Some beautiful plants should be handled with care
The colorful succulent Sticks on Fire, also known as Fire Sticks or Pencil Cactus, is one of the most popular — and toxic — plants seen lately across San Diego County, including in public spaces. Broken stems emit a toxic, milky sap that can require emergency medical care if it gets in your eyes or on your skin.(Valorie Shatynski, UCCE San Diego County Master Gardener)
DR. CHRIS MCDONALD AND FRANCIE MURPHY
(This article originally appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune - Nov 20, 2020)
As gardeners in San Diego move to replace their thirsty lawns and water-loving plants, they may unknowingly turn to harmful replacements. Some of the most common shrubs, succulents and even a few vegetables can be harmful if not handled carefully. There are steps you can take to protect you and your loved ones.
The San Diego office of the University of California Cooperative Extension recently partnered with the county of San Diego to create a website where the public can identify many popular drought-tolerant plants that are also toxic or can cause injury.
Oftentimes drought-tolerant plants, which are naturally found in arid regions, have protections that detract a potential herbivore from eating them to help the plant preserve precious water. These protections might be physical, like spines, or chemical, such as toxic sap. These plants can be safely placed in your garden by taking a few protective measures such as planting them where they cannot be easily touched, and when working with the plants wearing gloves and long sleeves, using eye protection, and supervising children and animals playing nearby.
One of the most popular and toxic plants showing up in landscapes throughout San Diego County is Sticks on Fire, also known as Fire Sticks or Pencil Cactus; the botanical name is Euphorbia tirucalli. Its dramatic red and green stems have led to legions of fans who use the harmless looking succulent as a drought-tolerant staple. Many public spaces and even playgrounds are ringed with this attractive plant that can land you or your pet in the emergency room.
Trimming this plant increases your chance of being injured — stems break off easily and exude a toxic, milky sap that can get into your eyes or on your skin. People who have gotten sap in their eyes have needed emergency medical care to rinse out the burning sap and prevent further injury. San Diego County Master Gardeners recently worked with the University of California Cooperative Extension to create a short video showing the right and wrong ways to work with Fire Sticks. The video is here.
It’s a good idea to learn the common and scientific names of the plants in your garden just in case a family member or visitor is accidentally injured. Being able to identify the offending plant will help first responders render treatment more quickly and efficiently. Wondering if you have any toxic plants in your yard? Here are some of the most common:
All milkweeds are toxic to some degree, including narrow-leaf milkweed, which is native to San Diego, and non-native tropical milkweed shown here.(Getty Images)
Milkweed
The only food of Monarch butterfly caterpillars are milkweeds, including native and tropical varieties. The beautiful flowering plants have a milky sap that is toxic to skin and eyes. All parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. Protection is needed when planting or pruning.
Nightshades such as chiles, tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes provide plenty of food, but don’t eat any of the leaves or stems.(Getty Images)
Nightshade family
This popular family of plants includes chiles, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, jalapenos and bell peppers. It’s enough to fill a good-sized raised bed, but don’t eat the leaves or stems. Some nightshades are used as decorative plants in the garden, too. Some species also have little spines and irritating hairs so supervise pets and children playing nearby.
The elegant Sago palm has sharp-tipped leaves and is toxic to people and animals.(Getty Images)
Sago palm
The tips of its leaves are surprisingly sharp and this stately plant is very toxic to humans and animals. The fruits and seeds produced by the female plant are also poisonous.
Many leaves on agave plants have toxic sap.(Getty Images)
Agave
A ubiquitous plant on slopes, many leaves contain toxic sap, and different varieties have very sharp spines. It’s also important to know how large the mature plant will become. Do not plant it close to walkways.
The spines of the prickly pear can be very challenging for gardeners — wear two pairs of gloves or ones made for working with cactus.(Getty Images)
Prickly pear
The large spines can often be avoided; it’s the tiny spines or glochids you don’t want to brush up against. Wear two pairs of gloves when working with this plant or heavy duty cactus gloves. Some varieties can also grow up to 30 feet tall
The vivid bougainvillea spreads quickly and often needs pruning, and its large thorns call for gauntlet gloves, a long-sleeve shirt and even a face shield.(Getty Images)
Bougainvillea
No doubt it’s painful when poked by this vine’s large thorns. A coating on the thorns’ surface also can cause skin irritation. This quickly spreading plant often needs pruning, so wear gauntlet gloves that cover your arms and a long-sleeve shirt made from heavy fabric, along with long pants. A face shield is also recommended: Long, wispy branches can accidentally whip your face.
The iconic Bird Of Paradise draws attention, but if eaten, it will lead to nausea and vomiting.(Getty Images)
Bird of Paradise
Admired for its colorful flowers, every part of this plant contains a substance that, if ingested, causes gastrointestinal irritation, nausea and vomiting. Plant away from walkways and areas that attract children and pets.
There’s much more information on the Plant Safely website, including a list of over 70 common landscape plants that can pose a threat if not handled with care or planted in a safe location. The fall season in San Diego is the perfect time to plant new things in the garden. Before heading to the nursery, however, consult this list. And then share it with family and friends.
McDonald is a UCCE Natural Resources Advisor, and Murphy is a UCCE San Diego County Master Gardener. Get free gardening advice on the Master Gardener Hotline, (858) 822-6910, or by email at help@mastergardenersd.org. Due to COVID-19, the Master Gardener Hotline staff members are working remotely to ensure they respond to your questions in a timely manner.