It is a wonderful addition to our knowledge about food to find that there are many flowers that are suitable as fresh decoration or garnishing, or for use in raw food, savouries and salads, cooked dishes, desserts or even in drinks. Our kitchens are more attractive for flowers becoming a regular item in our diets and provide eager restaurateurs of a unique opportunity to present unusual touches to their cuisine. However, apart from a caution about thinking to use a flower in food because of its attractive colour, perfume or shape, we must know its properties and which of them are positively poisonous.
The list of plants and flowers that fall into this category is growing as more scientific analyses confirms the danger, even though many of them may be also used in traditional, or in modern chemical medicine, as remedies for specific ailments.
Here are some well known common flowers in western gardens that are known as toxic and must be avoided at all times. They have variable degrees of risk from mild to potentially fatal.
Adonis (Pheasant’s eye) – Adonis annua, A. vernalis
African Marigold – Tagetes erecta, T, minuata
Allamanda – Allamanda cathartica, A. neriifolia
Anemone – Anemone nemorosa, A. narcissiflora, A. vernalis
Autumn crocus – Colchicum autumnale
Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) – Atropa belladonna
Boxwood (Box) – Buxus microphylla, B. sempervirens
Broom ( Spanish Broom) – Spartium junceum syn Genista juncea, Cytisus scoparius
Carolina Jasmine (Yellow Jessamine, Yellow Jasmine) Gelsemium sempervirens
Cestrum ( Night-scented Jasmine)- Cestrum nocturnum , C. parqui, C. aurantiacum
Chincherinchee (Star of Bethlehem) – Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Christmas Rose – Helleborus niger
Clematis – Clematis recta, C. glycinoides, C vitalba
Coriaria (Tutu, Death Coriaria) – Coriaria arborea, C. myrtifolia
Cotoneaster – C. acuminata, C. lactea
Daffodil – Narcissus pseudo-narcissus
Datura – Datura candida, syn Brugmansia candida
Delphinium – Delphinium belladonna
Foxglove – Digitalus lanata, D. purpurea
Frangipani – Plumeria acuminata, P. alba
Hellebores – Helleborus foetidus, H. niger, H. orientalis
Hyacinth – Hyacinthus orientalis, H. romanus
Iris – Iris versicolor and other species
Jonquil – Narcissus jonquilla, N. poeticus , N. odorus
Lantana – Lantana camara
Lesser Periwinkle (Flower of Death) – Vinca minor
Lily of the Valley – Convallaria majalis
Lobelia (Cardinal Flower) – Lobelia cardinalis, L. inflata
Mountain Laurel (Calico Bush, Suicide Bush) – Kalmia latifolia, K. angustifolia
Oleander – Nerium oleander
Periwinkle – Vinca roseus syn Catharanthus roseus
Poinsettia – Euphorbia pulcherrima, E. tirucalli
Ranunculus (Garden Ranunculus) – Ranunculus asiaticus
Sweet Pea – Lathyrus latifolius, L, odoratus
White Hellebore – Veratrum album
Wintersweet (Bushman’s Poison) – Akokanthera oblongifolia, A spectabilis
Yellow Jasmine( Carolina Jasmine) Gelsemium sempervirens
Yellow Oleander – Thevetia neriifolia, T. peruviana
Yesterday-Today and Tomorrow (Night and Day Flower) Brunfelsia brasiliensis
ALL flowers SHOULD BE FIRST IDENTIFIED BEFORE USED IN FOOD.
Do not eat flowers that are not guaranteed to be free of pesticides and chemicals.
Sally Wilson, professional herbalist and naturopath has wide experience in herbal remedies and is renowned for research in a range of specializations. Most dominant is the application of medicinal healing herbs. Another interest has been to identify garden plants that cause infant and animal poisoning. In addition to the range of well known pasture poisons that affect stock, there are common plants that are toxic to our pets, as detailed in her book Some Plants are Poisonous published by Reed Books, Australia 1997.
Many poisonous plants contain strong alkaloids that are valued in medicine but in strictly controlled dosage. Caution is to avoid careless use of flowers. In countries where tradition has already established the safe ones beyond sheer ornamental value, their practical knowledge over time has taught them well. Where others are just beginning, it is best to rely only upon the well known garden flowers but only in gardens when chemical sprays are not used in their cultivation.
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Planting $41.25 Planting |
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Planting the Wilderness $20 Planting the Wilderness |
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Planting Paradise $42.74 Planting Paradise |
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Planting a Rainbow $91 Planting a Rainbow |
