew but that's cause I have several ( a normal amount) of books on poisons. Loved the inclusion of several lesser known poisons that I haven't really seen referenced in other books. Would have liked a few more illustrations.

[Zach Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the most interesting and insightful books I've ever read. This is a must-read for gardeners and plant-growers, especially those interested in the history and lore behind all sorts of poisonous flowers, toxic trees, and dangerous fungi. I can't recommend this book enough.

[Mary Switras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully detailed, excellent descriptions of the plants and fungi. I'd have enjoyed images, either drawn or photographs, of the plants, to make them easier to identify when out and about.

[Jenn Gregory · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf

[Naomi Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

It needed plant pictures.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love anything having to do with fungi and poison. This was a helpful reference book that wasn’t dry.