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

Friday - May 17, 2013
From: Bakersfield, CA
Region: California
Topic: Non-Natives, Poisonous Plants, Vines
Title: Non-native vines poisonous from Bakersfield CA
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Are pink bower vines and stars and stripes mandevilla toxic to dogs?ANSWER:
Pandorea jasminoides 'Rosea' (pink bower vine) is native to New South Wales and Queensland Australia, and is therefore not in our Native Plant Database, which is limited to plants native not only to North America but to areas in which they grow naturally; in your case, Kern Co., CA.
There are four members of the Mandevilla genus native to North America, none are native to California. They are: Mandevilla brachysiphon (Huachuca mountain rocktrumpet), Mandevilla hypoleuca (Davis mountain rocktrumpet), Mandevilla lanuginosa (Plateau rocktrumpet) and Mandevilla macrosiphon (Plateau rocktrumpet). All are in the Aponaceae Family (dogbane) which is not a good sign. The Mandevilla 'Stars and Stripes' is also sometimes referred to as Brazilian mandevilla, so your plant may have been derived from a non-native plant, but they will all belong to the same family, Aponaceae. We are assuming that 'Stars and Stripes' is a trade name, a cultivar, selection or hybid; again, not in our line of expertise. However, we can give you some websites you can check for whether or not a plants has poisonous parts and it is better to know the scientific name for the search.
The lists often are only plants native to North America, but ordinarily if you search on one genus name (jasminoides or mandevilla) the information on the poisonous plants will be the same for all species of that genus. Here is our list:
University of Arkansas
University of Illinois
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
University of Pennsylvania Poisonous Plants
Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System
You should also check with your veterinarian to make sure some locally available plant has not been proved to be poisonous that is not on any of the lists.
More Poisonous Plants Questions
Is any part of flowering peach (Prunus persica) toxic to dogs
April 26, 2009 - I know that peach pits and wilting leaves are poisonous to dogs, but can you tell me if any part of the Red Flowering Peach Tree (no fruit) is toxic?
view the full question and answer
Natural fibers for lashing bamboo in weaving
May 07, 2008 - I live in Austin and am looking for plants I can use for weaving fibers, e.g. lashing bamboo for a small project. What plants and parts do you recommend? What resources do you recommend for informatio...
view the full question and answer
Is it safe to eat vegetables grown in the same bed as foxgloves?
August 12, 2012 - I have foxglove in my flower beds and have planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and cantaloupe in the flower bed and now I am concerned about the shared root system. Also, my tomatoes are touching the...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on Poisonous Plants
October 27, 2004 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
I wonder who among the wonderful staff at the Wildflower Center can answer this. I occasionally get requests for information on toxic or irritating plants. Beyond the obvious ...
view the full question and answer
Are variegated ginger plants poisonous to cats?
June 16, 2009 - Is a variegated ginger plant poisonous to cats?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |