Veglog

Your Garden can be Poisonous!

Many of the plants in vegetable plots, houses and flower beds are toxic and can provide symptoms that are truly uncomfortable if not lethal. If you have children or pets especially, it might be a good idea to make a note of which ones to pay more attention to.

Garden Plants

• Red Pepper fruits are extremely irritating to the gastrointestinal regions, eyes and skin.
• Chrysanthemum, Daisy, Feverfew, Marguerite stems can cause dermatitis.
• Crocus, the whole plant is toxic. One flower can be lethal.
• Hydrangea flower buds are the most toxic. It can be a few hours for symptoms of abdominal pain, lethargy, sweating occur.
• Iris leaves and rootstock can cause severe pain in gastrointestinal areas, including severe diarrhea.
• Sweet Pea, the entire plant is toxic if eaten and causes permanent paralysis, weak pulse, tremors and convulsions.
• Daffodil, Jonquil, Narcissus bulbs cause gastrointestinal irritation.
• Tulips cause nausea, vomiting, increased salivation and heart palpitations.
• Rhubarb leaves cause severe gastrointestinal pain, headache and backache. Death occurs rapidly if large amounts of the leaf are eaten.
• Potatoes are toxic if they are eaten with green unripe areas — also the sprouts can cause gastrointestinal pain, dilated pupils, circulatory and respiratory depression, shock and paralysis.
• Tomato leaves, vines, and sprouts can cause subnormal temperatures and depression of circulatory and respiratory systems.

Ornamental Plants

• Bleeding Heart can cause dermatitis.
• Holly berries cause nausea, sweating, diarrhea.
• Magnolia flowers can cause headache and depression.
• Oleander causes pain in gastrointestinal areas.
• Avocado leaves, bark and seeds cause nausea and diarrhea.
• Azalea, Rhododendron leaves and sap cause vomiting and diarrhea.
• Yew, most of the plant and seeds cause dilation of the eyes within one hour followed by abdominal cramps and salivation.
• Wisteria pods and seeds cause severe gastrointestinal pain, dehydration and collapse.

Houseplants

• Elephant’s Ear leaves will cause painful burning in mouth and throat.
• Caladium plant causes burning in mouth an throat.
• Dieffenbachia leaves cause burning in the mouth and throat.
• Snow on the Mountain leaves, stems and milky sap cause burning, fainting and diarrhoea.
• Poinsettia leaves, stem and sap can cause dermatitis.
• Philodendron leaves cause burning of throat and mouth.
• Jerusalem Cherry berries cause intestinal and gastric pain.
• Calla Lily leaves causes intense mouth and abdominal pain.

These are the more common plants that I recognize but since I am not a professional gardener it might be worthwhile to check out a few websites. One for animals is the Humane Society and there is another extensive list here to find further information.

Photograph by Bill Davenport.