Plants in New Zealand Poisonous to Children This pamphlet applies to all parts broken parts of the plant. The third list is of New Zealand and replaces the of plants with fruits that children may be separate lists for the North and tempted to eat but which are not poisonous and thus need not cause South Islands from 1999. Also concern. available is “Safety in Pre-School Centres”, a list of plants that are Scope of the list not recommended to be grown in pre-school centres. Many potentially poisonous plants are not listed because they are unlikely to be eaten by children, e.g., box (Buxus Introduction sempervirens)and its relations such as the Most books on poisonous plants in New now popular Allegheny spurge Zealand have been designed for farmers (Pachysandra terminalis) used for ground and have concentrated on those which cover. Also many plants in the forget-me- are poisonous to stock. Although the not family (Boraginaceae) which have information in these books may be harsh bristly leaves, and bracken or relevant, it is not always directly rarauhe (Pteridium esculentum), a applicable to people. Plant material that traditional Māori kai/food plant which may be eaten safely by animals and birds requires cooking to make it edible. Also there are other poisonous but tough- Cestrum elegans, cestrum may not necessarily be safe for humans. This checklist was prepared at the leaved membersof the erica or request of childcare workers who wanted rhododenron family that are not guidance on plants which might be mentioned in the list because they are not harmful if eaten by young children. The only unattractive to children but are often lists are not intended to be used for the uncommon, eg. calico bush (Kalmia identification of plants or as a guide for latifolia) and its close relations. Most weediness. In addition to the plants gardens in New Zealand contain listed, a very brief account of poisonous poisonous plants. Many plants in the fungi is included at the end of the list of following well-known families are plants that cause poisoning when taken poisonous or have poisonous parts: internally. (See the Further information daffodil, snowflake and snowdrop section at the end.) (Amaryllidaceae), oleander (Apocynaceae), arums (Araceae), ivy and The following lists contain only those five finger (Araliaceae), swan plant, plants which children may be tempted to (Asclepiadaceae), heathers and eat and touch and which are commonly rhododendrons (Ericaceae), lilies found in and around gardens, parks, and (Liliaceae), poppies (Papaveraceae), other recreation areas. The first list buttercups and clematis (Ranunculaceae), includes plants that cause harm when titoki (Sapindaceae), fox-gloves and eaten. For most species in this list, the snapdragons (Scrophulariaceae), and main thing is to keep young children potatoes and tobacco (Solanaceae). In from eating the fruits or berries when addition, many species in the large they are present on the plant. As a legume or pea family (Fabaceae) and the general rule, children should be rose and apple family (Rosaceae) are discouraged from eating any new plant poisonous to some extent. material unless guided by an adult. The second and much shorter list includes Effects of consumption plants that can cause skin irritation when At some stage of their life cycle many they are touched, and pre-school children cultivated garden plants and weeds have should be supervised when there is a chemical properties that can cause harm likelihood of contact with such plants. to some people. (The season and stage of However, many of these only react with skin when there is contact with sap from Plants in New Zealand Poisonous to Children, Page 1 Landcare Research 2002 growth influence the amount of poisonous Non poisonous plants substances present in plants.) Do not panic if young A list of non-poisonous, and often edible, fruiting children play near such plants. Plants need not be plants follows the list of poisonous species. Most of destroyed just because they have poisonous these are among our most common garden trees and properties. Most of these plants are not tempting shrubs. Some plant families have no members in for children to eat, at least in potentially harmful New Zealand likely to cause poisoning. These safe amounts; or would pass through the digestive families include: iceplant (Aizoaceae), cabbages system without causing problems. Examples of the (Brassicaceae), chickweed (Caryophyllaceae), fat latter are the legumes kōwhai and laburnum whose hen (Chenopodiaceae), stonecrop (Crassulaceae), seeds are extremely hard but would only be toxic if mānuka (Myrtaceae), grasses (Poaceae), and ground up first and swallowed. In New Zealand it coprosma (Rubiaceae). In addition, the families to is inevitable that as children grow up they will be which our common catkin-bearing trees belong are exposed to plants with poisonous properties. To unlikely to produce symptoms of poisoning, keep things in perspective remember that fatalities although the leaves and catkins may taste bitter and are extremely rare and usually a child does not eat eating too many fruits of oaks and beech can cause enough of a poisonous plant to cause serious digestive upsets. These include alders, beeches, illness. birches, sweet chestnuts, oaks, poplars, walnuts, and willows. Not everyone who feels ill after eating leaves, flowers, or berries, has been poisoned; it may be simply a failure to digest them properly that causes Rare poisonous plants the stomach-ache. Many plants which are harmless Some plants that are well known overseas as being or only slightly toxic can cause stomach upsets if very poisonous are not dealt with because they are eaten in large quantities; even some edible but very rare in New Zealand and thus very unlikely to be acidic fruits can have this effect. Sometimes the encountered. As already stated, this is not an cause is fungi growing on fruit and vegetables that identification manual so it was felt that inclusion of have been kept too long, or in the wrong all such plants would make the list unnecessarily conditions. People react in different ways to eating cumbersome. Examples of such excluded plants are: poisonous plants, so some people may be relatively henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), poison ivy unaffected, while some others may become (Toxicodendron radicans) and Chinese lacquer tree seriously ill. (T. vernicifluum). An apparent exception is deadly nightshade (Atropa bella-donna) but this very rare plant in New Zealand is only mentioned in the main Plants with edible and poisonous list because of confusion with the common black properties nightshade. Of course if one goes to a place where Not all poisonous plants taste unpleasant, so bitter there is a large collection of plants such as a botanic taste is not an indicator of the presence of a poison. garden, arboretum or some nurseries, many more It is well known that some plants which are very plants with at least some degree of toxicity in their poisonous when raw can be palatable when tissues must be expected. cooked. Two of the best examples are the traditional Māori kai/food plants, karaka and taro. Taro belongs to the arum family which contains Warning: If you suspect a child has other edible plants that are used elsewhere, ingested parts of a poisonous plant, especially in the Pacific islands, but no member of immediately contact the National the family can be eaten raw. Certain plants that are widely eaten in small amounts because they are Poisons Information Centre Urgent considered to be beneficial to health and well- 24 Hour Phoneline on being, such as comfrey, are unsafe to eat in large 0800 POISON (0800-764766). amounts. Even such well-known plants as potato and rhubarb have notably toxic properties, and all For non-urgent information, call green parts of the potato (including tubers which 03-479 1200. have been exposed to light) are poisonous. Similarly, only the stalk of the rhubarb leaf should If the child is displaying serious be eaten. Be careful not to eat food that has come in contact with any part of a very poisonous plant, symptoms of poisoning, treat as an such as using a poisonous plant as a barbecue stick, emergency and dial 111 for an because this can also be harmful. ambulance. Plants in New Zealand Poisonous to Children, Page 2 Landcare Research 2002 1. Internal Poisons – poisonous if eaten black berries can be twice the size of those of black nightshade. Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia candida). Named for its large pendulous white flowers, this large, Blueberry lily [see tūrutu] well-known shrub is related to the thorn apple. It is a dangerous plant, as all parts are poisonous. A Boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum). The orange-red frost-tender plant mainly found in lowland areas berries are probably poisonous. Note that the green towards the coast. spines on boxthorn are often not noticed until the bushes are touched. Mainly occurs wild along the Apple of Peru (Nicandra physalodes). An annual coast, and in some gardens. plant related to the edible-fruited cape gooseberry, but with bell-shaped blue flowers. Most parts are Broom (Cytisus scoparius). The seeds are likely to be mildly poisonous. poisonous, especially if chewed and crushed before swallowing. The poisons are similar to those in its Apple of Sodom (Solanum linnaeanum). This relation, the laburnum, but broom seems to be less shrub is so prickly that it does not invite close harmful. Spanish broom (Spartium junceum) has attention but its fairly large mottled berry (green larger flowers and is commonly grown in some and white when immature, yellow at maturity) has areas although it has not naturalised extensively like been reported as poisoning children. the common broom. The seeds of the two species are similar and probably have similar poisonous Arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica).