Toxic plants aplenty

Plants are all around us and many of us  interact with them on a daily basis.   Some of these plants are noted to be toxic either by touch or ingestion.  Many of these plants are in our landscapes and some are used as houseplants.  Just knowing which plants are toxic is helpful to help you avoid or at least manage the risk.

As there are so many plants that can be toxic, and as some people may have individual allergic reactions not experienced by the general population,  only a few will be mentioned in this article.  The first set will be plants that have irritating sap which can cause problems to the skin.  One that comes to mind is the Pencil Cactus.   The Pencil Cactus is also called the  Milk Bush or Euphorbia tirucalli L..  The Pencil Cactus is a succulent, branching plant that can grow up to fifteen feet tall.   The sap is white in color and is extremely toxic and irritating  to the skin. It was even noted as being used as a fish poison in India.  Crown-of-thorns is another member of the Euphorbiaceae family that has milky, very irritating sap that can cause blisters.   There are several flowering shrubs in the genus Jatropha  (also in the Euphorbiaceae family) commonly found in many landscapes that have milky irritating sap and   toxic properties if consumed.  Look out for those Euphorbia’s!

Dieffenbachia is a common houseplant/patio plant with large colorful green and white patterned leaves emerging from a thick, central cane.  Also called "dumb cane", Dieffenbachia contains calcium oxalate, and if consumed,  produces irritation of the mucous membranes resulting in throat swelling and temporary loss of speech.  Almost everybody knows the flowering shrub Oleander.  Oleander is well known as toxic plant and all parts are considered poisonous if ingested. Even inhaling the smoke from burning oleander can cause poisoning.

Many gardeners plant lantana for their beautiful flowers that attract butterflies. The immature, green seeds of this plant are highly toxic, and the leaves are also highly toxic to animals. Even touching  lantana plants may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.

On occasion gardeners may grow ornamental selections of castor-beans.  Caster-beans contain a highly poisonous substance, ricin, as well as other toxic compounds.  The chemicals are more concentrated in the castor-bean seeds.  The Gloriosa Climbing lily is sometimes grown for its colorful and exotic–looking flowers.  The entire vining  plant contains toxic substances, and the underground tubers have the highest concentration. Death has been reported to occur within 4 hours after eating tubers of this plant.

In addition to the danger to humans, keep in mind that toxic plants can be an issue for pets and livestock.  As with any risk, use common sense, find out about the particular plants in your landscape and plant (plan) accordingly.  Precautions such as protective gloves and/or clothing may also help you avoid exposure if working with certain toxic plants.   If a human emergency occurs, contact resources such as the Florida Poison Information Center  at 1-800-222-1222, and/or your local Emergency Room.  Be smart and be careful!  For more information on all types of toxic plants, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.

Resources:

Purple Trailing Lantana (2007) The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS - Baker County.
Florida Poison Information Center - http://www.poisoncentertampa.org/ .
Gardening in a Minute (2013) Lantana. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
Christman, S. (2003) Jatropha integerrima. Floridata.com , Tallahassee, FL.
Marshall, D. (2015) Poisonous Plants. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS - Monroe County Extension.
Feser, C. (2007) Poison plants. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS – Collier County.
Ferrer, A. (2015) poisonous plants in the garden. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS – Seminole County.
Scheper, J. (2004) Lantana montevidensis Floridata.com , Tallahassee, FL.
http://www.poisoncentertampa.org/ - Florida Poison Information Center.