|
 Most
of the plants you grow are perfectly safe but it is
advisable to see that all steps are taken to ensure
that you and your family are safe from harm. This is
particularly important when it comes to children and
animals.
The
Horticultural Trades Association has worked with the
Royal Horticultural Society and other organisations
to compile a list of potentially harmful plants and
to develop a Code of Recommended Retail Practice for
the labelling of plants at garden centres and
nurseries. Look for safety information on labels
when purchasing plants and learn what to do in the
unlikely event of poisoning through eating or
handling plants.
Many
plants, or parts of them such as fruits and seeds,
are safe and good to eat and are recognized as food
plants. Most others found in the garden as
ornamental plants or weeds are not dangerous. Some
may cause a digestive upset and discomfort if eaten,
as will unripe fruit or raw rhubarb stalks, whilst a
very few garden plants are more hazardous and could
cause severe poisoning. A sensible rule is: If it
isn’t a recognized food, don’t eat it. Make sure
children know this.
As well
as the danger of poisoning through eating plants,
there is also the possibility of suffering an
irritant or allergic reaction through contact with a
plant or its sap. There are three main types of
contact hazard:
a)
Irritant sap may cause a burning sensation and
sometimes blistering of the skin
b) Some
plants contain chemicals called allergens
c) A very
small number of plants have sap which renders the
skin excessively sensitive to strong sunlight
What to do when poisoning is
suspected
If you
think a child or adult has eaten part of a doubtful
plant seek medical advice at once from a hospital
Accident and Emergency Department. If you think an
animal has eaten a poisonous plant seek veterinary
advice at once. In all cases take along samples of
the plant concerned. Don’t panic, and do not attempt
to make the subject vomit. In cases of irritant or
allergic dermatitis severe enough to require medical
attention, again provide a sample of the plant or
plants suspected to be the cause.
Here is a
list of well known plants and a description of the
potential risk. Those plants described as poisonous
may cause mild illness when eaten, while a very few
may cause severe poisoning. The correct approach is
to avoid eating any plants listed as poisonous.
Key: P = Poisonous, S = Skin Irritant, E = Eye
Irritant
|
Acalypha (chenille plant,
copperleaf) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Aconitum (monkshood) |
P |
S |
|
|
Actaea (baneberry) |
P |
S |
|
|
Aesculus (horse chestnut) |
P |
|
|
|
Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Agrostemma githago (corncockle) |
P |
|
|
|
Alder Buckthorn |
P |
S |
|
|
Allamanda |
P |
S |
E |
|
Alocasia (taro) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Aloe |
P |
|
|
|
Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) |
|
S |
|
|
Amaryllis |
P |
|
|
|
Amaryllis belladona (belladonna
lily) |
P |
|
|
|
Angel’s Trumpet |
P |
|
|
|
Anthurium (flamingo flower) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Arisaema (cobra-lily) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Arum (cuckoo-pint,
lords-and-ladies) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Asparagus (asparagus fern)
may cause skin allergy
fruits poisonous |
|
|
|
|
Atropa (deadly nightshade) |
P |
S |
|
|
Bluebell |
P |
|
|
|
Brugmansia
(angel’s trumpet) |
P |
|
|
|
Brunfelsia (yesterday, today and
tomorrow) |
P |
|
|
|
Buckthorn |
P |
S |
|
|
Bunny Ears Cactus |
|
S |
|
|
Burning Bush |
|
S |
|
|
Caladium (angel’s wings) |
P |
|
|
|
Calla Lily |
P |
S |
E |
|
Calla palustris (water arum) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Capsicum annum (ornamental
pepper) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Castor Oil Plant |
P |
|
|
|
Chelidonium majus (greater
celandine) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Chenille Plant |
P |
S |
E |
|
Cherry Laurel |
P |
|
|
|
Chincherinchee |
P |
S |
|
|
Chinese evergreen |
P |
S |
E |
|
Christmas cherry |
P |
|
|
|
Chrysanthemum |
|
S |
|
|
Colchicum (autumn crocus) |
P |
|
|
|
Comfrey, Russian comfrey |
P |
|
|
|
Convallaria majalis
(lily-of-the-valley) |
P |
|
|
|
Coriaria |
P |
|
|
|
Corncockle |
P |
|
|
|
Cupressocyparis leylandii
(Leyland cypress) |
|
S |
|
|
Daffodil |
P |
S |
|
|
Daphne (mezereon, spurge laurel) |
P |
S |
|
|
Datura (thornapple) |
P |
S |
|
|
Delphinium (including Consolida)
(larkspur) |
P |
|
|
|
Dictamnus (burning bush) |
|
S |
|
|
Dieffenbachia (dumb cane, leopard
lily) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Digitalis (foxglove) |
P |
|
|
|
Dracunculus (dragon arum) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Dumb Cane |
P |
S |
E |
|
Echium |
|
S |
|
|
Epipremnum (devil’s ivy) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Euonymus (spindle tree) |
P |
|
|
|
Euphorbia (spurge)
NB: poinsettia, E.
pulcherrima, is not harmful |
P |
S |
E |
|
Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) |
|
S |
|
|
Ficus carica (fig) |
|
S |
E |
|
Foxglove |
P |
|
|
|
Fremontodendron |
|
S |
E |
|
Gaultheria section Pernettya |
P |
|
|
|
Giant Hogweed
severe skin irritant
in bright sunlight |
|
|
|
|
Gloriosa superba (glory lily) |
P |
|
|
|
Glory Lily |
P |
|
|
|
Hedera (ivy) |
P |
S |
|
|
Helleborus (Christmas rose,
Lenten rose) |
P |
S |
|
|
Henbane |
P |
|
|
|
Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant
hogweed)
severe skin irritant
in bright sunlight |
|
|
|
|
Hippeastrum
(amaryllis) |
P |
|
|
|
Homeria |
P |
|
|
|
Hyacinthoides
(bluebell) |
P |
|
|
|
Hyacinthus (hyacinth) |
|
S |
|
|
Hyoscyamus (henbane) |
P |
|
|
|
Hypericum perforatum (perforate
St John’s wort) |
P |
|
|
|
Ipomoea (morning glory) |
P |
|
|
|
Iris |
P |
S |
|
|
Ivy |
P |
S |
|
|
Kalmia (calico bush) |
P |
|
|
|
Laburnocytisus ‘Adamii’ |
P |
|
|
|
Laburnum |
P |
|
|
|
Lagenaria (bottle gourd) |
P |
|
|
|
Lantana |
P |
S |
|
|
Larkspur |
P |
|
|
|
Laurel |
P |
|
|
|
Ligustrum (privet) |
P |
|
|
|
Lily-of-the-Valley |
P |
|
|
|
Lobelia (except bedding lobelia,
L. erinus) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Lupinus (lupin) |
P |
|
|
|
Lysichiton (skunk cabbage) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Mandragora (mandrake) |
P |
|
|
|
Mirabilis (marvel of Peru, four
o’clock plant) |
P |
S |
|
|
Monkshood |
P |
S |
|
|
Monstera deliciosa (Swiss cheese
plant) |
P |
S |
E |
|
Morning Glory |
P |
|
|
|
Narcissus (daffodil) |
P |
S |
|
|
Nerium olea | | 
