Belladonna or deadly nightshade is a poisonous plant which is native to Europe North Africa and Western Asiais some parts of Canada and the United States
The foliage and berries are extremely toxic when ingested which cause delirium and hallucinations and are also used as pharmaceuticals.
Belladonna has unpredictable effects and is one of the most toxic plants found and its use by mouth increases risk in numerous clinical conditions such as complications of pregnancy cardiovascular diseases gastrointestinal disorders and psychiatric disorders among others.
In the past witches were believed to use a mixture of belladonna opium poppy and other plants typically poisonous in flying ointment which they allegedly applied to help them fly to gatherings with other witches. Carlo Ginzburg and others have argued that flying ointments were preparations meant to encourage hallucinatory dreaming, a possible explanation for the inclusion of belladonna and opium poppy in flying ointments The belladonna herb was also notable for its unpredictable effects from toxicity.
Among the ancient folk traditions of the Romanian (Moldavian) / Ukrainian region of Bukovina in the Carpathians is the ritual for a Bukovinian girl to enhance her attractiveness by making an offering to deadly nightshade. She entered the fields on a Sunday in Shrovetide clad in her Sunday best accompanied by her mother and bringing a bag of bread salt and brandy. She would dig up a deadly nightshade root and leave the three offerings in its place. As she returned home she carried the root on the top of her head. On the way both to and from home she avoided all quarrels and arguments. If asked by anyone on the way back what she was taking home she would not divulge the truth or the spell would break.