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
Monday - May 16, 2011
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants, Poisonous Plants
Title: Is Thalia dealbata toxic to dogs?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
A pond in a park frequented by dogs contains Thalia dealbata and I have seen numerous dogs eating the roots with relish, which we discourage, of course. They seem to really enjoy it though. After an extensive search, the only information I can find regarding it's use as a 'food' or medicinal plant is as a diuretic and vulnerary. I can find no reference to it being eaten by either people or animals. Are there any references you know of regarding toxicity, etc.?ANSWER:
When Mr. Smarty Plants gets questions regarding toxic plants, he consults a suite of toxic plant databases that are listed below for answers.
ASPCA Toxic and Non-toxic Plants
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Cornell University Plants Poisonous to Livestock
University of Pennsylvania Poisonous Plants
Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System
Thalia dealbatta Thalia dealbata (Powdery alligator-flag) does not appear on any of these lists. However, this doesn’t guarantee that it isn’t toxic, but it lowers the probability.
Here’s an obscure reference at an academic paleontology conference to it being eaten by Native Americans.
http://www.ou.edu/cas/archsur/plainsconf/FinalSchedule.pdf see page 32.
From the Image Gallery
More Edible Plants Questions
List of plants native to the Abilene, Texas area
September 15, 2011 - Am looking for direction to a complete list of plants native to the Abilene, Taylor County, Texas area (trees, shrubs, grasses, cacti and other plants that grew here before cultivation, eradication or...
view the full question and answer
Worms in wild plums
June 03, 2009 - Wild Plums... They are just starting to get ripe here in East Texas. Picked a few today and they all had dark spots on them. When I cut them open there were tiny worms inside. Does this mean they a...
view the full question and answer
Use of Ilex sp. by Seminole Indians to make black drink.
August 03, 2009 - Ilex myrtifolia: can the leaves be used as tea? Seminole indians made a black drink reputed to be made of holly leaves.
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on edible and medicinal native plants
October 06, 2004 - I would like a list of edible & medicinal native plants for the San Antonio area.
view the full question and answer
Identification of shrub/small tree with small purple fruit
July 31, 2013 - Hi! I have a tree/bush that has come up on its own in the backyard. This year it set what looks like small purple plums. Is there any chance that they might be poisonous?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |