Hello welcome to Taiga Bonzai, we proceed our journey by the alphabet discussing the toxicity of timber and shrubs, a few of that are utilized in bonsai horticulture.
Introduction – a number of the species talked about listed here are endemic to tropical and sub-tropical areas, others are discovered within the northern hemisphere.
Umbrella tree – Schefflera arboricola. (syn. Heptapleurum arboricolum) additionally a member of the Araliaceae household is native to Taiwan, however could be discovered world-wide as a home plant and likewise in bonsai. S. arboricola shouldn’t be mistaken for S. actinophylla, due to the peak distinction.
Furthermore, S. arboricola has completely different leaf color and patterns, some variegated with cream to white flowers with yellow edges or centres. Though a lot is dependent upon the person cultivar. S. arboricola is toxic and carries the identical toxins as S. actinophylla. Leaf consumption could cause mouth tingling and numbness, vomiting and belly ache and sap when in touch with pores and skin could cause irritation and rash.
Viburnum – Lantana. household Adoxaceae. Often known as the ‘wayfaring tree’ is a deciduous shrub native to Europe, however could be present in Asia and northern Africa and is a comparatively frequent specimen in bonsai.
It’s oval darkish inexperienced leaves have a downy or hair like overlaying on the underside and flowers which might be creamy white in color and inexperienced fruit. These ripen to a brilliant purple finally turning black when mature. The berries if consumed though mildly poisonous could cause vomiting, diarrhoea and belly ache if ingested in massive portions.
Viburnum – Opulus. household Adoxaceae. Is usually referred to by its frequent title the ‘Guelder rose’ and is native to Europe, northern Africa and central Asia. This deciduous shrub has three lobed leaves which might be reverse to one another having an look just like maples.
The flowers in clusters are white in color with their centre being fertile surrounded by an infertile ring which might be produced in early summer time; the fruit that’s brilliant purple. The berries if consumed though mildly poisonous could cause vomiting, diarrhoea and belly ache if ingested in massive portions.
Virginia creeper – Parthenocissus quinquefolia. household Vitaceae. Is native to north America, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and Europe. It’s a prolific deciduous climbing vine reaching heights of over 30m. (100ft) It attaches itself to easy surfaces by small adhesive pads.
This plant usually seen rising on the perimeters of buildings has putting colors all through the seasons. The leaves change from varied greens to yellow to orange to purple and purple and this color change makes the species engaging to bonsai.
The flowers are small and greenish white in color, which grow to be purple/black berries within the autumn. The sap, leaves and berries are toxic as a result of they comprise the toxin oxalic acid. Extended pores and skin contact could be harmful and ingesting any half even small quantities could cause kidney injury and loss of life to people.
White cedar – Spp. household Cupressaceae. Embrace Chamaecyparis thyoides – Atlantic white cypress, Cupressus lusitanica – Mexican white cedar, Thuja occidentalis – Northern white cedar, Thuja plicata – western purple cedar and Cryptomeria japonica – Japanese cedar. Cedars are conifers and are discovered in lots of elements of the world, from northern climes to temperate zones.
They’ve many makes use of for instance, grown as boundaries, wind breaks, dense hedging in parks and gardens and are a typical species in bonsai. Nevertheless, all cedars carry toxins the first irritant being plicatic acid and a few are stronger than others for instance.
The western purple cedar and Japanese cedar have the very best content material of plicatic acid and publicity to it might probably trigger extreme bronchial asthma, rhinitis or conjunctivitis, that may be progressive. As well as, plicatic acid in touch with pores and skin could cause a hypersensitivity response, a sort of response seen in tuberculin pores and skin assessments.
Willow – Salix alba. household Salicaceae. Is a species native to Europe, however can be present in western and central Asia. Inside this genus are: Salix alba Vitellina – a willow with yellow shoots and Salix alba var. Britzensis, Cardinal and Chermesina having orange to purple shoots.
The willow a medium sized deciduous tree could be in a weeping type or with a dome formed crown with lengthy skinny leaves pointed on the finish. (5–10cm lengthy x 0.5–1.5cm broad) It’s typically present in bonsai in designs that embrace slanting (Shakan) and (Fukinagashi) wind swept.
Female and male timber every produce their very own flowers within the type of catkins that seem within the spring and when mature are wind pollinated. Nevertheless, the willow comprises salicylate toxins within the bark that if ingested could cause the next. Ulcers, nausea, vomiting, abdomen bleeding, kidney irritation, tinnitus and pores and skin rash.
Wisteria – Spp. household Fabaceae. Contains varied species of climbing vines. (Vegetation that climb by their shoots) Wisteria brachybotrys, Wisteria brevidentata, Wisteria floribunda, Wisteria frutescens, Wisteria macrostachya, Wisteria sinesis, Wisteria venusta and Wisteria villosa.
These Wisteria varieties are predominantly native to the jap north America, China, Japan and Korea. Though these species are present in bonsai, arguably the most typical is the Wisteria sinesis that when in bloom has a putting floral show for instance.
The nice wisteria on the Ashikaga flower park in Tochigi, Japan, which covers greater than 1,990 sq. meters over half an acre. Wisteria flowers are between 10 to 80cm in size and produced in pendulous racemes and are both purple, violet, pink or white.
All elements of the wisteria are toxic, they comprise the toxin saponin and if ingested the signs are: nausea, vomiting, belly ache, diarrhoea, extreme gastroenteritis, dizziness, confusion, speech issues and collapse.
Within the subsequent article on ‘Toxicity’ we conclude our journey by the alphabet with ‘X’, ‘Y’ and ‘Z’. Till subsequent time, BW, Nik.