A little boredom can be dangerous, especially if it prompts you to grow one of the “world’s deadliest weeds.” Native to Australia and Malaysia, the gympie-gympie can deliver a sting so painful it can induce suicidal thoughts. For Daniel Emlyn-Jones, from Oxford, this was not a concern as he wanted to add “a bit of drama” to his gardening. Instead of planting orchids or a fiddle-leaf fig – named among the most difficult to grow – the 49-year-old opted for a member of the nettle family. She said: “I just thought it would add a bit of drama to my gardening. You can get seeds online, you have to be careful it doesn’t spread outside a limited area, so I keep them in a pot in my front room. “I got my seeds from a company in Australia, they cost about sixty Australian dollars, so they weren’t cheap. “I’ve always liked plants though, I just got a bit bored with geraniums. The plant is native to Australia and Malaysia (Credit: Oxford Mail / SWNS) It is notorious for its venom which causes an extremely painful and long-lasting sting (Image: Oxford Mail / SWNS) “According to the internet, Aboriginal people were supposed to use it to help treat arthritis. I’m not sure how true that is or how it would work.” The plant is notorious for its extremely painful sting that can leave its victims suffering for weeks or even months. Those who have been stung by the bush describe the pain as “the worst kind you can imagine”. After growing bananas in his front garden, Daniel thought the gymnast would ‘keep things interesting’. He has put the plant in a cage with a sign that says ‘Danger’.
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Asked if he had been stung yet, Daniel said he had “a few brushes with danger”. He said: “It’s probably not a good idea if you get it, but I’ve had a slight pinch from the fabric on the back of the heavy-duty, elbow-length gloves and it wasn’t too bad. “I have 3% hydrochloric acid that you can soak the area in for 15 minutes to reduce the sting. It was very light – it didn’t bother me too much to be honest. “I keep the cage locked, though, and keep the cards away from the bars as if someone got too close and hit it, which would be quite dangerous.” Contact our news team by emailing [email protected] For more stories like this, check out our news page.
