Poisonous Plants - Whats the risk ?

Hello All

I have just a lovely plant called "Taxus Fastigiata" (Japanese Yew I think,)but upon close inspection on the label it warns the plant is poisonous.
It really doesn't say much more than that.
Can anyone tell me what the risks are if any condsidering young children and a cat will be in the garden.

Thanks in advance,
Geordie.

 

I think the same as most plants Don't EAT, you will be supprised how many plants are poisonous but only if you eat them, or with some plants the sap can be an irritant.

 

Just apply normal common sence and you'll not have any problems, as TO says loads of plants are poisonous or at best not good to eat but nodody comes to any harm.
One or two plants for some strange reason seem to get a bad press in this mamby pamby age we live in.

 

Yes I'm growing Ricinus at the moment (caster oil plant) highly dangerous if you eat the seeds, but hey! what idiot is going to? and I have a 9yr old son but he knows not to eat things out of the garden anyway, especially my plants!!! :D

 

Datura anyone ? aparently it is quite widely used as a mind bender but can easily OD and be fatal :eek: I bought one before I knew this. :D

 

All Yew are very poisonous to horses (and possibly cattle) so you should never plant a Yew next to a field. But within a garden there should be no problem. Very often animals have a sixth sense and won't eat poisonous things. But this doesn't work in the case of horses. I understand 4 to 6 inches of leaf will kill a horse.

There should not be any problem with children or cats.

 

Yes horses are stupid things, but its funny how they seem to avoid ragwort in fields, but then the silly things eat it dried in hay and that finishes them off!

I have yew, ricinus, daturas aconite....oh the list of baddies goes on, but yes agree "common sense" is best advice and as my old maths teacher used to sa "its called common sense beecause it is so uncommon"

 

One of the problems with Taxus is the berries have an attractive red aril around the very toxic seeds. The red part can be eaten if the seeds are removed. The foliage, bark and stems of the Taxus can be deadly if ingested. Cats however are impervious to the poison, as are rabbits and deer. I also remember reading that dry old foliage is actually more toxic then the green parts. So be careful where you put your clippings.

 

I have many "poisonous" plants in my garden ... three varieties of Solanum, Daturas, Brugmansias, Cestrums, Lantana, etc, etc ... Ricinus grows wild here as do most of the others. There are probably more poisonous plants in our gardens in one way or another, be they leaves / flowers / berries / bulbs than there are non poisonous ... so I don't waste my time worrying about such things ... the bee flying overhead may sting me and I'll die within hours.

I have three cats and there's no problem ... the first three were English, now one English and two Portuguese.

It's just like cats don't like orange peel ... I live in the middle of orange orchards and my English cats loved / love (one left) it. The Portuguese ones grow up with it.

 

We had a lecture at the Gardening Society last year from a guy who has written the book on pisonous plants ( I think a book on non-poisonous plants would be slimmer ). If anyone is interested I can get the details - watch out if you like to take cut flowers from the garden - Aconitum looks great but...............

 

I have a list from college of poisonous plants, and lots of plants are even common ones that are in everyones garden.

 

Top advice folks, very helpful.
Thanks very much

 

Hi Tropical oasis,
Would it be possible to have a copy of the list.
I'll try RHS online as well.
John

 

It is difficult to create a list of poisonous plants. While some plants are outright toxic to anyone who eats or comes in contact with the plant (Jimson Weed, nightshade), others may cause a reaction in some but not in others.

The following is a listing of plants normally thought to be poisonous. THE LIST IS NOT COMPLETE. People should not eat plants not grown as food crops ââ?¬â? vegetables, fruits, cereal grains. Children should be taught never to eat non-food crop plants.

Poisonous plants vary between animals. Don't assume that since a bird, squirrel or pig ate a plant with no problems, humans can do the same.

If problems are encountered, or for a more complete list of poisonous plants, contact a doctor or the emergency room of your local hospital. Never hesitate contacting a physician if there is the smallest doubt.

Unless otherwise stated, consider all parts of the plant poisonous.

Agave (leaves)
Amaryllis (bulbs)
Apple (seeds)
Azalea
Bird of Paradise (seeds)
Black Locust (seeds)
Bloodroot
Boston Ivy (berries)
Boxwood (leaves/twigs)
Buckeye (seeds)
Buckthorn (berries)
Buttercup (leaves)
Caladium
Calla (rhizome)
Castor Bean (seed)
Christmas Rose
Cone Flower
Crown of thorns
Daffodil
Daphne
Delphinium
Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia)
Eggplant (plant)
Elderberry (unripe berries)
Elephant Ear
English Ivy (berries)
Flowering Tobacco
Foxglove
Holly (berries)
Horsechestnut (nuts)
Hyacinth
Iris
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Jerusalem Cherry
Jimson Weed
Jonquil
Lantana
Larkspur
Lily-of-the-Valley
Lupine
Mayapple
Mistletoe (berries)
Morning Glory seeds
Mustard (root)
Narcissus
Nicotiana
Nightshade
Oleander
Philodendron
Poison Hemlock
Poison Ivy
Potato (green)
Privet (berries)
Ranunculuc
Rhododendron
Rhubarb (leaf blade)
Rosary Pea (seed)
Snow-on-the-Mountain
Sweet Potato
Skunk Cabbage
Sweet Pea (seeds)
Tansy
Tomato (leaves)
Tulip
Virginia Creeper (berries)
Water Hemlock
Wisteria (seeds/pods)
Yew (berries)

 

Thanks Miraflores,
Good sound advice, I know exactly what you mean. I was once involved in the preparation of a database of toxic chemical dye degradation products which I presented in Germany. Exactly what you were sayng about substances affecting animals and humans having different effects. Also the different ways in which toxicity data is measured doesn't allow true comparison from one substance to anoother or even one test to another.