CelluGRO Therapy Garden

ARTICLE: Safe Plants for Special Gardens

We so often worry about whether a plant is safe or not and even avoid the use of plants in senior care and school settings because of a fear that someone may be harmed. While it is true that some plants, or at least some parts of plants, are toxic, most don’t pose a threat. Some plants can cause a skin reaction, such as inflammation, rash or itching. Others can cause an allergenic reaction for some and not for others. But many of us are allergic to certain medications, foods, pets, etc. As far as poisoning from plants, the risk is far greater from the cleaning compounds found on easily accessible service carts.

There is a natural and instinctive connection between people and plants. We depend on them for food, shelter, clothing, some of our medications and fuels. We delight in the garden because we are naturally drawn to the beauty of life itself, the colors, forms and fragrance of flowers and foliage. Being with, and being actively engaged with, plants is good for us physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Spending some time gardening can decrease depression, lower blood pressure and reduce anger. It can also increase our sense of self-worth, encourage our instinct for nurturing and foster a general sense of well-being. Even in Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients the sensory stimulation and the memory triggering that naturally occurs with plants and flowers is beneficial. For children with developmental disabilities or cognitive limitations, the time spent gardening is rewarding in many ways. Even school children and troubled youths can learn many of life’s lessons in the garden.

Still, there are many plants that are generally considered safe, and others that are considered dangerous. The following is a brief list of plants that are usually thought to be safe for most people to handle and pose little threat even if ingested. Having said that, we do need to remind you that people on medications, those suffering from illness or disease, our children and senior citizens may react differently than a healthy adult. In the following list we provide the botanical names of many and notes on others to help you make your best possible decision on whether or not you want to include this plant in your facility’s garden. If you have questions, contact your local poison control center or your county extension agent for details. Warning! No matter how safe the plant is, the use of pesticides and some plant foods can render the garden dangerous.

This is by no means a complete list. Thousands of other plants are perfectly safe for use in settings where they might be accidentally consumed. Some of these may cause an allergic reaction or react with medications. Take care and observe closely until certain that there are no problems.

Only the plants marked as edible should be consumed, and even then, only in limited quantities until you are certain that there isn’t going to be any reaction.

Those plants marked with an asterisk (*) are suitable for use in the CelluGro Green Thumb Garden.

SAFE PLANTS: The list

*Alyssum, sweet

*African daisy, Arctotis

*African violet, Saintpaulia

*Allspice, Pimenta officinale, can be grown in CelluGro ststems when young

*Aloe vera, safe medicinal herb

*Aluminum plant, Pilea

*Amaranth, many types, some with edible leaves and seeds

*Areca palm, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens

*Artillery fern, Pilea microphylla

Astilbe, Meadow sweet, False spirea, Astilbe, many varieties

Bamboo, many varieties

*Bachelor’s buttons, cornflower, Centaurea cyanus, flowers can be eaten

*Balloon flower, Platycodon grandiflorus

Banana, dwarf or standard, Musa

*Basil, edible aromatic herb

*Beets

*Begonias, many types

*Bellflower, Campanula, Leaves can be eaten

*Bird’s nest fern, Asplenium nidus

Black eyed Susan vine, Clock vine, Thunbergia alata

Butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii

*Boston fern, Nephrolepis exaltata

Bottlebrush tree, Callistemon

*Bromeliads

*Calendula, flowers are edible

*California poppy, Eschscholzia californica

*Calathea, Calathea

Camellia

Canna

Carob tree, St. John’s bread, Ceratonia siliqua

*Catnip, Nepeta cataria

*Chard

*Chives, edible herb

*Christmas cactus

*Cleome, Spider flower, Cleome hasslerana

*Cockscomb, Celosia

*Coleus, many varieties

*Coffee, Coffea arabica, can be grown in a Cellugro system when young

*Coral bells, Heuchera sanguinea

*Coreopsis, Coreopsis grandiflora

*Corn plant, Dracena

*Cosmos

Crape myrtle

*Cryptanthus, star flower

*Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, edible leaves, flowers and roots

*Dahlia

*Daylily, Hemerocallis, flowers and roots are edible

*Dianthus, pinks, sweet William, edible flowers

*Dill, edible herb

*Easter lily, Lilium longifolium

*English ivy

*Fennel, edible herb

*Flame violet, Episcia

*Flowering kale, Flowering cabbage, edible leaves

*Flowering maple, Abutilon

Fragrant olive, Osmanthus, several varieties

*Fuchsia

Gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides

*Geraniums, old fashioned, zonals, scented leaf, ivy and others

*Gerber daisy, cape daisy, Gerbera jamesonii

*Ginger, Zingiber officinale, edible roots, flowers and young shoots

*Green beans

*Goldfish plant, Columnea

*Hen & chicks, Echeveria, Sempervivum

Hibiscus, flowers and young leaves are edible

*Holly fern, Cyrtomium falcatum

*Hosta

*Jerusalem artichoke, roots are eaten

*Job’s tears, Coix lacryma-jobi

*Joseph’s coat, Alternathera

*Kalanchoe, many varieties

*Ice plant, several plants

*Impatiens, Touch-me-not

*Lambs ears, Stachys byzantium & lanata

*Lavender, edible herb

*Lemon grass, Cymbopogon citratus, leaves good for tea

*Lettuce

Linden tree, Basswood

*Lipstick plant, Aeschynanthus

*Liriope

*Maidenhair fern, Adiantum

Magnolia, several varieties

*Marigolds, Tagetes, flowers can be eaten or used as a seasoning

*Money plant, Lunaria annua

*Moss rose, Portulaca

Mulberry, Morus, varieties

*Nasturtium, leaves and flowers can be eaten

Norfolk Island Pine, Araucaria heterophylla

*Orchids, most orchids are safe to handle

*Oregano, Greek and Italian, edible herb

*Oregano, Cuban, Mexican or Spanish, edible herb

Palo Verde, Cercidium

*Pansy, flowers are edible

*Parsley, edible herb

Passionvine, passion flower, Passiflora, many varieties

*Peanut, flowers and seeds are edible

*Peppermint, edible herb

*Piggy-back plant, Tolmia menziesii

*Persian violet, Exicum affine

*Pineapple, Ananas varieties, edible fruit

*Pocketbook plant, pouch flower, Calceolaria

*Polka-dot plant, Hypoestes

*Ponytail palm, Beaucarnea recurvata

*Prayer plant, Maranta

*Purple coneflower, Echinacea

*Purslane, Portulaca, edible leaves and flowers

*Radish, many types, root, leaves and flowers edible

*Rabbit’s foot fern, Polypodium aureum

Red hot poker, torch lily, Kniphofia uvaria

Rockrose, Scotch broom, Cistus

Roses, old-fashioned, shrubs, hybrid teas, climbers and more. Thorns only threat

*Rosemary, edible herb

Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus

*Sage, Salvia, many kinds, edible herb

*Snapdragon, Antirrinum, flowers are edible

*Spearmint, edible herb

*Spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum

*Sunflower, Helianthus annuus

*Swedish ivy, Plectranthus

Sweet gum, Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweet potato, several ornamental varieties, leaves are edible as well as tubers

*Thyme, edible herb

*Ti plant, Hawaiian ti, Cordyline terminalis

*Torenia, Florida pansy, wishbone flower

*Viola, edible flowers

*Violet, edible flowers

*Zebra plant, Aphelandra squarrosa

*Zinnia

Note: Some of these plants are perennials or shrubs and can be started in a CelluGro but will need transplanted to a large container or permanent site. Coffee and allspice are two such plants.

For more information on plants considered dangerous because of toxicity, irritation or potential puncture wounds please contact us and ask for Dangerous Plants, an Awareness Guide at tomifolk@mail2.Lcia.com