Toxic plants - risks and liability? - Forum

Hi, I am very new to this - not gardening, just being paid for it. Did my first job on Monday in fact!Anyway, I was asked to do some weeding and planting and there were several foxgloves in situ. It is a small bed on 90s gated community with children next door that play in the front communal area. There is no fencing and the client's patch adjoins the neighbours. My concern was about liability - if I am her gardener and next doors children get poisoned, who is liable - the householder or the gardener (or the child/parent)?I had to be very tactful as it was a first job and didn't want to put the woman off me but it would be useful to know, also exactly how toxic are foxgloves because everyone tells me something different.

The principle active component in foxgloves is digitalis, which, although it has theraputic uses, is also highly poisonous both to humans and animals. The LD50 - lethal dose for 50% of those that ingest - is very close to the ED50 - effective dose. The young leaves at the top of the plant have the highest concentration, and are therefore the most poisonous, but any part of the plant can kill if directly ingested or indirectly ingested by consuming, for example, the water that cut stems have stood in. The exact lethal dose varies depending on the ingestee, but those on medication such as beta blockers, are more susceptable. Anecdotal evidence suggests very few deaths have occurred, and those have been by ingestion of a leaf infusion - probably made by an ill-informed herbalist. As the plant is apparently very bitter to taste (who found that out, I wonder?) that probably stops more deaths. Foxgloves can also give some people a skin rash when handled.

All that said, from laburnam to euphorbia, there's a load of poisonous stuff in most peoples gardens that they're probablly not aware of, and they rarely cause anyone any harm. It is worth being aware of what is poisonous, and making clients aware of anything really risky, but the best advice I think is, unless you know with absolute certainty what it is, don't have it for lunch.

I speak as one who only last week was given an apple to eat from my own garden that turned out to be a chaenomeles fruit. It fooled my partner and as I have 3 apple trees I had no reason to doubt that it was indeed a lovingly freshly-picked apple - until I bit it. As it is a quince, it is edible, if cooked. Bitter as hell if it's raw...

Replies

Susan September 29, 2010 at 8:35pm

So it was just Wikipedia scaremongering then. I thought if they touched them and then put their finger in their mouth they could get poisoned!

Thanks it's good to know the facts.

Should I keep them away from my compost for growing veg with?
Andrew Whelan September 29, 2010 at 11:19pm

The HTA and Association of Professional Landscapers produce a poisonous plants list - check www.the-hta.org.uk
AndyCharles-EnborneGardeningCo October 1, 2010 at 2:27am

The principle active component in foxgloves is digitalis, which, although it has theraputic uses, is also highly poisonous both to humans and animals. The LD50 - lethal dose for 50% of those that ingest - is very close to the ED50 - effective dose. The young leaves at the top of the plant have the highest concentration, and are therefore the most poisonous, but any part of the plant can kill if directly ingested or indirectly ingested by consuming, for example, the water that cut stems have stood in. The exact lethal dose varies depending on the ingestee, but those on medication such as beta blockers, are more susceptable. Anecdotal evidence suggests very few deaths have occurred, and those have been by ingestion of a leaf infusion - probably made by an ill-informed herbalist. As the plant is apparently very bitter to taste (who found that out, I wonder?) that probably stops more deaths. Foxgloves can also give some people a skin rash when handled.

All that said, from laburnam to euphorbia, there's a load of poisonous stuff in most peoples gardens that they're probablly not aware of, and they rarely cause anyone any harm. It is worth being aware of what is poisonous, and making clients aware of anything really risky, but the best advice I think is, unless you know with absolute certainty what it is, don't have it for lunch.

I speak as one who only last week was given an apple to eat from my own garden that turned out to be a chaenomeles fruit. It fooled my partner and as I have 3 apple trees I had no reason to doubt that it was indeed a lovingly freshly-picked apple - until I bit it. As it is a quince, it is edible, if cooked. Bitter as hell if it's raw...
PRO

Phil Voice October 2, 2010 at 12:01pm

Hi Susan

Welcome to LJN and great news on your first job.

You've raised an very important and interesting question about liability - I've never cosidered this before.

I've added this to the weekly newsletter.

Kind regards

Phil