Pender Gardener

Enjoy Evergreens Safely, Indoors and Out!

Christmas is a wonderful time for anyone who enjoys decorating and a traditional time to bring fresh cut evergreens indoors for natural decorations. Fortunately there are many landscape plants commonly used in our area that make great cut greenery for arrangements and decorations, though there a few that should be approached with caution. Continue reading to find out which plants you can enjoy and which you should avoid as you deck the halls this holiday season!

Beautiful Greenery

Common evergreens that have attractive foliage useful for natural arrangements include southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) with its beautiful large dark green leaves backed in brown velvet, Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla var. japonica) whose small, neatly ordered dark green leaves make a nice contrast to larger foliage, and cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera) whose very dark, shiny leaves often take on burgundy or purplish hues in winter. If you’re seeking to add more color to your greens, try the boldly gold splashed foliage of Japanese aucuba (Aucuba japonica), a shade loving shrub that can lighten a dark spot indoors and out, or variegated pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘Variegata’) with its frosted green leaves generously edged in creamy white. Liven up greenery arrangements with fragrance by adding springs of rosemary (Rosmarinus officianalis), a very tough drought tolerant and deer resistant shrub for our area, or the tiny blossoms of tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans), whose diminutive though powerfully fragrant white flowers can be found hiding among this large shrubs evergreen foliage from fall through spring. It should be noted that both aucuba and boxwood are reported to cause mild toxicity in the form of nausea and vomiting if eaten in large quantities, which generally should not be a problem in most homes if you get Christmas dinner ready on time.

Dangerous Vegetation

One plant that should definitely be avoided though is oleander (Nerium oleander), a large evergreen shrub often planted in coastal areas because of its high salt and drought tolerance. Oleander is well known for its highly toxic nature, having caused death in animals who have eaten its fresh or dried leaves, and in humans who have used its stem to roast marshmallows or cook hot dogs over a campfire. It was even the poison of choice used by a deranged woman to kill her ex-lover in the novel, White Oleander. All parts of the plant are poisonous if eaten, and most will exude a thick, white sap when cut. This sap can cause serious skin irritations, including second-degree burns, in people who are particularly sensitive to it. A few other plants commonly encountered in home landscapes that can be highly toxic if eaten include winter daphne (Daphne odora), Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana), especially the wilted leaves that produce cyanide when ingested, and azaleas.

Caution with Berries

Plants with berries are another group to be approached with caution. The berries of all hollies, including our native yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) and American holly (Ilex opaca) are reported to cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea if eaten in large quantities. Holly berries in the home should not cause problems unless there are small children running around who may not know any better than to munch on them. Nandina is another shrub whose berries are often used in Christmas decorations, and for good reason as it produces gorgeous trusses of brilliantly red berries each winter. Nandina has never been reported as causing poisoning in humans but has caused problems for curious cats that have eaten the brightly colored berries, so you may want to avoid it if you have a feline in the house with a particularly inquisitive disposition. Another plant whose berries are often associated with the holidays is mistletoe. There are several different similar looking plants found around the world that go by the name mistletoe, but in our area the mistletoe that can be seen growing on tree limbs that have dropped their leaves for winter is known as American or oak mistletoe (Phoradendron leucocarpum). Its leave and berries are reported to be toxic if eaten in quantity, so a small spring hanging high above the heads of curious children and pets should cause little harm, but what about the tree on which the mistletoe is growing? Mistletoe is classified as a semi-parasite, gaining some of the nutrients and moisture it needs to survive from its host plant. In healthy, vigorously growing trees, mistletoe usually causes little damage, but it can be a serious drain on older, slower growing trees and trees under stress from drought or pest problems. If you have an older or slower growing tree that is infested with mistletoe, contact a certified arborist to find out what can be done to protect the tree’s long-term health.  

Learn More!

To find out more about which plants could be poisonous to people or animals, visit the following websites: Poisonous Plants of NC (lists plants known to be poisonous to people), http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm, and Plants Poisonous to Livestock and Pets in NC, http://harvest.cals.ncsu.edu/applications/plant_biology/poisonous/, or contact Pender County Cooperative Extension by calling 259-1235 during regular business hours. If you suspect a person or animal of having eaten or come in contact with a poisonous plant seek medical attention immediately. Have any plant properly identified before eating it. For help with plant identification contact your local Cooperative Extension office.

Charlotte Glen is a Horticulture Agent with Pender County Cooperative Extension of

NC State University, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. She can be reached via e-mail at Charlotte_Glen@ncsu.edu