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Being able to identify poisonous plants can help set your mind at ease when walking through the forest and seeking out wild berries or mushrooms, and can help you protect pets and children. It's important to know which plants to avoid, even if you don't want to seek out food, because some plants cause severe reactions just from coming in contact with your skin.
Many common landscape plants and houseplants are toxic. Knowing about toxic plants can be life saving for pet owners, parents and even adventurous cooks. Plant toxicity is a murky issue since often only one part of a plant is toxic while other parts are edible. Lantana is an example with only its berries causing ill effects.
Introducing children to the amazing world of growing plants is a rewarding and fun activity. Give kids their own small plot in the larger garden and help them learn how to grow food and flowers that benefit the family and the planet. Choices for healthy, nonpoisonous plants are plentiful, and children will love watering their plants and watching their gardens grow. Always use organic amendments and fertilizers.
Houseplants brighten the home and create a natural atmosphere that many find both inviting and relaxing, but when you have pets in the home there are more important considerations than the plant's beauty. Although many plants are safe for your pets, some common houseplants pose a threat to your pet's health and may endanger its life, especially if your pet has a tendency to nibble on tender new shoots.
Mashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes, French fries, garlic potatoes -- the possibilities are endless. The potato has long been considered a comfort food in Western cuisine and the U.S. alone consumes 126 lbs. per capita every year. When a potato turns green, however, you might be better off eating pasta that night.
Every naturalist and outdoor enthusiast should be aware of the poison plants in their area. Ohio has no shortage of poison plants, with no less than 200 different species of poisonous and otherwise injurious plants. Before you take out to the woods make sure you know what plants to avoid.
Lupine is a type of flowering plant of the genus Lupinus. Some of these plants are posisonous to both people and animals. The lupine plant is also called bluebonnet and is sometimes spelled lupin.
A biological agent is a virus, fungus or bacterium that can adversely affect human health and can be used for bioterrorism or biological warfare. The effects of biological agents can range from a mild allergic reaction to death, and they have been used by humanity for thousands of years. Today, biological agents have become a more pressing concern because of the ability to create them in a controlled laboratory setting, and weaponizing them makes them easier to use in a controlled way.
If you live in mostly concrete city or on a farm in an area where most of the trees have given way to cultivated crops, your experience with poisonous plants and animals likely is minimal. But if you suddenly decide to go camping or take a vacation in the Everglades, it is a good idea to learn to recognize the potential dangers you face. This article will concentrate on poisonous plants and reptiles in the 48 contiguous states.
Huckleberries are a fruit that you can eat raw or baked. The berries also have medicinal qualities.
Conventional wisdom tells us that there are edible plants and non-edible plants, the first all right to eat, the second not. But sometimes things are not so clear. Edible plants, even healthy ones like fruits, can contain poisonous parts. Some are extremely dangerous to humans, especially children, and animals.
