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
Wednesday - April 10, 2013
From: Friendswood, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Poisonous Plants, Shrubs
Title: Toxicity of non-native red-tip photinia to fish from Friendswood TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Mr. Smarty Plants, I have seen several questions on Red Tip Photinia (RTP) concerning toxicity to horses, dogs and children. We recently lost over 100 gold fish and 6 large KOI in our man made back yard pond that we have had 8 years. I see an abundance of the RTP blossoms in the pond and an oil sheen in the water. My question is, are this blossoms toxic to fish?ANSWER:
Here is a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer that tells you what we think of Red-Tip Photinias. As it happens, we are committed to the growth, propagation and protection of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which those plants grow natively; in your case, Galveston and Harris Counties. PLANTS, that is, we don't know much of anything about fish except how to fry them.
We found a website from the Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York on Plants Poisonous to Fish. Photinia is not on that list; in fact, we don't think we have seen it claimed to be poisonous to horses, dogs and children. We think you should look around at some websites on possible contamination on the water in that pool. We have no experience with fish ponds, having grown up in West Texas, where there is not much water for anything, but it occurs to us that the oil sheen in the water would be a warning sign, and not something that could have been caused by the photinia. For instance, has anyone been spraying pesticides and/or herbicides in your area lately?
More Poisonous Plants Questions
Is the Magnolia 'Ann' safe for horses
May 14, 2010 - I bought a magnolia "ann". Will it hurt my horses to eat any part of it?
view the full question and answer
Damaged leaves on bottlebrush buckeye from Glen Mills PA
June 09, 2013 - My recently planted bottlebrush buckeye plants' leaves are looking damaged but it doesn't look like insect or fungus damage. They look battered by wind but I don't understand why that would happen...
view the full question and answer
Itchy hands from handling Lantana plants
September 13, 2009 - I am in Ocala,FL. I pick up with my hands branches from a cut down Lantana Plant. My hands are very itchy, what can I do. THANK YOU FOR YOU.
view the full question and answer
Failure to bloom of Eve's necklacepod in Austin
April 04, 2011 - I have a young Eve's necklace that never blooms in the spring. I wonder every spring if this will be the year, but the blooms never come. Is there a reason for this? The tree is about three or fou...
view the full question and answer
Tough, Non-toxic Vine to Cover Fence in Washington
February 16, 2014 - I have about 150 feet of 6-foot high chain link fence that I would like to cover with a vine for privacy. I really want an evergreen or semi-evergreen plant that requires very little care. I also don...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |