As a point of interest, here are a list of some of the more common plants that are mildly or extremely toxic. It would probably be unwise to eat them raw or at all. Other species in the same family as these plants may also have similar toxic properties
Some of these plants can be ingested after processing. For example, creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) has toxins that can be eliminated by heating or drying. Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) can be eaten once the bitter saponins are removed although even then it is probably wise to consume in moderation or better still use them to make soap. Possibly the young leaves and flower buds of the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) can be eaten raw but the whole plant contains toxic glycosides. Higher quantities are contained in older plants and toxins can be destroyed with heat.
It isn't, therefore, always black and white when considering the edibility of plants. Indeed, there are uses for all plants, even the ones we consider extremely poisonous. For the average bod, simply interested in the edibility of a plant and basic home remedies, it might be best to stick to more safer plants.
Some of these plants can be ingested after processing. For example, creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) has toxins that can be eliminated by heating or drying. Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) can be eaten once the bitter saponins are removed although even then it is probably wise to consume in moderation or better still use them to make soap. Possibly the young leaves and flower buds of the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) can be eaten raw but the whole plant contains toxic glycosides. Higher quantities are contained in older plants and toxins can be destroyed with heat.
It isn't, therefore, always black and white when considering the edibility of plants. Indeed, there are uses for all plants, even the ones we consider extremely poisonous. For the average bod, simply interested in the edibility of a plant and basic home remedies, it might be best to stick to more safer plants.
A selection of common plants which are TOXIC to varying degrees (this is not an
exhaustive list):
WARNING - DO NOT EAT!
A - Anemone (Anemone
species), Azalia (Rhododendron
species)
B - Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus
repens), bluebells (Hyacinthoides
non-scripta), butterfly bush (Buddleia
davidii)
C - Celadine (Chelidonoin
majus), Christmas rose (Helleborus
species), clematis (Clematis
species), crocus (Colchicum
species), cyclamen (Cyclamen
hederifolium)
D - Daffodil (Narcissus
species), deadly nightshade (Atropa
belladonna)
F - Foxglove (Digitalis
species)
G - Globeflower (Trollius
europaeus)
H - Hemlock (Conium
maculatum), henbane (Hyoscyamus
niger), horse chestnut (Aesculus
hippocastanum)
L - Laburnham (Laburnum
anagyroides), larkspur (Delphinium
nuttallianum), lily of the valley
(Convallaria keiskei,
Convallaria majalis), lupin (Lupinus
species)
M - Marsh marigold (Caltha
palustris), monkshood (Aconitum
uncinatum)
P - Pasque flower (Pulsatilla
vulgaris), periwinkle (Vinca
major, Vinca
minor), pheasants Eye (Adonis
vernalis), potato leaves
(Solanum
tuberosum)
R - Rhubarb leaves (Rheum
rhaponticum), rhododendron (Rhododendron
species)
T - Thorn apple (Datura stramonium), tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum), tomato leaves (Solanum lycopersicum), tree mallow (Lavatera arborea)
W - Wild spurge (Euphorbia corollata)
and yew (Taxus baccata).
No comments:
Post a Comment