HOW POISONOUS IS DAPHNE?

How poisonous is Daphne?

Daphne has always been considered a plant for the connasseur, and I guess there is some merit for that. However they tend to be overlooked as ornamental plants for the following reasons. They flower outside of the times most frequented by garden centre visitors They tend to look small and weak in the pot and they are comparatively expensive compared to other  similar plants on the display beds. All this means that you generally need to know what you are buying before hand.

So assuming you have purchased a Daphne for your garden or have correctly identified an existing specimen, you may be wondering how poisonous is Daphne? Hopefully your are asking this question out of general curiosity but if a pet of a child has accidentally eaten part of this plant what is the risk and what should you do?

All parts of Daphne species are poisonous however the berries are especially so. Luckily the fruits are particularly bitter and as such act as a deterrent to eating any in significant numbers. Depending on the species toxins can be variable, however they will contain daphnin, a glycoside which combines glucose with daphnetin. Some species within the genus are also known to contain the toxin mezerein. If digested symptoms can include include gastroenteritis, diarrhoea as well as burning sensations and lesions in the mouth and upper digestive tract. In severe cases, damage to the kidneys, irregular heart rhythm, and coma can occur.  Be aware that prolonged chewing on the flowers, foliage, bark, or red berries can be fatal.

With pets or farm animals symptoms such as drooling, vomiting, bloody diarrhea could point to the ingestion of Daphne.

Main image credit - Miya GFDL, cc-by-sa-2.5, cc-by-sa-2.1-jp

For related articles click onto the following links:
HOW TO GROW DAPHNE BHOLUA 'Jacqueline Postill'

WHAT IS THE MOST FRAGRANT DAPHNE?

WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO PLANT A DAPHNE?