In
researching pertinent info for this article, I became utterly fascinated with
this interesting subject. I became so distracted by the overwhelming amount of
plants on the poisonous list, I ended up making a list for myself of ones that
I didn’t yet own. Anything to make my garden groovier than anyone else’s is a
good thing in my opinion. I will start this article with a few plants that are
commonly grown in our zone (and some in my yard).
Ricinus
communis, or castor bean, is a well-loved plant probably grown by your
grandmother, and is also one of the most toxic plants in the world. Two or
three ingested seeds are probably enough to kill a grown person. Strangely,
castor oil is extracted from these seeds, and we all know what grandma used this
for! Personally, you are better off eating bran flakes; too much oil can make
you violently ill. This is also the main ingredient in mole repellent. Ricin, a
poisonous gas derived from the seeds, is a deadly chemical weapon. This is a
very fast-growing annual and beautiful as well, the red ‘Sanguineus’ being my
favorite. Snip off the spiny pods to avoid seed production and grow with
caution around small children because the seeds are very pretty but deadly. As
an aside, castor bean is in the Euphorbiaciae family, as well as the very non-poisonous
poinsettia, which is wrongly assumed to be toxic. You could eat a whole
poinsettia plant if you wanted to, but it probably doesn’t taste very good.
Nerium
oleander is next on the most toxic list, all parts of the plant being fatal.
This very beautiful shrub comes in shades of pink, white or red and is
evergreen in warmer zones, but may die back in zone 7 winters. Known for its
drought tolerance, it is used extensively in the lower south and out west in
landscapes and highway plantings. It is absolutely breathtaking following miles
of solid oleander in full bloom, but in the middle of the road, is probably
safe. In a backyard, however, one must know this plant well and make sure that
children or foraging animals are not allowed to eat leaves and debris. Critters
and pests avoid this plant for obvious reasons, so this is great for a deer and
drought resistant landscape.
Datura
and Brugmansia are widely grown as ornamentals, both known as Angel’s Trumpet.
Datura is the shorter plant, with upright white or lilac blooms and sharp green
seedpods that self-sow very readily. This is also a wildflower known as
Jimsonweed. Brugmansia has heavenly 10-inch long drooping trumpets and comes in
white, yellow or peach-pink varieties. Datura will come back next year from
seed (if you have one go to seed, you will always have it!), but Brugmansia is
marginal here, best carried inside for the winter. All parts of these plants
are poisonous.
The
Solanaceae family includes a common wildflower/weed called Deadly Nightshade,
but did you know that your tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes are also?
I would hate to have been the folks who figured out which parts are edible and
which are not! Remember, that as tasty as the fruits of these garden staples
are, never eat any leaves or stems or green potato parts, as these are where
the toxins are concentrated. Since we are talking veggies, rhubarb (member of a
different plant family) is tasty in pies, but only the stems should be eaten. Never,
ever eat the poisonous leaves. Weird…
Dawn’s
short list of common garden plants that can cause varying degrees of illness:
Foxglove:
Contains digitalis, will cause irregular heartbeat
Daphne
(all species): All parts, especially berries of this popular plant are
poisonous
Lantana:
Berries of some varieties poisonous
Anemone
and Hellebore: Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family, all parts are fatal
Mistletoe:
Berries are fatal, stick to the plastic kind so you can enjoy your holidays
Prunus:
Wild or cultivated cherries; twigs, foliage and bark (cyanide)
Locust:
Bark, leaves and seeds poisonous if ingested, you may not want to roast
Taxus
(Yew): Foliage and berries can cause sudden death without warning
Poke
weed: Common, pretty roadside weed, can eat the leaves (poke salad) if cooked
in
several
changes of water, but berries are poisonous
Colocasia
and Caladium (elephant ear): Same family as houseplant Dieffenbachia.
calcium
oxalate crystals in leaves and stems cause severe swelling and pain in throat
Nicotiana:
Flowering tobacco, all parts poisonous
Most
adults do not forage in their backyard for snacks since they are readily
available at the grocery, just don’t test something because it looks berry- or
salad-like or use unknown plant parts as decorations. Burning brush or debris
from some of these plants is also a no-no and has made a lot of folks very ill.
Obviously, watch very small children if you have any of these plants. Do not
plant these plants near pastures and pens of horses or other foraging animals
or feed them debris from these. As always, the Internet has been a gold mine of
information for me, as well as corny jokes: What do you get when you cross
poison ivy with a four-leaf clover? A rash of good luck! Happy Halloween!
Dawn
Leith
Durham
Garden Center