Before I start with Part 2, I want to clarify my previous blog about butterfly bushes since I have had several questions about that post. Yes, there now is a sterile version of the popular butterfly bush that you can find in nurseries and it is just as pretty as the more invasive one. But I would still be wary of planting them close to riparian areas, just in case. Photo by Warren Albright ^
Okay. Toxic Plants, Part 2.
We talked the last time about different types of poisonous plants. And I promised to tell you how to minimize the dangers of some of these plants in your garden. So here we go.
First of all, know what types of plants are in your garden, common names as well as botanical names. This can make a big difference when you are explaining to a doctor what was eaten. Trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, and annuals should all be identified. Label each plant or at least make a map of what plants and where they are. (This is always a good idea to do after each spring planting so you know what-is-what by September.) If a plant is considered poisonous, you should know what parts are dangerous and how they affect people and pets.
Teach children and grandchildren never to put a part of an unknown plant in their mouths – or in any other parts of their bodies, actually. You never know what a creative three-year-old is going to do with a pretty red berry!
Keep your potting shed locked (and chemicals on high ground) and store bulbs and seeds in the locked shed, again on high ground. If you must have them, plant poisonous plants to the back of the flower beds to make them less available to children or dogs.
Teach your children and grandchildren to always ask an adult before eating a plant they have found in the garden or the woods. And if you are the adult they are asking, you better know yourself what is safe to eat! Don’t assume that because a bird can eat a berry that a person can eat the same berry. Many birds and animals have evolved to be able to eat poisonous plants. Think koala bears and eucalyptus.
Don’t encourage children to suck nectar from plants or make “tea” from leaves. Too many plants that are safe to eat look very much like ones that aren’t safe. If you are roasting marshmallows or hot dogs when you are camping, be sure to know what type of branch you are using as a skewer. Some sticks – like oleander - can be very toxic.
If you have a patch of mushrooms in your yard, rake them up and dispose of them. It isn’t practical to remove them chemically, and in any case they will grow back. But some can be deadly and not a good thing in your yard. Teach children not to eat mushrooms they see in the woods, too, unless you are an experienced mushroom-er. Even then, I would be hesitant to teach a child because so many toxic mushrooms look the same as harmless ones to children’s eyes.
When you are making tea from plants in the garden, be sure you know which ones are safe to use. And I wouldn’t advise trying to make your own medicines from the garden or the woods, either. Just not much room for error.
Again, if you suspect a person or animal has been poisoned, be able to give as much information as possible to the attending physicians or vets. The name of the plant, or at least a photo or a piece of it, how long ago it was ingested, what parts and how much were eaten, and the symptoms can all be helpful in knowing how to treat the person or pet. This is true for contact poisons as well as ingested ones.
There are lots of places to find lists of poisonous plants, but typically they don’t all agree on the toxicity or the specific danger of each plant. Having said that, a list is a good place to start and some good resources can be found online at the U.S. Poison Control website or the Oregon Poison Control Center website. Googling is the easiest way to find them. There is also a good book written by LaRae J. Dennis called “Name Your Poison – A Guide to Cultivated and Native Plants Toxic to Humans.” You can also stop in the OSU Extension Office in the PRI Building on Third Street and ask for their list of poisonous plants.
You don’t have to remove all the toxic plants in your garden. You just need to be aware of them and how dangerous – or not - they might be. You can still enjoy their beauty while being cautious when you work near them.
In the words of “Phil Esterhaus” -my favorite character on Hill Street Blues- “Let’s be careful out there!” (And boy, does that date me?)
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