Poisonous Landscaping Shrubs

Benefits

Many shrubs that contain poisonous parts are among the most decorative and adaptable plants available for use in the landscape. These include wisterias, rhododendrons and azaleas grown for their flowers, and evergreen yews and privet species that offer colorful berries and are grown as hedges.

If poisonous shrubs are interspersed with harmless plants around a home, people may not recognize that the plants pose a danger. While adults may overlook a potentially toxic plant in their surroundings and experience no ill effects, children have habits that put them at greater risk. Very small children explore their surroundings by putting objects in their mouths. Older children may put plant parts in their mouths out of curiosity or come into contact with them as a part of play, hobbies or projects.

One of the most dangerous features of poisonous shrubs is their colorful berries, which may tempt children who don't realize the difference between safe and toxic fruits. Yew, holly, privet and golden dewdrop shrubs produce poisonous fruits. All parts of rhododendrons and azaleas are potentially fatal. The seeds and pods of wisteria shrubs poison many children, according to the Texas AgriLife Extension, but children don't have to eat plant parts in order to be affected by toxins. The extension notes that children have been poisoned using the stems of elderberry shrubs as blowguns. Children may be confused by plants such as elderberry, which have some edible parts and some toxic parts. Elderberry is also easily confused with highly toxic water hemlock, which the University of Florida IFAS Extension warns should not even be touched.

Symptoms of poisoning depend on the type of toxin the shrub contains. Some plants contain more than one toxic substance. Plant poisons may primarily affect one body system, such as the nervous, cardiac or digestive system, but cause symptoms throughout the body. Common signs of poisoning include nausea, stomach upset and vomiting as the body tries to rid itself of the poison. General weakness, trouble breathing and diarrhea are also general symptoms of plant poisoning. Some shrubs cause coma and death.