Blood Orchids

The Gloriosa Superba, often known as the creeping lily, is a vivid red plant that may be found everywhere from tropical jungles to sand dunes. It is poisonous enough to kill humans if swallowed. Throughout history, it has been often used to commit murders. Within a few hours of digesting, the person may experience numbness, nausea, and blood vomiting, followed by ascending polyneuropathy, convulsions, skin peeling, and hair loss across the entire body as the toxic syndrome progresses. It was commonly used as arrow poison, and certain cultures thought it had magical properties. The more I learned about it, the more it became clear that the universe has its own way of letting me know that it is the pretty things that I should be concerned about.