Hazardous Plants and Shrubs

Treescape® guide to Hazardous Plants and Shrubs

Euphorbia sp.

Characteristics: Mitigation:

> Looks like cactus > Gloves and wrist to ankle cover > White, milky, latex-like sap that is > Facemask / respirator poisonous > Safety glasses > Do not chip Allergens: First Aid: > Breathing in dust can cause severe anaphylactic reaction > If any symptoms present seek > Severe skin irritant – can cause medical advice rash or blisters > Wash affected area with cold > Can cause eye damage or running water immediately blindness > Take a photo of the plant if you suspect poisoning and take it to

the doctor

Caryota Sp. (Fishtail Plams)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

> Leaves have a fishtail shape > Gloves and wrist to ankle cover > Facemask / respirator Allergens: > Safety glasses > The whole plant contains needle- > Do not chip like calcium oxalate crystals which First Aid: if chewed or eaten can produce a burning sensation in the mouth. > If any symptoms present seek > Skin contact can result in burning, medical advice itching and dermatitis. > Use soft brush on the skin to > If dust is inhaled it could cause remove oxalate crystals respiratory discomfort

Brazillian pepper tree (Schinus spp)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Evergreen tree, grows to 15m • Gloves and wrist to ankle cover • Bright pink to red fruits • Facemask / respirator • Leaves smell peppery when • Safety glasses crushed • Avoid contact with sap on bare skin Allergens: First Aid: • Skin contact with sap can result in burning, itching and dermatitis • If any symptoms present seek • If dust is inhaled it could cause medical advice respiratory discomfort • Wash affected area with cold running water and soap

• Avoid direct sunlight on affected area

Fig trees (Ficus spp)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Evergreen tree • Gloves • Large leaves, green on top and • Safety glasses hairy bronze on the bottom • Avoid contact with sap on bare • Milky latex like sap skin Allergens: First Aid:

• Skin contact with sap can result in • If any symptoms present seek burning, itching and dermatitis medical advice • If dust from leaves is inhaled it • Wash affected area with cold could cause respiratory running water and soap discomfort • Avoid direct sunlight on affected area

Box (Buxus sempervirens)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Evergreen shrub, usually used for • Gloves hedges • Safety glasses • Avoid contact with bare skin Allergens: First Aid: • Farm stock, especially cattle are said to have grazed box bushes if • If any symptoms present seek they get into gardens medical advice • Death may occur through • Wash affected area with cold respiratory failure in animals running water and soap • Contact can cause skin rashes and • Avoid direct sunlight on affected the clippings should be handled area with care

Castor Oil Plant (Ricinus communis)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Shrub • Gloves • Glossy palmate leaves • Safety glasses • Dark green to purple leaves • Avoid contact with bare skin Allergens: First Aid:

• The broken mottled seeds are • If any symptoms present seek highly toxic if ingested. medical advice • A severe allergic reaction in • Wash affected area with cold certain individuals following skin running water and soap contact with broken seeds • Avoid direct sunlight on affected • The toxic principle is ricin, a area phytotoxalbumin, plus ricinine, an • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 alkaloid 766 • Symptoms can be immediate or

delayed. They are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea, depression, trembling, weating, convulsions and coma; may be fatal.

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Shrub or tree to 10m • Gloves • Evergreen • Safety glasses • Flowers on long spikes rather than • Do not ingest clusters First Aid: Allergens: • Seek medical advice immediately • P. laurocerasus poisonous parts if ingested are the wilted leaves, twigs • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 (stems) and seeds if ingested due 766 to cyanogenic glycoside, amygdalin • Symptoms are gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma and respiratory failure; may be fatal.

Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)

• They may include loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation or

diarrhoea, bloody faeces, stomach Characteristics: pain, pulmonary congestion, cardiac arrest, rigidity, lack of • Shrub or tree to 10m coordination and general • Evergreen weakness • Flowers on long spikes rather than • Death may take place after about clusters 24 hours. 6 to 8 fruits have been Allergens: reported to cause death in young children • The yellow fruit is poisonous if • The leaves are also toxic and eaten by humans and animals deadly to grazing animals although many birds seem partial to them and are not affected. Mitigation: • Tranortriterpenes have been • Gloves isolated and identified as the main • Safety glasses toxic constituents of the fruit • Do not ingest • The poisonous fruit is toxic to humans and some other First Aid: mammals. Pigs are the most • Seek medical attention susceptible immediately if ingested • In humans, the first symptoms of • Call the poison Centre 0800 764 poisoning appear a few hours 766 after ingestion

8 Five Finger or Whauwhaupaku (Pseudopanax arboreus)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Shrub or small tree to 8m • Gloves • Evergreen • Safety glasses • 5-7 leaflets • Be careful when handling • Purplish black berries in autumn Allergens: First Aid: • Some people may have a skin reaction as it is part of the ivy • If any symptoms present seek family medical advice Wash affected area with cold • Parts of the plant are poisonous if • ingested running water and soap • Avoid direct sunlight on affected area

Ivy (Hedera helix)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Evergreen climbing plant, growing • Gloves to 20–30 m • Safety glasses • Or growing as ground cover • Do not ingest • Wrist to ankle cover Allergens: • Avoid contact with bare skin • All parts are poisonous including First Aid: the berries • The toxic principles are • If any symptoms present seek triterpenoid saponins and medical advice polyacetylene compounds which • Wash affected area with cold when ingested will give the running water and soap following symptoms, burning • Avoid direct sunlight on affected sensation of throat, delirium, area stupor, convulsions, hallucinations, fever, and rash • Severe skin irritation with redness, itching, and blisters following contact with cell sap

Jasmine, Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Evergreen climbing plant • Gloves • Or growing as ground cover • Safety glasses • Do not ingest Allergens: • Wrist to ankle cover • Star Jasmine is a member of the • Avoid contact with bare skin milkweed family First Aid: • The entire plant is considered mildly poisonous and should not • If any symptoms present seek be consumed medical advice • Handling plant may cause skin • Wash affected area with cold irritation or allergic reaction due running water and soap to its milk-like sap • Avoid direct sunlight on affected • Beware this milk will stain clothes area black

Moth Vine or Cruel Vine (Araujia sericifera)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Araujia sericifera is a creeping vine • Gloves that can climb up to 5–7 metres or • Safety glasses growing as ground cover • Do not ingest • The pear-shaped fruits are large • Wrist to ankle cover pods, about 8–10 centimetres • Avoid contact with bare skin

Allergens: First Aid: • This serious weed pest has as a white latex in all parts of the plant • If any symptoms present seek that is poisonous medical advice • Contact with its milky sap causes • Wash affected area with cold skin and eyes irritations, and running water and soap occasionally even severe allergic • Avoid direct sunlight on affected reactions in susceptible people area

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Characteristics: • Poisoning has occurred when using oleander sticks for sausage • A shrub or small tree and marshmallow roasts and • Oleander grows to 2–6 m (6.6– drinking water in which the 19.7 ft) tall, with erect stems that flowers have been placed splay outward Mitigation: Allergens: • Gloves • Oleander is one of the most • Safety glasses dangerous poisonous plants. If • Do not ingest this plant is being burnt the • Wrist to ankle cover smoke is toxic • Avoid contact with bare skin • The whole plant is highly toxic due to the cardiac glycosides oleandrin, neriine, known for their First Aid: powerful effect on the heart • Oleander causes intense • If any symptoms present seek abdominal pain, vomiting, medical advice diarrhoea, drowsiness, dizziness, • Wash affected area with cold visual disturbances, rapid pulse, running water and soap an irregular heartbeat and heart • Avoid direct sunlight on affected malfunction, often causing death area • The sap if in contact with the skin can cause dermatitis, blistering, irritation and soreness

Privet (Ligustrum several species)

• low blood pressure, cold and Characteristics: clammy skin possibly lasting 48 to • A shrub or small tree 72 hours • Purplish black seeds, glossy leaves • The pollen might be irritable for those with allergies and the • Smooth green bark heavy, cloying scent of the Allergens: flowers can cause distress for those who can't tolerate heavy The highly toxic parts of this plant • fragrances are the leaves and the berries and should be handled with care Mitigation: • There are even reports of Gloves fatalities in children who have • consumed the berries • Safety glasses Do not ingest • The toxic principles are the • glycosides: syringin (ligustrin), • Avoid contact with bare skin shikimic acid First Aid: • Symptoms after ingestion are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, • Seek immediate medical attention diarrhoea, headache, weakness, if ingested • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 766 • Antihistamine can relieve symptoms of allergic reaction

Rangiora (Brachyglottis repanda)

Characteristics: body, and could be a potential cause of cancer. Pyrrolizidine • A small, bushy tree or tall alkaloidosis is known as "Winton shrub endemic to New Zealand. Disease" in New Zealand. • It grows to a height of 5 to 7 metres tall Mitigation: Allergens: • Gloves • Safety glasses All parts of this tree are highly • • Do not ingest poisonous • The hepatotoxic substance a pyrrolizidine alkaloid is especially concentrated in the growing tips, First Aid: flowers and the sap • Seek immediate medical attention • Poisoning causes Pyrrolizidine if ingested alkaloidosis and can result in • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 damage to the liver, kidneys, 766 heart, brain, smooth muscles, lungs, DNA, lesions all over the

Silky Oak (Grevillia robusta)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• A medium to large tree. • Gloves • It grows to a height of 5 to 40 • Safety glasses metres tall • Do not ingest • Avoid contact with bare skin Allergens: First Aid: • Contains a chemical called resorcinol which can cause severe • If any symptoms present seek skin irritation on exposure medical advice • Wash affected area with cold

running water and soap • Avoid direct sunlight on affected area

Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• A medium shrub • Gloves • It grows to a height of 5 to 7 • Safety glasses metres tall • Do not ingest • Avoid contact with bare skin Allergens: First Aid: • Contact with sap from stems shoots and leaves can cause • If any symptoms present seek inflammation and irritation to medical advice some people • Wash affected area with cold running water and soap

• Avoid direct sunlight on affected area

Tree Nettle (Urtica ferox)

Characteristics: caused by histamine, acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine • A medium shrub • The Poisonous Plants in New • It grows to a height of 1 to 3 Zealand, mentions a group of metres tall trampers who developed loss of • The leaves and stalks have coordination for three days after numerous white stinging hairs being stung. (trichomes), up to 6mm long Mitigation: Allergens: • Gloves • The tree nettle is one of New • Safety glasses Zealand's most poisonous native • Do not ingest plants. Brushing the plant • Avoid contact with bare skin produces a stinging on the skin of varying intensity First Aid: • These break after piercing the skin, injecting toxins into the • Seek immediate medical attention tissues, giving rise to pain and if ingested rash • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 • Formic acid is present and 766 responsible for the initial pain but • Antihistamine can relieve the longer term effects are symptoms of allergic reaction

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Quick growing tree, growing to a • Gloves height of 15m • Safety glasses • Deciduous tree • Do not ingest • Avoid contact with bare skin Allergens: First Aid: • It is reported all parts of this tree is poisonous as it contains a • If any symptoms present seek quinone irritant, 2,6- medical advice dimethoxybenzoquinone, as well • Wash affected area with cold as active quassinoids running water and soap • Ingestion causes nausea, vomiting • Antihistamine may relive and muscular relaxation symptoms of hay fever and • The odour of the foliage can cause allergic reaction a headache and nausea...rhinitis and conjunctivitis in some individuals • Contact dermatitis can occur and the pollen can cause hay fever

Wax tree or Rhus (Toxicodendron succedaneum)

Characteristics: Mitigation:

• Large shrub or tree, up to 8 m tall • Gloves • It is now officially classified as a • Safety glasses noxious weed in Australia and • Do not ingest New Zealand • Avoid contact with bare skin Allergens: First Aid:

• Highly toxic, allergy-causing tree • If any symptoms present seek • The plant contains the medical advice carcinogenic shikimic acid • Wash affected area with cold (shikimate) which causes severe running water and soap dermatitis beginning with a rash, • Avoid direct sunlight on affected redness, itching and blisters area wherever skin comes into contact • Seek immediate medical attention with the plant or its sap if ingested • The rash is often accompanied by • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 localised swelling of the face, 766 arms and legs • Antihistamine can relieve symptoms of allergic reaction

Woolly Nightshade (Solanum mauritianum)

Characteristics: • Handling the plants can cause irritation and nausea • Small tree or shrub up to 10m • The dust from the plant can cause It is now officially classified as a • respiratory problems if exposure noxious weed in Australia and is prolonged New Zealand Mitigation: Allergens: • Gloves • All parts of the Solanum • Safety glasses mauritianum plant are poisonous • Do not ingest to humans, especially the berries • Human fatalities have resulted First Aid: from the consumption of the berries • Seek immediate medical attention • The main toxic compound is the if ingested alkaloid solasodine, with the • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 highest content in the unripe 766 green berries (2-3.5% dry weight) • Antihistamine can relieve symptoms of allergic reaction

Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

Characteristics:

• Small tree or shrub up to 6m Mitigation: • It is now officially classified as a • Gloves noxious weed in Australia and Safety glasses New Zealand • • Do not ingest Allergens: First Aid: • It is poisonous to humans - touching it, or exposure to dust • Seek medical attention from weed-eating, can irritate skin • Wash affected area with cold and cause blisters and swelling running water and soap • Sap from leaves and stems is • Avoid direct sunlight on affected highly toxic and can cause area ‘photodermatitis’ or • Call the Poison Centre 0800 764 ‘photosensitivity’ (the skin 766 becomes very sensitive to sunlight and may suffer blistering, pigmentation and long-lasting scars) • Contact with the eyes can lead to temporary or permanent blindness