We can’t live without plants, and wouldn’t want to even if we could. We eat them, mow them, plant them to give us shade and make our Houston, Texas lawns and gardens prettier. There are some plants, however that can make people very sick, and some can even be fatal. Just to make this a little trickier, only certain parts of some plants (seeds, leaves, etc.) are poisonous, while the rest of the plant is completely harmless.
Most poisonous plants must be ingested, so the risk is more to your children or pets. (For example, a curious one-year-old “helping” you garden might strip off poisonous leaves and pop them into her mouth.) Unless you frequently step outside to graze on your shrubbery. The best way to prevent harm is to educate ourselves and our children about these plants. Below is a guide to some of the more common poisonous plants of Houston, Texas.
Texas Mountain Laurel. This ornamental tree has gorgeous purple flowers and poisonous seeds. Laurel seeds can cause nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, coma and even death. One interesting fact about the seeds, however, is that the outer shell is so hard that if swallowed whole they will pass right through your system. It is only if the seeds are chewed or crushed that they become poisonous. So if you have the urge to eat your Texas Mountain Laurel’s seeds, just don’t chew them.
Oleander. This pretty shrub with its lovely pink, red and white flowers has leaves and branches that are extremely poisonous, causing heart and digestive problems if eaten. There have even been cases of death from “Oleander poisoning.” If you have this shrub in your Houston, Texas backyard, tell your children not to touch it.
Larkspur. These beautiful blue flowers that look so pretty in your Houston, Texas garden have poisonous seeds that can cause upset stomachs and even depression if ingested. Larkspur’s leaves are also poisonous if eaten. This plant is dangerous to animals as well, so make sure your dog doesn’t eat this.
Foxglove. Another lovely flower with poisonous leaves that can cause irregular heartbeat and mental confusion. The pink and white flowers will attract hummingbirds to your Houston, Texas garden, but you should avoid the leaves. Foxglove are poisonous even if they are dead and dried up, so wear gloves while disposing of them.
Jasmine. This is a popular shrub for groundcover in Houston, Texas, with very pretty yellow flowers, but its poisonous berries can cause digestive problems and even death. It can also cause skin irritation, so you may want to skip this plant in your garden, especially if you have young children.
Lantana. This is another popular shrub for landscaping in Houston, Texas, and it has gorgeous orange, red and yellow flowers. The poisonous green berries of this plant, however, can be fatal. Ingesting these berries can affect the lungs, kidneys, heart and nervous system, so make sure your children know not to pick them or touch them.
Jimson Weed. This lovely white flower is often found in Houston, Texas fields, or on farms and ranches. All parts of this plant are deadly, causing delirium, coma and death. If you come across this poisonous plant, recognizable by its white, trumpet shaped blossoms, do not touch it. If it is on your land, wear gloves to remove it (it will even cause blistering on your skin – this is a bad, bad plant.)
Source list:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/lawn_garden/poison/poison.html
http://www.chron.com/houstongardening/
