The bleeding heart is eye-catching in its beauty, but it is also poisonous. It has proved fatal to cattle. (Ursula Bolinger/The Epoch Times)
John M. Kingsbury, in his book “Poisonous Plants of the United States and Canada,” warns that more than 700 species of plants are known to have caused death or illness. If you are ever in doubt about what berries or leaves your child might have eaten, call 911 if it seems serious, or your provincial poison centre for information and reassurance. It would be wise to have a sample of what has been eaten if you are asked to take your child to the hospital.
A survey of your own home might turn up some poisonous plants, including the dieffenbachia, whose stalk contains needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate which, if chewed, can injure the tissues of the mouth and tongue and cause swelling that can block the windpipe.
The oleander, often grown in greenhouses during the winter and moved outside in the summer, has been known to be poisonous since olden times. Its leaves contain a deadly heart stimulant which, if eaten, can kill a child. In fact, some people have died after eating meat that was speared on oleander twigs and roasted over an open fire.
Other house plants which may be poisonous include the philodendron whose leaves have been responsible for the deaths of cats that ate them; the Jerusalem cherry (the berries are thought to be poisonous); and the small white berries of the American mistletoe, which cause severe poisoning in adults and children.
The European mistletoe is also considered poisonous. But as a specialist at poison centre said, poinsettias are not considered dangerous, as “one would have to eat around 500 leaves to get sick.”
Garden plants present further problems to young children. The most dangerous is rhubarb. Its stalk, which is used in cooking, is not toxic, but the leaf blade contains oxalic acid, which crystallizes in the kidneys and can cause severe damage if enough leaves are eaten. The twigs of cherry trees are also poisonous as they release cyanide when eaten.
Even the foliage and vines of the common potato and tomato contain alkaloid poisons which, when swallowed, create nervous system disorders and stomach upsets. Poisonous garden flowers include lily-of-the-valley, larkspur, daffodils, and bleeding hearts.
Field plants to watch out for include the common buttercup (its foliage can poison cattle); poison ivy is extremely toxic to most people causing a serious skin rash (the leaves, fruit, stems, and even smoke from burning it); poison sumac, usually found in swamps (contact with any of its parts can cause a serious skin rash); and jack-in-the-pulpit (all parts are poisonous, especially the roots).
Field plants with romantic names such as moonseed, may apple, water hemlock, and ornamental plants including wisteria, daphne, laurel, rhododendron, azalea, and golden chain must be kept out of reach of children and pets. You may enjoy their beauty and fragrance, but by learning about their various poisonous properties you can also be accident-free.
Susan Hallett is an award-winning writer and editor who has written for The Beaver, The Globe & Mail, Wine Tidings and Doctor’s Review among many others. Email: hallett_susan@hotmail.com
