Holiday Plant Safety 101

Flowers and plants add beauty to any holiday, and make great holiday gifts. Although, if your family includes pets, you may want to learn which plants are safe.

Here is a list of plants to avoid:

•Holly (Ilex sp.). This plant, commonly found around Christmas time, can cause intense vomiting and diarrhea. Mental depression can also occur.

•Amaryllis (Amaryllis spp). Ingestion can result in vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lack of appetite, tremors, drooling and abdominal pain.

•Mistletoe (Phoradendron spp.). This plant, another Christmas plant, can also cause significant vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, this plant has been associated with difficulty breathing, slowed heart rate, collapse and, if a lot is ingested, death has occurred. Some animals may even show erratic behavior and possible hallucinations.

•Poinsettia (Euphorbia). This plant can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach and sometimes vomiting. It has a low level of toxicity and is overrated as a toxic plant. Many people consider it basically non-toxic.

•Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, Easter cactus (Schlumbergera or Zygocactus). In dogs, if large quantities of this plant are ingested, vomiting, possibly with blood, diarrhea, possibly with blood and mental depression have been reported. With small ingestions, typically there are no signs of toxicity. These plants are considered low toxicity plants.


Some less common toxic winter holiday plants include:

•American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens). Ingestion results in weakness, vomiting and seizures.

•European bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara). Ingestion results in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lack of appetite, weakness, confusion and low heart rate.

•Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium). Ingestion results in vomiting, diarrhea, depression, drooling and lack of appetite.

•Christmas rose (Helleborus niger). Ingestion results in abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and delirium.

•Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicuni). Ingestion results in vomiting, diarrhea, mouth ulcers, seizures, mental depression, respiratory depression, shock and death.

•Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale). Ingestion of the bulbs results in mouth irritation, blooding vomiting, diarrhea, shock, kidney failure, liver damage and bone marrow suppression.

•Thanksgiving cactus (Zygocactus truncactus). Ingestion results in vomiting, diarrhea and depression. Cats also can develop staggering.

•Christams palm (Veitchia merrillii). This plant is considered nontoxic.

•Christmas orchid (Cattleya trianaei). This plant is considered nontoxic.

•Christmas dagger fern (Polystichym spp). This plant is considered nontoxic.

•Mistletoes cactus (Thipsalis cassutha). This plant is considered nontoxic.

•Burning bush (Euronymous alatus). Ingestion can result in vomiting, diarrhea, depression and lack of appetite.


Remember that ingesting bulb plants often cause the most severe illnesses.

Plant a Dog-Safe Garden

Plants and flowers are nature's attention getters. Their fragrance, appearance, and cool shade they create are natural attractants for you and your pet. Curiosity often leads pets to consume the flowers and foliage of ornamental plants, which can produce irritating and sometimes life threatening side effects.

When planning your garden, select plants that are non-toxic if touched or consumed.

Plants for a Sunny Location

If the location of your garden gives you 4 or more hours of direct sunlight a day, you have a long list of annuals and perennials from which to choose. Safe choices for sunny locations include:

Annuals
Zinnia (Zinnia sp.)
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum sp.)
Cosmos (Cosmos sp.)
Calendula (Callendula sp.)
Petunia (Petunia sp.)

Perennial
Bee Balm (Monarda sp.)
Phlox (Phlox sp.)
Roses (Rose sp.)
Catmint/catnip (Nepeta sp.)
Coneflowers (Echinacea purpura)

Plants for Partial Sun

If your garden receives less than 4 hours of direct sunlight a day, the following list of non-toxic annuals and perennials requires less sunlight.

Annuals
Primrose(Primula sp.)
Butterfly flower(Schianthus sp.)
Spider flower (Cleome sp.)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum sp.)

Perennials
Columbine(Aquilegia sp.)
Coral Bells (Heuchera sp.)
Turf Lilly (Liriope sp.)
Goat's Beard (Aruncus dioicus)

Shade Gardens

A shade garden receives little to no direct sunlight, although the sun may filter through the trees for dappled light. Plant selection for these areas may include the following:

Annuals
Begonia (Begonia sp.)
Impatiens (Impatiens sp.)
New Guinea Impatiens
Violet (Viola sp.)
Coleus (Coleus sp.)

Perennials
Hosta (Hosta sp.)
Bugbane (Cimifuga racemosa)
Yellow Corydalis (Corydalis lutea)
Astilbe (Astilbe sp.)
Queen of the Meadow (Filipendula ulmaria)

The 10 Least Wanted

The following is a list of plants that is best to avoid altogether due to their toxic nature. It is not a comprehensive list, if you are considering any plant of which you are unsure; consult your local plant nursery.

Castor bean (Ricinus communis)
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
Morning Glory (Ipomea sp.)
Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata)
Jerusalem Cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Precatory Beans (Arbus precatorius)
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)

Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?

Have you ever seen your dog eat grass and wonder, "What is he doing"? After all, dogs are carnivores (primarily meat eaters), right?

I found an article on petplace.com which enlightens us about this strange behavior.

"We are not sure why your dogs like grass, although there have been many theories offered. Primarily, dogs are descended from wild canids (wolves and foxes), which ate the entire "kill" when they hunted for food. Since they consumed many herbivores (plant-eating animals), they wound up eating a lot of plants and even berries found in the stomach and intestines of their prey.

Interestingly, carnivores tend to go for the stomach and its contents first, so it's likely that dogs may eat grass because they like it and it was once part of their normal diet.

Then there is the great mystery: Do dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit? Or do they vomit because they eat the grass? Most veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass simply because they like it, and vomiting just naturally follows. When dogs eat grass, the grass acts as an irritant and causes vomiting. However, they may not be smart enough to use grass as a medicine when they have an upset stomach.

Some veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass because their prepared diets are lacking in greens and so they eat grass. And as some support of this contention, dogs sometimes seek out a particular variety of grass to nibble.

No matter what the reason, your dog's "grass" habit is normal behavior and you need not be concerned about it. A note of caution, however: Take care that your pet does not eat grass that has been treated with fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides. This could cause stomach upset or even worse problems for your dog."