Poisonous Berries on Evergreens

Beware of the beautiful berries on evergreens. Several types are poisonous, but their colorful appearance is a temptation for children, pets and those who don't know any better. Evergreen plants and trees bring year-round beauty to the garden. Keep a watchful eye to ensure people refrain from picking the berries and popping them in their mouth. Be proactive, educating visitors about the danger so that all of you enjoy the landscaping safely.

The shiny green leaves, graceful pyramid form and bright red clusters of berries make American Holly a favored evergreen landscaping tree throughout the United States. During the holiday season, freshly-cut, berry-laden holly branches decorate mantles, doorways and table settings. Keep the festive atmosphere safe by protecting inquisitive youngsters and unknowing individuals from eating the colorful berries. The stickers on holly leaves are a natural barrier to humans reaching for the berries, both indoors and on the growing trees in the yard. If a persistent visitor reaches past the stickers in spite of potential scratching, consider that a single berry may not have adverse effects. Ingesting a large volume of American holly berries, however, can cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

Upright varieties of yew are often used in landscaping to create dense evergreen hedges. Frequently pruned to form a continuous flat-sided, flat-topped hedge, English yew and Japanese yew may grow as tall as 30 feet. Globe-shaped and spreading yew varieties take their place in the landscape as background plantings and along sloping areas. Bright red berries nestled in branches covered with dark green, needle-shaped leaves distinguish yew from other ornamental conifers. Yews require both male and female plants to produce berries. Beware: the black seed inside the berry is highly toxic. Although tempting, eating the flesh around the seed is strongly discouraged as swallowing, even accidentally, can lead to nervous system implications, gastrointestinal complications and, in severe cases, death.

The festive tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is a classic joy of the holiday season. Sold in small bunches, tied with a ribbon and hung in the doorway, mistletoe hardly seems dangerous. The grey-white berries of this yellow-toned evergreen, however, are toxic and poisonous to both animals and humans. For safety's sake, remove and discard all berries before displaying mistletoe indoors. Growing in the wild, mistletoe is a parasitic evergreen, drawing nourishment from the host tree in which its roots become embedded. Spread by seeds in bird droppings, full-grown mistletoe may overtake an entire tree, eventually killing it. Outdoors, avoid any of the mistletoe berries that become dislodged naturally and drop to the ground.