Xtremehorticulture

Red Bird of Paradise Is Poisonous but….

Q. You had a post on your blog about red bird of paradise. posting on my blog Will this bush hurt my dog?  I don’t think she would grab the flowers.  I want to grow a big bush in this area of my back yard as my deceased husband loved the flowers.  I heard the bush is poisonous. Flower of the red bird of paradise A. Like so many plants, the dose makes the poison. Yes, this plant if it is taken in large quantities would be poisonous to dogs, cats, humans, etc. However, I would point out to you that this plant is also sold, the leaves and stems primarily, for Ayurvedic medicine and has been found by researchers to have antiulcer and anti-inflammatory properties. Please keep in mind that about 80% of all landscape plants are poisonous. Some are more poisonous than others. Take as examples oleander and the castor bean plant. Many of our houseplants are also poisonous such as mother-in-law’s tongue or snake plant and many others. All I can tell you that in small quantities I would not be too concerned. However if an animal consumed a lot of the plant it might cause harm or worse. My former floriculture teacher once went on television around Christmas time and demonstrated by eating the leaves of Poinsettia that it is not poisonous in small quantities. The white milky latex found in the plant may cause some burning but it does not kill you as the press has portrayed. I will not tell you that it is non-toxic and not to have some concern about it but on the toxicity list I would probably put it as mildly toxic and keep your pets away from it if they tend to chew on things. I would also not use the flowers as a garnish for a meal.

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Orange Tree Leaves Losing Green Color (Yellowing) With Green Veins

Q. I have 9 orange trees on my property and pamper them like my “kids”.  One of them (perhaps two) is losing the green color in the leaves although the veins are staying green in color.  I would like to send you a couple of leaves for your inspection as I have tried to trouble shoot the problem using the computer and pictures. A local nursery disagrees with my request for manganese sulfate to resolve the problem. Would you send me an address so that I can send a few leaves for your inspection and suggestions? A. A picture of the leaves will work just as well as sending me a sample. I will be out of the country and so samples will probably not reach me.             Nine times out of 10 a yellowing leaf with green veins, particularly if it is the newer growth at the ends of the branches, is iron chlorosis and not typically manganese or zinc. The manganese sulfate would be used for a manganese deficiency or you could use a manganese chelate.             You can sometimes take an iron solution with a few drops of Ivory liquid detergent and, making sure the iron solution is slightly acidic with a little bit of vinegar, dip the leaves in the solution for a few minutes. You should see a color change in the leaves in about 24 hours or less.             Otherwise you can take some liquid iron chelate with a little bit of detergent like Ivory liquid and spray the leaves three or four times over a period of a couple of days. This will also turn them a darker green if it is iron.             If it is something other than iron, it won’t do anything. Then go ahead and try your manganese application.             If this color change occurred during the winter it is possible it could be cold damage. This appears more like a bronzing of the leaves rather than yellowing. I hope this helps.

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