I've got a few oleanders.Having dug a few out,I think their roots go to China,the last few can stay.I've also got a patch of jack in the pulpit which I think is pretty poisoness if not used correctly.
Kurt

It's a relative thing, danger, isn't it? There are so many beautiful plants that are deadly, aconite and foxgloves and hellebores and datura being amongst the best-known I suppose. I won't have any of these in my garden, because I frequently have young children visiting, and I'm not willing to carry the attached risks. But then I have rhubarb and tomatoes, the leaves of both of which are poisonous, and many other herbs which can be poisonous if used to excess or contrary to recommendations, one example being the berries of elder. I also have several different kinds of chillies, which when handled carelessly can cause major problems. There's a lot to be said for vigilance, labelling, education and common sense when it comes to any plant you choose to have in your garden.

I guess you could also include the Bunya tree, those cones drop without warning weighing 10kg.........ouch!

I have Foxglove (Digitalis) growing, among a garden of medicinal and culinary herbs. No-one picks anything from my garden without checking with me first!

My mother used to make elderberry jam. Are the berries safe after cooking? I believe that elderberry wine is widely made in the UK and prob Europe with no effect except from the alcohol!

I use the berries to make all sorts of pies, desserts, muffins etc. The berries are made safe by cooking, but they must be fully ripe.

Moreton Bay Chestnut (black bean) seeds unless they are treated by shredding and washing. Jari

anything can be dangerous if used the wrong way.

Always remember a story I heard in a nutrition class once, although it mat just be an urban myth, about a man who saved up all his apple seeds until he had a cup full, then ate them all in one go (why, I have no idea) and then promptly died of cyanide poisoning. The body can handle small amounts of cyanide but this was just too much.

mat = might

i have several cactus, i would not want to fall on.

There are so many poisonous plants out there, you really need to know what your doing don't you! So many plants can be appealing to look at, others which are poisonous are even said to taste good, so you can't rely on senses either.
Even to dispose of some plants the wrong way can be quite dangerous (ie. burning oleander and inhaling fumes).

Taros are probably the worst i have; must be thoroughly cooked before eating, but when prepared correctly taste better than potatoes.

My neighbour came over during the christmass break and asked me if I knew what plant was growing in his back yard? He, nor his wife had given it any nurturing since it had started growing in their garden about 3 weeks prior, but now it was in full flower, with large seed pods, its roots were exposed to the dry conditions we were having and yet it thrived!. Ray was happy that he grew something from nothing and it was beautuifull to look at! I told him to keep away from it for a while untill I went to consell "the magic of herbs" ( I had a bad feeling about this plant)as it turned out he was growing a Common Thornapple otherwise know as False Castor oil Plant. All parts are poisonous, this plant you don't want to have around, especially if you have children and animals. My question is how did it get there in the first place? in all my life I have only seen the panlt in books and never in a garden! When I showed Ray what my book said he very carefullt pulled it up and disposed of it.

I grow rue as an ornamental. There are few books that actual recommend consumption these days, but every now and again you see an article in a magazine on using this and other herbs based on outdated knowledge. Not good.

As for dangerous plants coming up out of nowhere....has that area been sprayed with herbicide??

If so that is your liklely source.

All herbicides are made from plant derivitaves and they are not too pickly which ones they use. I sprayed roundup and that area is now full of kangaroo apple which is not native to my high altitude climate.

Or it could have come out of mulch?? I know what they throw in those big mulching tracks and they are definately not picky either.

I have kangaroo apple growing in some of the most unlikelyplaces. When you think about it,there are so many plants that are poinsonous,that if one eradicated everyone,our gardens would be bare. Its all a matter of education and common sense. Judie

Arum lilies and Lily of the Valley. The frangipani are poisonous too I think.

I remember the oleanders in the garden when I was a kid but we were told they were poisonous so we left them alone. Though it's a worry with very little children.

Fortunately most kids don't go around grazing on the garden because there's always a plant you didn't know was poisonous.

Amunda
RE: the cupful of apple seeds.
Apple seeds contain approx 2% of their weight of vit B17. You may of heard of this vitamin mentioned on the news recently in reference to apricot kernal.
Vit B17 does contain a cyanide molecule, however, it is not simply floating around in the apple seed.
The cyanide molecule only becomes potentiated when its beta link is cleaved from the glycoside by beta-glucasidase. This is why it appears to have a selective toxicity to cancerous cells that release this enzyme.
As far as I know, there is no conclusive evidence to say that anyone has died of cyanide poisoning due to ingestion of vitamin B17.
If you or anyone else can prove this to be incorrect please due, I am writting an assignment on this now and would like to hear some thoughts.

phytoshepard - The cyanide in apple pips is not due to the molecule tied up in Vitamin B17. Apple pips along with almonds and the seeds of all stonefruit contain the glycoside amygdalin. This is hydrolysed when the pips are crushed or buised to form benzaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and glucose. The potential for cyanide production in many nuts and seeds (ie. macadamia, almonds etc) is ample to produce cyanide poisoning, but mostly unripe or green fruit are responsible for cases of poisoning.

West J Med. 1982 Jan;136(1):65-9.
Cyanide poisoning after bitter almond ingestion.
Shragg TA, Albertson TE, Fisher CJ Jr.

Publication Types:
Case Reports

PMID: 7072244 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Jamus,

Thankyou for the referenced info. Very interesting, a little disturbing. I guess this is why TGA have come down so hard on apricot kernal. I know a few people who have taken 5-10 apricot kernals a day long term without adverse effects. Perhaps the danger lies in the preparation of these nuts/seeds. Unripe etc.....

The castor oil tree is a common weed around Adelaide. It is VERY toxic, but a beautiful plant. I hope the weed nazis don't try to irradicate it. The same goes for the hemlock in creeks around Adelaide too, which is also very beautiful.

I grew up playing in creeks and vacant blocks in the Adelaide hills around various solanum weeds, convovulus, hemlock, digitalis, oleanders, lillies etc. We never poisoned ourselves. Kids just need to be made aware that these things are around. I'm probably a bit weird in that I love weeds. I think they are here to stay and attempting to getting rid of them at this stage does more harm than good.