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The trigger for this article was a letter asking if there was a list of poisonous flowers available. Tombi says that after much research she compiled a list which was too lengthy to print in full so she chose to include only those plants and flowers which have appeared in sugarcraft books over the past few years or were so highly toxic they needed to be on the list. If a bride is looking for ideas in a sugarcraft book [but is wanting fresh flowers] she may think that because they have been done in sugar they are non-toxic, which simply isn’t the case. During her research Tombi spoke to John Quai Hoi, a chef and florist from Australia. He pointed out that flowers grown commercially are habitually sprayed with nasty pesticides to rid them of things which might eat them or kill diseases. These chemicals may also be hazardous to people if in contact with icing. The writer of the original letter asking about poisonous flowers also did some research herself and was told by a florist that although you would think that roses were safer than other fresh flowers, lilac roses attract bugs like a magnet. To counteract this problem the growers spray the roses very liberally with insecticide. This is why lilac roses are softer than other colours. Here is the list of flowers: Amarylis, Angels’Trumpet, Anthurium Flamingo Lily, Arum Lilies, Calla Lilies [lords and ladies], Autumn Crocus, Azaleas, Bird of Paradise, Bittersweet, Black-eyed Susan, Bleeding Heart, Bluebell, Burning Bush, Buttercup, Caladium, Chincherinchee, Christmas Rose, Christmas Cherry, Chrysanthemum, Clivia, Cobra Lily, Common vetch, Corncockle, Corn Poppy, Crocus, Daffodil, Jonquil, Daphne, Delphinium, Dragon Arum, Flame Lily, Fly honeysuckle, Foxglove, Goldenchain tree, Guelder-rose, Golden Trumpet, Hardy Passionflower, Holly Berry, Horse Chestnut, Hoya, Hyancinth, Hydrangea, Iceland Poppy, Iris, Ivy, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Larkspur, Lenten Rose, Leopard Lily, Lily-of-the-valley, Lily family, Lobelia, Lupins, Marsh Marigold, Mistletoe, Monkshood, Morning Glory, Narcissus, Night Blooming Jasmine, Oak, Oleander, Opium Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Peace Lily, Peruvian Lily, Philodendron, Primula, Rue, Snowdrop, Scarlet Pimpernel, Star of Bethlehem, St.Johns Wort, Hypericum, Sweet Pea, Sun Flower, Tobacco Plant, Tulip, Virginia Creeper, Weeping Fig, Wisteria. LOW TOXICITY: African violet, Busy Lizzie, Chinese Lantern, Clematis, Fuchsia, Grape Hyacinth, Honesty, Mahonia, Poinsettia. Tombi’s conclusion is fresh flowers are more trouble than they are worth. Do we really want fresh flowers on cakes? The answer is a firm NO
Flowers list in alphabetical order using their common names. I have placed an asterisk next to some of the more highly toxic plants.
Not all parts of these plants are necessarily poisonous, but as we are talking about putting them on food I have erred on the side of caution. I was interested to see that apple seeds are considered poisonous, and in the Canadian list Chives were listed as being poisonous.!
Low Toxicity
Article
written by Tombi Peck |