New Book: Pretty But Don't Touch Or Eat

 

This book is about harmful and allergenic plants. Most authors use the word "poisonous plants" in the title which I disdain. Though realistic, I prefer not to use it because there's more to the story. There are 850 plants in the book which makes it the most complete collection in North America. What I found somewhat startling is that we have around 700 of them in our landscapes!

Therefore, an education process is in order. Firstly, you've done well so far so don't get alarmed and tear out some of your beloved plants. It's about knowing what parts of the plants are poisonous and how to go about safeguarding your family and, very importantly, your pets. The information you get from the book will not only make you aware of the circumstances around you but feel better knowing you are in control. Then, there's your neighbor's landscape to consider.

Unfair as it is, all but the red ripe tomato fruit is edible; everything else is poisonous. Same for potato. They belong to the same family which includes Belladonna, which you may recognize as poisonous. Interestingly, animals process some plant parts differently than we. Deer like tomato blossoms and besides driving you mad, they feel no adverse effects.

In addition to the poisonous plant information, I include gardening tips that will help you select plants for your landscape: plant growth-habit, zones etc. A feature you will enjoy is that the color of the berry is the color of the word. Makes for easy identification. Did you know that marigold is the name of an Etruscan god; and is derived from "Mary's Gold" as associated with Jesus' mother.  I include lore and legend information as well.

Also included is the emergency phone number specifically for this topic. Calling 911 may delay your getting the information you need. For starters, the universal phone number is 1-800-222-1222. The call is automatically sorted by area code and transferred to the Poison Control Center nearest you.

If you'd like a copy of the book, it's $30.00 including sales tax and shipping. The easiest way at this point is to call me 1-360-335-0503. To contact me via email, click on "About" in the upper left corner.

Thanks for stopping,

Vern Schanilec

Washougal WA