I was in a Master Gardener class a few years ago that was taught by Joy Jones, Tillamook County’s OSU Extension Faculty for 4H and Agriculture at the time. The class was about “Poisonous Plants in the Home and Garden.” Joy was the final word for horticulture problems in the county and she really knows what she is talking about. She taught a lot of the training classes for Master Gardeners before her retirement and she had a way of making pesticides, soil and fertilizers fun to learn about.
I don’t mean to be alarmist by talking about poisonous plants, as some of the plants I will discuss are in my very own garden right now. But I want to open your eyes the way this poison plants class opened mine. There are hazards out there and we need to be aware of them so we can make informed decisions about what plants to remove, and which can be kept if monitored. I won’t put our grandchildren or our pets in harm’s way.
Joy explained that plants, because they are stationary and cannot move away from danger, will often develop characteristics that repel insects, mammals, and birds. Unfortunately, if taken a step too far, they can also be harmful to gardeners, children and animals. Such is the case with hydrangeas, boxwood and our “old friend” English ivy.
“Poisonous” does not always mean fatal. There are many ways a plant can be considered poisonous. Some may cause skin irritations and allergies. Poison ivy and the poinsettia family are good examples. Others will cause irritation of the mouth and throat if eaten. They may also cause headache or dizziness, nervous excitement, or varying degrees of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. The more dangerous ones will cause permanent damage to internal organs and possibly even death. And of course, the amount consumed will determine how toxic a plant is.
Other factors will affect toxicity, too, like the age and weight of the victim, the growth stage of the plant (some stages are more toxic than others, depending on the plant), the plant parts that were consumed, and even the condition of the plant parts consumed (in some cases a damaged leaf may be more toxic than a fresh leaf.)
You can’t tell by looking at them which plants are dangerous; they don’t come with little skulls and crossbones on their tags, although in some cases they should. Lovely plants such as rhododendron, lily of the valley and yews can be quite harmful if any parts of them are digested.
And I was recently amazed to learn that my beloved Hellebores are considered poisonous! Leaves, stems and roots are toxic, and can cause dermatitis when touched, and more serious heart issues if digested.
So how can we still incorporate these plants into our gardens without fear of adversely affecting others?
First, be able to identify all the plants in your garden with both their common and botanical names. Keep a map or label the plants so you know what they are. Gertrude Jekyll, the famous English garden designer at the turn of the last century, hated seeing plant labels in her garden. Her solution was to leave the labels with the plants just until she could easily identify each and every plant. It was motivation to learn what she had. You must then educate yourselves as to which ones are poisonous. This will take some time and good references.
Teach children not to put any part of an unknown plant in their mouths. This is easier to do once children are older, so be vigilant with the wee ones until they understand the dangers. We should neither make tea out of leaves, nor suck the nectar of plants we do not know. Be sure to keep poisonous bulbs and seeds out of the reach of children and pets, too. That goes double for mushrooms. Remove them from the lawns. It takes an experienced mushroom collector to be confident about harvesting in the woods.
If you know a plant is dangerous, do not use the branches to make skewers for hotdogs or marshmallows when cooking over a campfire. And be confident you know what a plant is before you eat the fruit or berries. Under no circumstances should you try to create home-made medicines from native or cultivated plants. Leave that to the herbalists and pharmacists.
The OSU Extension Service Office in Tillamook has a comprehensive list of plants found in Oregon that are poisonous, either when eaten or those that affect the skin when touched. I was astonished to see how many of my favorite plants made one or both of these lists! Some examples are: calla lilies, daphne, bracken ferns, ginko, buttercups, and primrose. I knew about euphorbia and aconitum and always wear long sleeves when I am dealing with those. But in light of all the other plants on these lists, I will be even more cautious and wear long sleeves, long pants and gloves when I go out to work among the toxic ones.
Of course, if someone is seriously affected by eating or touching a plant, you should call 911 or the poison control center. If you can, tell the EMT’s what plant is involved so they can act accordingly.
Ah, but let me reiterate: I do not mean to scare anyone away from planting these potentially harmful plants! I just urge you to be careful and aware of what’s “lurking out there.” “Forewarned is forearmed,” as my mother used to say.
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