Posts Tagged with pulmonary distress

Rhododendron
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Rhododendron

rhododendron blooms

Common name: Rhododendron

Scientific name: Rhododendron spp., plus many cultivars

Hazard associated: All parts are poisonous if ingested.

Notes: rhododendron bushes

  • Commonly planted in gardens for its showy blooms which range from white through pinks to deep reddish hues.
  • Azaleas are closely related to rhododendrons and are also toxic if ingested.
  • While Rhododendrons have been used for making tea and in traditional medicine, there is no safety guidelines as toxicity varies across/within species and localities.
  • The compounds primarily responsible for these plants’ toxicity are called grayanotoxins. Other problematic compouns include tannins.
  • People have reportedly died from eating honey from bees feeding on rhododendron nectar.

  Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhododendron

Image credits:

By Kurt Stüber [1] – caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/mavica/index.html part of www.biolib.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7737
By TriviaKing at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17928714
Yew
Published

Yew

Yew tree with fruit

Common name: Yew

Scientific name: Taxus baccata

Hazard associated: All parts poisonous except the berry flesh. Allergenic pollen.

Notes: Topiary using yew tree

  • Poisonings have occurred when children have eaten the seed along with the berry flash (technically the aril)
  • Yew leaves should never be available to animals as fodder.
  • Varieties of yew have been developed with variegated leaves and golden leaves.
  • Yew trees are very long lived and commonly used for topiary in gardens.

 Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_baccata

Image credits:

“Taxus baccata MHNT” by Didier Descouens – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taxus_baccata_MHNT.jpg#/media/File:Taxus_baccata_MHNT.jpg
“Yew Sheared”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yew_Sheared.jpg#/media/File:Yew_Sheared.jpg
Autumn crocus
Published

Autumn crocus

Colchicum_autumnale

Common name:Autumn Crocus, Meadow saffron

Scientific name: Colchicum autumnale, Colchium spp

Hazard associated: All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Notes: Colchicum_autumnale-closeup

  • These species are commonly planted in gardens due to their attractive flowers which emerge after the leaves have died off, hence one of the common names “naked ladies” which is sometimes used.
  • Colchicine, a drug used to treat gout and other conditions is derived from this species. However, colchicine is poisonous outside this medicinal setting, causing extreme gastrointestinal distress, and possibly general organ failure.
  • Cases of autumn crocus poisoning have often been caused by foragers mistaking it for similar plants.

 Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicum_autumnale

Privet
Published

Privet

Privet in flower

Common name: Privet

Scientific name: Ligustrum vulgare, Ligustrum ovalifolium, other Ligustrum species

Hazard associated: The leaves and berries are poisonous. Children might be attracted to the shiny berries, especially if they observe birds eating them with impunity.

Notes: Privet berries

  • Many people have an allergic response in the vicinity of privet bushes in flower.
  • Privet has traditionally been used as a hedging plant due to its hardiness. Plants which are regularly trimmed tend not to produce flowers and fruit.
  • Cultivars of privet may have green or yellow berries, instead of the more common black. Also the leaves may be variegated in some cultivars.

  Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privet
Image credits:

“Schurenbachhalde 11 ies” by Frank Vincentz – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schurenbachhalde_11_ies.jpg#/media/File:Schurenbachhalde_11_ies.jpg
Belladonna lily
Published

Belladonna lily

belladonna lily

Common name:  Belladonna, Naked ladies

Scientific name: Amaryllis belladonna

Hazard associated: Sap may cause dermatitis in humans; poisonous to animals

Notes:

  • Not to be confused with belladonna Atropa belladonna which is far more deadly.
  • Bulbs are the most deadly part.
  • Toxic to dogs, cats and livestock.

Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaryllis