In the mid nineties the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) in conjunction with the National Poisons Unit, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and The Royal Horticultural Society introduced a voluntary code of practice with regards to the labelling of plant for sale in nurseries, garden centres etc. This list was further revised in 2000 . Any nursery or garden centre which belongs to the HTA should now display plants with labels clearly stating if they are potentially poisonous, an irritant or may cause allergic reactions. Unfortunately this doesn't always happen and it 's not unusual to find in some retail establishments plants for sale with little or no correct labelling. If you are at all concerned or require further information always ask and if no satisfactory advice can be given take your custom to an outlet that does give the necessary information.
Although there are fortunately very few deaths in Britain from the effects of poisonous plants a child or pets natural curiosity can make them very vulnerable. Hazardous plants can cause symptoms and effects ranging from rashes, abdominal pain and sickness to in extreme cases even death.
There are literally thousands of plants available to gardeners nowadays. It's estimated that only about a hundred or so of these may cause some harm and fewer than half of those have been shown to be seriously toxic. It is a good idea therefore to know which plants may cause problems especially if you have young children , toddlers or pets using your garden. Even in an adult
only garden it's advisable not to put irritant plants such as Rue next to paths where they may come into contact with the skin
People react in vastly different ways to the effects of poisonous plants. In some, even a small amount of the toxin can cause severe symptoms whilst in others it may only cause mild stomach pain etc. Obviously children and pets are far more vulnerable due to their lesser body weight. From an early age try to teach children never to pick or eat berries, leaves etc from the garden. Small children at the crawling or toddler stage should always be supervised . Be very cautious also if you have a veg patch or allotment. Children may assume that anything here is edible. Berries, foliage etc may be picked believing it to be food. Hazardous weeds such as nightshades and hemlock for example can become mixed in with the food plants, or attempts made to eat the inedible parts of food plants ..... rhubarb leaves, potato seeds....... It may seem daft to us to contemplate eating a bit of rhubarb leaf but to a young child it’s often the case of ' try anything once' Encourage them to ask first whether or not they can pick or eat something.
Toxic plants can affect us in many ways. Skin irritants can cause severe contact dermatitis which may be made much worse by exposing the affected skin to sunlight. In some cases this can lead to severe blistering and scarring. Some like Freemontodendron (California Glory) have tiny hairs on the stem which can brush off and if they come into contact with the eyes may cause quite serious damage. Quite a few plants can cause allergic reactions to those people with sensitive skins. If plant sap does come into contact with skin try keep the affected area out of sunlight and wash it off as soon as possible. If the skin does blister or become very sore see your GP. Better still lessen the risk of irritation and damage by wearing gloves and a long sleeved shirt whenever you are weeding/pruning etc among plants which you know to be potentially harmful to you
Plants which actually contain toxins can cause a variety of symptoms from stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea to the more serious heart irregularities and convulsions. If you suspect someone has eaten something toxic contact your GP or nearest A & E immediately. If you know or suspect which plant has been eaten write down its name and take a good sized portion of the plant with you (leaves, berries, flowers etc) to help in the identification of the plant and the subsequent treatment needed.
The following table contains many of the more common plants which can cause problems. Those known to cause serious effects even when only small amounts are ingested appear in Capital letters.
KEY:- P = Poisonous I = Irritant
ACONITE (monkshood) P All parts. Toxins can also be absorbed through the skin
EUPHORBIA (spurge) P/I Sap is both poison- ous and an extreme irritant esp. when exposed to sunlight. Can lead to permanent scarring. Sap is also highly toxic to fish so do not plant where they are likely to overhang ponds.
Freemontodendron(California Glory) I Fine hairs on the stems can cause eye problems
Gaultheria (pernettya) P Berries
GLORIOSA SUPERBA (glory lily) P All parts
Hedera (Ivy) P Berries
Helleborus (christmas/Lenten rose) P/I All parts.. Sap is very irritant
HERACLEUM (Giant Hog weed) P/I Normally only used in a wild or bog garden all parts are toxic and contact with the skin can cause severe irritation and even permanent scarring
Hyacinthoides (bluebell) P All parts
Hyacinthus (Hyacinth) P/I Bulbs are poisonous Sap and bulb scales are irritant
Lysichiton (bog arum) P All parts esp.ecially berries
NERIUM (Oleander) P all parts. keep sap away from the eyes Papaver somniferu(opium poppy) P/I All parts.
PHYTOLACCA (Pokeweed) P All parts
Prunus Laurocerasus(cherry laurel) P All parts
Prunus Lusitanicus(Portuguese laurel) P All parts. Leavescontain cyanide compounds which can be released if put on the bonfire.
Rhamnus (Buckthorn) P Fruits
Rhododendrons and Azaleas P All parts. Dogs and puppies have also been poisoned by prolonged chewing of prunings
Rhus Vernicuflua (Varnish tree) P/I Fruits toxic, sap is a severe irritant
RICINUS COMMUNIS (Castor oil plant) P Seeds are extremely poisonous
Sarcocca(Christmas box) P All parts
SOLANDRA (Chalicevine) P All parts
Solanum (decorative varieties) P All parts
SOLANUM DULCAMARA (bittersweet) P All parts
SOPHORA (Pagoda tree) P All parts esp ecially seeds
Symphoricarpus(snowberry) P Berries
TAXUS (Yew) P All parts esp. berries
VERATRUM (False helliebore) P All parts
Vinca P All parts
Wisteria P Seeds
Zantedescia (Arum lily) P/I All parts sap is an irritant
Zigafenus (White camass) P All parts
NB:- most flowering bulbs such as daffs narcissi, tulips etc are toxic if eaten (some I believe have been mistaken for onions!!!!) Incidently these bulbs are also very dangerous for dogs
It may seem an awful problem when you start looking at lists but if a little common sense is used it's not that bad. Treat plants with respect and certainly if you've children be cautious but above all ENJOY YOUR PLANTS
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Discusses the cultural, social role of the fifty most significant species of poisonous ... more
plants and fungi found in Britain, either as natives or as introductions. This book covers the plants' histories and appearance, and their chemical constituents.
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