Plant list from landscaper include 2 poisonous. DO or DON'T?

As you can tell, I'm new to gardening - love it - but I don't know a lot about it yet. We're doing a full backyard landscape job and most of the front yard. The plant list is huge, I'll include it below, but two plants are listed here as poisonous if ingested and one is dangerous: may cause allergic reaction or skin irritation if handled. I have three kids, all under 7, and while they would never put a leaf in their mouth, (not sure about kids-of-friends though) they certainly love to make mud pies and "soups" and things that kids do with leaves and twigs and flowers and stuff. Plus we have two cats, one of which roams the backyard.

So the question is do we nix the poisonous/dangerous plants? They are really cool! Any ideas what they could be replaced with? And yes, I'll let my landscapers do the work if you all think we should nix them, but I've seen such great ideas here I thought I'd ask!

The poisonous plants are:
Cocculus Laurifolius
Cestrum Fasciculatum

The dangerous (possible skin irritant/allergic reaction) plant is:
Viburnum Rhytidophyllum

The entire plant list (we live exactly between San Francisco and San Jose in Menlo Park, between the bay and the ocean - I don't know what zone, Sunset 15, USDA ? - 10a maybe?):
Achillea 'Moonshine'
Ajuga Reptans 'Catlins Giant'
Aster Frikartii 'Monch'
Azara Dentata
Brunnera Macrophylla
Cercis Canadensis 'Forest Pansy' NLB
Cestrum Fasciculatum
Citrus Kumquat
Clerodendrum Myricoides 'Ugandense'
Cocculus Laurifolius
Crocosmia 'Walberton Yellow'
Cuphea Ignea
Digitalis Purpurea
Echinacea Purpurea
Fuchsia Thymifolia
Helleborus Royal Heritage Strain
Hemerocallis Evergreen Yellow
Hydrangea Quercifolia
Iris 'Pallida Variegata'
Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'
Nephrolepis Cordifolia
Omphalodes
Pittosporum Undulatum
Rosa 'Iceberg' Std.
Salvia Blepharophylla
Salvia Buchananii
Salvia Uliginosa
Sarcococca Ruscifolia
Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Sedum 'Vera Jameson'
Styrax Japonicus NLB
Viburnum Davidii
Viburnum Rhytidophyllum
Woodwardia Fimbriata

And I'm all ears to any comments you have to make on ANY of these plants/flowers/shrubs/trees!

Many thanks - HMP

My guess is the cats would leave the plants alone. As far as the kids, if they were to eat the poisonous ones or play with the irritating ones you could have problems. So it's really a question of whether you could put the plants in an out of the way place where they wouldn't be very likely to play with them, or could trust that if you tell them there are only certain plants in the yard that they're allowed to play with that they'd listen to you

Hi, I just started my first flower beds this fall and have planted about 40 varieties of plants this year. I have three kids under the age of four and I can understand your concern. When I first started, I made a list of all my plants and tried to look up the toxicity of them and soon found myself overwhelmed. I would say at least 30 of the 40 I have have some part or another that are poisonous. My approach now is to integrate plant knowledge and respect with my children's education. It's probably best that way because we spend a lot of time in the mountains camping and this way I won't have to worry about them eating plants there or at a friends house either. I never new there were so many toxic plants! However, if it's going to make you nervous, I would just nix it. There are so many beautiful trees and shrubs out there. I'm sure you could find something similar you would like.

As far as plants with irritants go, that apparently is somewhat individualized. I have a trumpet vine, also called cow itch vine, and apparently it can cause a lot of people to break out in a rash and itch. My husband and I planted the thing and frequently prune it and haven't had any problems with it.

I looked up a few of your plants and they were going to get rather large. Make sure you know how big they will mature to and you're comfortable with that size. I have 3 Viburnum Trilobum that were planted across my front porch by a previous owners landscaper. They are supposed to get about 10feet wide and perhaps taller. They are already over 6feet and they are starting to outgrow their space. They are beautiful shrubs, but I wish they had planted them in a better location.

Hello Dorothy here
Your kids are still small and likely won't pay as much attention as they might as they age (some parents of teens are laughing I bet) --but with regards to things poisonous, older kids are more trustworthy I think. So, it is a personal decision, but I would not plant when the children are small. Agree that the pets probably won't touch. You may want to check out all your plants. Unless, I am mistaken, Digitalis is toxic. So be sure to look up all your plants - also if you have engaged a landscaper - you ought to have the landscaper design with the kids/pets in mind.

HMP~ I want to encourage you to please not plant digitalis until your kids are much older. I agree with Dorothy, kids are not reliable nor dependable in avoiding poisonous plants even if you have a picket fence with a gate around your poisonous shrubs. Having had the experience of a fire truck, a rescue truck and an ambulance to respond to my girly pumpkin playing and ending up with an accidental ingestion of digitalis resulting in elevated blood levels, stomach pumping and an overnight stay in PICU ( a few years ago)... I would save those beauties for the landscape when they're much older!!! My little red cent, from a fellow gardener with pumpkins a little bit older, who want to obey, but are still children with childish intentions and sensibilities!!! ;0)

I think Helleborus is also poisonous.

Hi and I forgot to mention that the hydrangea are also considered toxic and can cause cardiac complications like dig. So, long story short - you can't keep up with all this and you shouldn't have to bear the brunt of the investigation --if you have a landscaper, ask for help in planning a kid-safe + pet safe garden. This way you will still have a wonderful space and you won't have to worry.

I suppose you could plant vegetables, but then there are toxic parts to those as well. green parts of the potato for example. As most parents have trouble getting kids to eat their vegetables anyway, I doubt you would have much problem. Shrubs and trees are not immune either. Not to mention the dirt. And did i forget to mention their lead-painted toys? sorry. lol!

Digitalis Purpurea
Helleborus Royal Heritage Strain
Hydrangea Quercifolia
Iris 'Pallida Variegata'

All of the above are on one or more of the list of poisonous plants as issued by Cornell University, Purdue University, University of Illinois, and the ASPCA. You can search their lists and others like them online.

To be honest, many, many landscaping plants and trees (including oaks, lillies, buttercups, cherry trees, elderberry, lupine, lantana and daffodils) are poisonous to some degree. Many times it is simply a matter of ingesting certain parts (like the roots) or ingesting a large volume of the poisonous part before toxicity is reached.

Some plants, like Oleander, are SO poisonous that a single leaf can kill an adult human. So my advice would be to investigate just HOW poisonous the plant is, WHAT PART of the plant is actually poisonous, and HOW MUCH of the plant has to be ingested before toxicity is reached. Otherwise, you won't have a lot of choices when it comes to bulbs and flowers.

Edited to add: I did not find Viburnum on any of the poisonous lists I searched,.....doesn't mean its not poisonous, just means it wasn't on those lists I mentioned above.


This message was edited Oct 19, 2007 8:57 AM

This message was edited Oct 19, 2007 8:58 AM

WOW - thanks everyone. I'm overwhelmed and awed and now really, really nervous! The whole reason for the landscaping overhaul was to make a kid-friendly yard which the landscapers knew. So I'll call them up...again and delve into this. Many, many thanks!!

:) HMP

The only one I really avoid (which is a bummer here in Florida) is Oleander. As stated above, on leaf can kill an adult. If you use the sticks to roast marshmallows, the same....if you use the wood on the fire, the smoke is toxic....so to me, it's simply one to avoid in my landscaping with little fingers around.
Most plants in the landscape are toxic to some degree.

I have to agree with the folks who stress that most plants are either toxic in parts or irritant in parts to others and dont trouble some folks, while some are dangerous to everyone if taken /digested, I am now onto my second generation of gardening with grand kids and can honestly say, never had a problem, my own kids and now grand kids have worked outdoors with me from early age along with friends, and were supervised in the garden all times till older, were taught to wash hands before handeling food as were tought you dont touch plants that you dont know what they are, I know this sounds easy, but it becomes second nature to them, kids would never have the pleasure of climbing trees if they were told you cant touch any trees INCASE they are toxic, would never learn different touch senses etc plus many other sensitive feelings either, we have to be careful with kids in the garden, but we also have to learn not to be neurotic either, there are some herbs/spices we eat daily that have parts that are toxic to humans/animals etc, but we just learn not to eat pods/ fruit/leaf etc, so just be as careful as you possibly can without turning yourself into a nervous wreck, your garden is supposed to be a safe haven for you and your family, not a list of toxic disasters waiting to happen and 99%5 times there is no more danger from the plants than there is from the toys they play with. hope everything people has told you gives you some assurances and you relax and enjoy your new garden. best wishes. WeeNel.