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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.
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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
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Dracaena
Easter
Lily
Fiddle
Leaf Fife
Gardenia
Geranium
Hibiscus
Honeysuckle
Hoya
Jade
Plant
Lilac
Lipstick
Plant
Marigold
Monther-inLaw's
Tounge
Mountain
Ash
Norfolk
Island Pine |
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
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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 |
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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
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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
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