Which landscape plants can I use that are not poisonous to my small children?

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Question Which landscape plants can I use that are not poisonous to my small children?

Answer The poisonous plant subject can be a sensitive issue. I can certainly understand parents wanting to protect their children from harm. However, the line between poisonous and nonpoisonous plants can be very thin. Luckily, we don't live in Australia where nearly every insect, spider, reptile, mammal or plant will kill you. In the good ole US of A, we are protected from nearly everything (including ourselves).

In this land of extensive protection, there is a tendency to blur the line when discussing poisons. The word “poison” carries a drop dead implication. However, the plant that causes the most people to go to the doctor for treatment is poison ivy, and the treatment is only for skin irritation. There are a few plants that can cause you to “walk toward the light” if eaten. In the interest of “protecting” you from terrorism, I will not mention them by name.

Symptoms of plant poisoning range from irritation of the skin to death, with upset stomach or vomiting being the most recognizable. It is often difficult to tell if a person has eaten a poisonous plant because there are no empty containers or unusual lesions or odors around the mouth.

There are many “lists” of poisonous plants available. The vast majority of them do not have any scale or way of rating the poisonousness (toxicity is the correct word) of the plants. For example, the Carolinas Poison Center has a poison plant list that includes azalea, pepper, boxwood, chrysanthemum, holly and oak. Where would we be if these plants were excluded from our landscapes?

If you operate a child care center, then you may wish to plant an edible landscape. When planting an edible landscape, keep in mind some plants may have both poisonous and nutritious parts on the same plant. Examples include tomatoes, potatoes, cherries, apples and peaches. Another option is to keep more of the landscape out of their reach by using larger plants or putting the children behind fences (like prisons do).

Most poisonous plants do not taste good. The unpleasant taste prevents digestion of toxic amounts. That is how we survived for thousands of years in the wild without a poison plant list. This may also have contributed to our love of beef.

Unless your children have a tendency to graze like cows, our common landscape plants do not really pose a life or death threat. The three most common causes of pediatric poisoning are cosmetics, cleaning supplies and medicines. If you think they have eaten a toxic plant, then call the Carolinas Poison Center at 1-800-848-6946.

For more info about edible flowers, visit http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8513.html

If you do not have internet access, please call the Extension Office at 893-7533 or email me at gpierce@harnett.org

The primary way trees kill children is through ATV (all terrain vehicle) accidents. A high speed dose of tree trunk given to a child is usually life threatening.

Gary L. Pierce

Horticulture Extension Agent