Poison Information Network

|
PLANT
GUIDE
Plants
are popular for home decorating today. They can provide much
beauty and color.... but some plants also provide a hazard
and you should display them only with care.
Plant
ingestions are a common cause of potential poisoning exposures
in children under five years of age. The plants listed below
are to guide you in the choosing of plants for your home and
garden. This is not a complete list but does include many
commonly asked questions about plants. |
HOW
CAN YOU PREVENT PLANT POISONING EXPOSURES?
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* Teach
children never to put twigs, leaves or flowers in their
mouth.
* Know
the names of all the plants in your home and yard. (Check
a good plant reference book or ask a florist) The Poison
Center cannot positively identify plants over the telephone.
* Put
poisonous plants up high and out of the reach of children
and pets.
* Never
eat a wild plant or mushroom unless you are positive of
its identity.
* Store
bulbs and seeds out of children's reach.
* Do
not rely on cooking to destroy toxic substances contained
in plants. |
SAFE
PLANTS
African
Violet Aluminum
Plant Aralia Aster Baby
Tears Bachelor
buttons Begonia Boston
Fern Burro's
Tail Cactus
(certain varieties) Christmas
Cactus Coleus Corn
Plant Contoneaster Dandelion
Dracaena Easter
Lily Fiddle
Leaf Fife Gardenia Geranium Hibiscus Honeysuckle |
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Pepperomia Petunia Prayer
Plant Purple
Passion Rubber
Tree Schefflera Snake
Plant Spider
Plant Swedish
Ivy Velvet
Plant Violet Wandering
Jew Weeping
Willow Yucca Zebra
Plant Zinnia
Hoya Jade
Plant Lilac Lipstick
Plant Marigold Monther-inLaw's
Tounge
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NOT-SO-SAFE
PLANTS
| Acorn Arrowhead Bittersweet Buckeye Buttercups Caladium Castor
Bean Daffodil Devel's
Ivy Dieffenbachia
(Dumbcane) Elephant
Ears Foxglove Holly Hyacinth Hydrangea Iris Jackin
the Pulpit Jananese
Lantern Jequirity
Bean Jerusalem
Cherry Jimson
Weed |
|
Jonquil Lantana Lily
of the Valley Marijuana Miltetoe Morning
Glory Mushrooms
(certain species) Narcissus Nightshade Oak Oleander Poison
Ivy & Sumac Pokeweed Rhododendron Rhubarb Star
of Bethlehem Tobacco Tulip Wisteria Yew |
Mushroom
collecting does not have to be a dangerous outdoor sport if we play
by the rules. The following are some basic tips to follow the next
time you go into the woods:
Know precisely
and positively what you are after.
When gathering
mushrooms, collect only one species at a time.
In case you
do collect more than one kind, separate each species in different
containers. Do not mix poisonous mushrooms with edible ones.
Only young
fresh specimens are suitable for food. After a mushroom matures
and begins to deteriorate, its edible qualities also deteriorate.
When picking,
place mushrooms in a shallow, flat box or basket. NEVER use plastic
bags, they cause the mushroom to sweat and disintegrate rapidly.
Keep mushrooms
in the shade and as cool and well aired as possible until you get
home. Bacteria and yeast can cause great damage in a few hours on
a hot day.
Eat only those
mushrooms in prime condition.
Never eat wild
mushrooms raw.
Clean, process
or cook your mushrooms as soon as possible. Most deteriorate very
rapidly after being picked. To clean, split cap lengthwise to check
for spoilage or insect infestation.
Set aside some
uncooked specimens of whatever is eaten and keep refrigerated. If
a poisoning does occur, the mushroom can be quickly identified.
Should you
make a mistake and eat a poisonous mushroom, call the POISON
CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY. You may have symptoms such as
loss of muscular control, hallucinations, diarrhea or coma. Some
mushrooms are absolutely deadly.
IF YOU NEED
TO CALL THE POISON CENTER, have the following information ready:
- Age and
weight of the poisoned victim
- Name of
the poison product and the quantity the victim has eaten or been
exposed to
- Time the
poisoning occurred
- Any symptoms
occurring
- Any first
aid measures you may have already performed
- Your name
and telephone number
REMEMBER: It is
absolutely essential before you collect mushrooms that you be positively
certain of the kind you are after. Mushrooms are plentiful in Michigan
and when safety is practiced, mushroom collecting can be a fun and
rewarding hobby.
Poison Crisis Line - 1-800-222-1222