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Poisonous Plants

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  • It's my old dog I'm worrying about, he likes to self-medicate on grass (dog owners will know what I mean)! Just hope he doesn't make a mistake one day.

    Did read something once about dairy cows being 'addicted' to foxgloves, the foxgloves made them sleepy. Searching through Google for 'digitalism' it's full of references to a German musical duo! :/

    Has anyone had a poisoning problem with a plant they've grown?
    My dog is 17..still likes to eat and puke grass. Bergenia is his latest..he pukes that up too. Having said that I've grown Brugmansia all my life which many won't grow for fear of its toxicity, but apart from the dotty dog, the cat, me and the missus are all still here.
  • BlueBirderBlueBirder Posts: 212
    edited April 2022
    Just as a heads up, I have a cat who ate one mouthful of asiatic lily leaf and now has kidney problems. She was in the emergency vets within an hour being treated but still has damage.

    After that experience, I won't grow plants which can kill or cause long term damage as my cat is too curious for her own good. So no foxgloves (heart), lilies (kidneys), delphiniums (all sorts!) etc. However this is very much based on my cat - she eats anything green - and I still grow plants which have less serious toxic effects like vomiting and diarrhoea. 

    A lot of plants are toxic if consumed and many will also cause skin issues (I'm a sensitive soul and come out in a rash if I touch yarrow, juniper, artemisia, lemon cypress and anyone will scar if they get hogweed sap on them in the sun). But IMO that's no reason to be afraid of them as long as we take precautions e.g. don't eat them, wear gloves or wash hands and don't grow very dangerous plants if you have extremely curious pets or maybe small children. 

    The other thing I would say to be aware of is the plants which can affect pregnancy, like pennyroyal and corncockle. But again they're only dangerous if ingested perhaps applied to skin in some form (research is ongoing). 
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I have never had any problems with Aconitums, and I love them, can have different species flowering from July to October.
    I have grown from seed, divided them, moved them, all without problem, just wear gloves and wash your hands.
    I am unaware of skin issues, although someone will no doubt have found them.

    As Joe Jackson once said:
    "Everything gives you cancer, there's no cure, there's no answer"
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Aconitum is one plant that you must not have any contact with your skin? 
    I do regularly and it's never been a problem. Ditto Euphorbia . 
    I'm dead butch me
    Devon.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
     I rubbed my eyes after touching euphorbia sap. Not an experience to be repeated.😖
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Aconitum is one plant that you must not have any contact with your skin? 
    I have lots of aconitum,   Best plants I’ve got for bees.
    I handle seeds, seedlings and big plants,  I wouldn’t eat it, neither would my cats.   I don’t wear gloves. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Aconitum can be absorbed through the skin. Washing well after handling is the best way I guess. However I won't be growing them any time soon.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    " caution is fine: paranoia isn't " 
    Devon.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Nearly all drugs /poisons are absorbed to some extent through the skin.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
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