Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - December 20, 2011
From: Maysville, MO
Region: Midwest
Topic: Poisonous Plants
Title: Are buckbrush (coralberry) berries poisonous?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Are the berries on buckbrush (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) poisonous to humans?ANSWER:
The Poisonous Plants of North Carolina database says that the berries of all species of Symphoricarpos are mildly toxic when eaten—causing vomiting and diarrhea. The Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System lists the related Symphoricarpos albus (Common snowberry) that also occurs in Missouri as being mildly poisonous. Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (Coralberry) is not specifically listed in any of the toxic plant databases that I accessed, but given the information about the genus from the two cited above, I wouldn't eat any of the berries myself!
More Poisonous Plants Questions
Plants referred to as Hummingbird plants
August 22, 2008 - We have a a plant that is sometimes called a Hummingbird Plant, sometimes a Firecracker plant. I have also seen the name lonicera sempervirens. Are they poisonous? This is a plant, not a vine.
T...
view the full question and answer
Information on Royal Empress tree
May 01, 2008 - Would like to have some information on the royal empress tree; it is a non-native tree.
view the full question and answer
Toxicity of catalpa wood?
June 05, 2012 - Is the sawdust from cutting up a catalpa tree or the smoke from burning the wood toxic?
Thank you,
view the full question and answer
Identification of a cucumber-like vine with fruit
November 16, 2011 - We found tiny, grape-size white melon-like fruit on a vine, with tomato-like/cucumber-like seeds. The leaves on the vine were similar to grape or cucumber leaves, but not spiny. They were behind our...
view the full question and answer
Grasses for horses in Austin
October 27, 2012 - Hello Mr. Smarty Plants
We just bought 4.5 acres in Travis County off HWY 290. We have 3 horses we keep on it but there is very little grass in the pastures. What is the best type of grass to seed ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |