Shop Online

The Plant Safety Page

About Mid City Our Location Questions or Comments Subscribe Me Plant Safety Search Site Store Hours: Mon. - Sat. 8 am - 5 pm Closed Sundays
		This page has been created to increase awareness of general plant safety. The information contained on this page comes from the brochure "Know Your Plants -- Safe or Poisonous?" which was developed by Elise Stone, California Poison Control System and Ann King, University of California Cooperative Extension. What you will Find on this Page: Did You Know? Mushrooms Preventing Poisoning Exposures Pesticides Phone Number of Poison Control Where to View Lists of Toxic and Safe Plants Did you know? Each year over 100,000 people in the United States call Poison Control Centers regarding plant and mushroom exposures. Young children, and sometimes pets, will often chew and eat anything within reach no matter how it tastes. There is no easy "test" for knowing poisonous plants from those which are safe to eat. Teas and home made medicines made from plants can be poisonous. Some plants have substances which are very irritating to the skin, mouth, and tongue. Immediate burning pain is common, and sometimes stomach upset, mouth and tongue swelling or breathing problems may occur. Heating and cooking do not necessarily destroy a plant's or mushroom's toxic parts. Some plants may cause a skin rash. Sometimes the rash occurs only after being in sunlight or gets worse with sunlight. Some plants may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Eating a small amount of a plant may not be a problem, but large or repeated doses may be harmful. Animals and birds eat plants that may be unsafe for humans. Mushrooms Eating any mushrooms collected outdoors should be considered dangerous. Call the Poison Control Center even if you only think that someone has eaten one. Even after a serious poisoning, symptoms may not appear until many hours later. Do not wait until symptoms appear. Symptoms of severe mushroom poisoning can include intense vomiting and diarrhea and can lead to liver failure and death. Eating mushrooms collected outdoors can be very risky, because many poisonous mushrooms look and taste like ones that are safe to eat. There is no easy way to tell the difference between safe and unsafe mushrooms. Teach children never to touch or taste outdoor mushrooms. Preventing Poisoning Exposures If you have small children or curious pets, consider removing toxic plants from your garden and house. Before buying a plant, have the store tell you the name of the plant and label it with both the common and botanical name. Show grandparents and baby sitters where the plant label is. It is very hard for Poison Specialists to identify plants from a description given on the phone. Know the names of your plants before a poisoning happens. House plants should be placed out of the reach of the very young. Store labeled bulbs and seeds safely away from children and pets. Avoid confusing bulbs with onions you can eat. Use protective gloves and clothing when handling plants that may be irritating to the skin. Wash clothes afterwards. Do not eat plants or mushrooms collected outdoors, unless you are certain that they are safe. Teach children not to put any part of a plant in the mouth. This means leaves, stems, bark, seeds, nuts, berries and bulbs. Do not allow children to suck nectar from flowers or make "tea" from the leaves. Never chew, or let children chew, on jewelry made from seeds or beans. Throw away plant leaves and flowers in a safe way so that children and pets cannot get to them. Smoke from fires made of twigs and other parts of poisonous plants, including poison oak, can irritate or harm the eyes, throat and other parts of the body. As a general rule, plants toxic to humans are also toxic to pets. Pesticides Carefully read and follow directions on the label. If you suspect a poisoning, immediately call the Poison Control Center. For information on the safe use of pesticides, contact the University of California Cooperative Extension office or the Agricultural Commissioner in your county. Phone Number to Call for First Aid for exposures California Only - 1-800-876-4766 (1-800-8-POISON) For Poison Control Numbers in other states, visit the link below. Where You Can View Lists of Safe and Toxic Plants as well as other Information The California Poison Control System Web Site This site contains important safety information about your home, first aid, plants, animals, and more. It is an excellent web site. It also contains a list of safe and toxic plants as well as a way to order the brochure "Know Your Plants".

Mid City Nursery, Inc
3635 Broadway
Napa-Vallejo Highway
American Canyon, CA 94503
(707) 642-4167