SAS Urban Survival Handbook (49 page)

4▶Cyclamen
(Sowbread)
Cyclamen purpurascens (Cyclamen europaeum)
Native to central and southern Europe and a very common ornamental. Cormous, with silver-mottled kidney-shaped leaves and fragrant carmine flowers. Height: 10 cm (39 in).
All parts are poisonous.

BUTTERCUP FAMILY
Ranunculaceae

Poisons causing various effects, depending on species. Some act on the heart, causing numbness, tingling in the mouth, abdominal pains, vertigo and vomiting. Others have irritant poisons causing abdominal pains, vomiting and purging, cramps, drowsiness and slight nervous symptoms. May cause DEATH.

5▶Monkshood
(Helmet flower/Garden wolfsbane)
Aconitum napellus
Native to Europe and Asia and a very common ornamental. Herbaceous perennial with deeply-cut leaves and hooded deep-blue flowers. Height: 90-100 cm (35-39 in). All parts are poisonous.
May be
FATAL.

6▶Baneberry
(Herb Christopher/Necklaceweed)
Actaea spicata
Native to Europe and Asia as far as China. Herbaceous perennial with white flowers and purplish-black berries. Height: 30- 60 cm (12-24 in).
All parts are poisonous, especially the berries. Can be FATAL.

7▶Wood anemone
Anemone nemorosa
Native to Europe and western Asia and an ornamental. Herbaceous perennial with deeply-lobed leaves and white flowers. Height: 15-20 cm (6-8 in).
All parts are poisonous.

8▶Columbine
(Granny’s bonnet/European crowfoot)
Aquilegia vulgaris
Native to Europe, North Africa and Asia as far as China. It is naturalized in the US and a very common ornamental. Herbaceous perennial with violet, pink or white flowers. Height: 45-60 cm (18-24 in).
All parts are poisonous.

9▶Marsh marigold
(Meadow bright/Kingcup)
Caltha palustris
Native to Europe, Asia and the US, in marshes, fens and ditches. Also an ornamental, especially in boggy areas. Herbaceous perennial with rounded leaves and cup-shaped bright-yellow flowers. Height: 30-38 cm (12-15 in).
All parts are poisonous.

1▶Clematis
Clematis
x ‘Nellie Moser’ Hybrid ornamental. Deciduous climber with large mauve-pink flowers. Many other varieties, in a wide colour range. Height: 1.8-2.4 m (6-8 ft).

All parts are poisonous.
The traveller’s joy (
C. vitalba
) is also poisonous and can be FATAL.

2▶Delphinium
Delphinium
‘Blue Tit’ Ornamental. Herbaceous perennial with spires of indigo-blue flowers. Many varieties, in a wide colour range. Height: 150-180 cm (60-71 in).
All parts are poisonous.
Larkspur (
D. ajacis
) is also poisonous.

3▶Winter aconite
Eranthis hyemalis
Native to Europe, naturalized in the US and an ornamental. Tuberous-rooted perennial with bright-yellow flowers surrounded by green ruffs. Height: 10 cm (4 in).
All parts are poisonous.

4▶Hellebore
(Green hellebore)
Helleborus viridus
Native to Europe and very common as an ornamental. Herbaceous perennial with yellowish-green cup-shaped flowers. Height: 30 cm (12 in).
All parts are poisonous.
Other hellebores are also poisonous.

5▶Greater spearwort
Ranunculus lingua
Native to Europe and Siberia. Perennial with stoloniferous roots, toothed and lance-shaped leaves and bright-yellow buttercup-like flowers. Height: 50-90 cm (20-35 in).
All parts are poisonous.
Beware of other plants in this genus.

6▶Lesser celandine
(Pilewort)
Ranunculus ficaria
Native to Europe and western Asia, and naturalized in the US. Found on shady grassy banks, streamsides, meadows and woods. Herbaceous perennial with bright yellow flowers. Height: 15-25 cm (6-10 in).
Sap is poisonous.
Sometimes used externally for medicinal purposes.

BUCKTHORN FAMILY
Rhamnaceae

Irritant poisons, causing burning pains in the throat and stomach, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and shock.

7▶Alder buckthorn
(Black dogwood)
Frangula alnus
Native to Europe, the Urals, Siberia and North Africa, especially on damp heaths and woods. Deciduous shrub/tree with small green flowers and red berries, which turn black. Height: 4-5 m (13-16 ft).
All parts are poisonous.

8▶Common buckthorn
Rhamnus catharticus
Native to Europe, western Asia and North Africa, found in hedges and on scrub land. Deciduous shrub/tree with small green flowers and black berries. Height: 4-6 m (13-20 ft).
All parts are poisonous.

BE SAFE

It is impossible not to come into contact with poisonous plants—they are so numerous. Get to know as many species as possible in your area. When arranging a garden, especially if children will play there unsupervised, plan it carefully and try to make it as safe as possible.

When buying new plants for your garden, check to see if they are poisonous. Make a note to position them away from the fronts of borders, where children might touch them.

Don’t plant trees with poisonous seeds near garden ponds. Laburnum will poison fish.

DON’T put poisonous plants, especially members of the arum family and plants such as poison sumac (
Toxicodendron vernix
), poison ivy (
T. quercifolium
) and poison oak (
T. radicans
), on bonfires. Inhalation of the smoke can be FATAL.

Don’t eat any plant that cannot be positively identified as a food. Some plants may resemble known food plants. For instance, the leaves of fool’s parsley (
Aesthusa cynapium
) resemble parsley, and the roots of white bryony (
Bryonia alaba
) look very like turnips.

ALWAYS wash your hands in worm soapy water after handling plants.

ROSE FAMILY
Rosaceae

This family includes many common fruit trees. The seed kernels contain cyanogenetic glycosides, which break down into prussic acid. Poisons cause numbness, tingling in the mouth, abdominal pains, vertigo, vomiting, purging and paralysis. Can be FATAL if large quantities are consumed.

1▶Common almond
Prunus dulcis
(
P. amygdalus /P. communis
) Native to western Asia and North Africa, cultivated commercially and an ornamental. Deciduous tree with pink flowers on naked branches, followed by fruits. Height: 5.4-7.5 m (18-25 ft).
Fruits poisonous when unripe.

2▶Apricot
Prunus armeniaca
Native to China, grown commercially and an ornamental. Deciduous tree with pinkish flowers, followed by fruits. Height: 4.5-5.4 m (15-18 ft).
Poisonous seeds inside the stone.

3▶Gean
(Wild cherry/Mazzard)
Prunus avium
Native to Europe, naturalized in the US and an ornamental. Deciduous tree with white cup-shaped flowers, followed by fruits. Height: 7.5-12 m (25-39 ft).
The seeds are poisonous.

4▶Portugal laurel
Prunus lusitanica
Native to Spain and Portugal, and a very common ornamental. Evergreen shrub with scented cream flowers and small fruits, which turn black. Height: 4.5-6 m (15-20 ft).
Poisonous seeds.
Cherry laurel (
P. laurocerasus
) is also poisonous.

5▶Peach
Prunus persica
Native to China, grown commercially and an ornamental. Deciduous tree with rose-coloured flowers, followed by fruits. Height: 4.5-7.5 m (15-25 ft).
Poisonous seeds inside the stone.

6▶Rowan
(European mountain ash/Quickbeam)
Sorbus aucuparia
Native to Europe and western Asia and an ornamental. Deciduous tree with white flowers and globular orange-red berries. Height: 4.5-7.5 m (15-25 ft).
Poisonous seeds.

7▶Fish-bone cotoneaster
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Native to China and a very common ornamental. Deciduous shrub with fishbone-like stems and pink flowers. Also develops round, red berries. Height: 60-75 cm (24-30 in).
Poisonous seeds.

8▶Hawthorn
(Quickthorn/May)
Crataegus monogyna
Native to Europe and a very common ornamental and hedging plant. Deciduous shrub/tree with scented white flowers and small crimson fruits. Height: 6-9 m (20-30 ft).
Poisonous seeds.

9▶Firethorn
Pyracantha coccinea
Native to southern Europe and Anatolia and an ornamental. Evergreen shrub with white flowers and bright red berries. Height: 2.4-3.6 m (8-12 ft).
Poisonous fruits.

RISKY HOUSEPLANTS?

Many plants that are grown indoors or in conservatories are poisonous, but no one need ever come to harm, if sensible precautions are taken.

Keep young children away from them. Especially at the crawling stage, children put everything they touch into their mouths.

When propagating plants that are known to have poisonous sap, wear gloves. Wash them afterwards. DON’T allow sap to enter cuts.