- Warning: If you suspect a child may have been poisoned,
immediately contact your doctor or the National Poisons
Information Centre Urgent Phoneline on 03 474 7000. For non-urgent
information Ph. 03 479 1200
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- Internal Poisons - poisonous if eaten
Peach
(Prunus persica). The kernels are poisonous but
the very hard corrugated stone around them is not easily broken, so
they are unlikely to be eaten by children.
Pepper tree (Schinus molle). The strings of little
pink berries hanging on this attractive ornamental tree seen to be
moderately poisonous, particularly the seed. Note: the native
pepper bush or kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) has
non-poisonous, but peppery-tasting, orange, fleshy fruiting spikes.
Persian lilac or white cedar (Melia azedarach).
Persian lilac is deciduous and when the leaves fall the bunches of
poisonous yellow fruits are very conspicuous. A common street tree in
Auckland and Bay of Plenty areas.
Poinsettia
(Euphorbia pulcerrima). This plant is a
spurge, all species of which are poisonous. The milky sap can burn the
delicate lining of the mouth.
Poroporo (Solanum laciniatum or S. aviculare).
The poisonous green or yellow berries should not be eaten, although
when orange and fully ripe they are scarcely toxic when fresh, and not
at all when cooked. The two species of poroporo are very similar and
are only easily distinguished by the flowers. For practical purposes
the two species can be regarded as one.
Potato
(Solanum tuberosum). The parts most like to
poison children are the green or whitish berries produced on some
varieties. Potato tubers which are green from light exposure are also
poisonous.
Privets
(Ligustrum species). All species have
poisonous black, blue-black or dark purplish berries, which might be
eaten by children. Tree privet (L. lucidum), privet (L.
ovalifolium), and most abundantly, Chinese privet (L. sinense),
are the usual species from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty northward.
- Acknowledgement
- Kids Friendly New Zealand would like to
acknowledge that this information is part of a Landcare Research
New Zealand Ltd 1999 report on Poisonous Plants and was written by
W.R. Sykes, June 1991, Revised April 1999.
-
- Disclaimer of Liability for Health-Related
Advice
- This information is not intended to be
comprehensive or to provide medical advice to you. While all care
has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information, no
responsibility, whatsoever, is accepted for any actions taken in
reliance on it. Specific advice on medical issues should be sought
from a health professional.
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