Beautiful but dangerous garden plants

Plants should be grown with caution

These popular species are harmful if eaten; some should not be touched. Here's what to look for when considering them for your garden. Word traveled fast about giant hogweed, a poisonous plant mistaken for Queen Anne's lace, a related, but a harmless, plant that grows wild in many parts of the United States. Besides weeds, some plants commonly grown in gardens and landscapes contain toxic chemicals in their leaves, berries, and/or stems. Here are some dangerous plants to be aware of, especially if you have children and pets. However, don't feel like you have to remove them all. If you take a few precautions, such as keeping children and pets away, and wearing gloves when handling them, you can continue to enjoy them in your garden.

1. Oleander

Oleander is a dense flowering shrub with short pointed leaves. I am hardy and hardy in USDA zones 7. Attractive pink, white or red flowers bloom in summer. All parts of oleander, including the dried flowers and sap, are toxic if ingested. Contact with leaves and flowers can cause skin irritation, and fumes from burning debris are toxic to breathe.

2. English Yew

These hardy evergreen shrubs tolerate many conditions, including drought, shade, sun, and wet soil, and are generally avoided by deer and rabbits. They are an excellent choice for creating hedges and foundation plantings. However, all parts of the English yew are poisonous, except for the fleshy part of its red berries (the seeds inside the berries are even more toxic).

3. Rhubarb

The ruby red stems of this perennial make delicious pies, crumbles, and tarts. But beware: Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid, which can cause a burning sensation in the mouth and throat when eaten, as well as nausea, vomiting, and kidney problems. You'll need to eat several pounds of leaves to reach the lethal stage but to avoid unpleasant side effects, cut the green leafy parts off the red stems as soon as possible after harvesting them and put them in your compost bin.

4. Fox glove

Foxglove is a summer bloomer that has long been a cottage garden favorite. Tubular flowers come in many colors and shapes and attract bees and other pollinators. Some of the chemicals in foxgloves are used in heart medications, and eating any part of this plant can cause the heart to beat dangerously slowly or irregularly.

5. Devil's Trumpet

Known by many names, including moonflower and jimsonweed, this shrub is commonly grown annually, although it is hardy in zones 9 and 10. Devil's Trumpet is also known as the thorn apple because of its spiny, round fruits that mimic the white color. Trumpet-shaped summer flowers. All parts of the plant, especially the leaves and seeds, are poisonous if eaten.

6. Monkshood

Blue-purple flowers like a turban or monk's cowl form this perennial in late summer. Monkshood, also known as wolves' bane, contains many toxins that can cause gastrointestinal, respiratory, and heart problems if ingested. Even the sap on your skin can be dangerous, so always wear gloves and long sleeves when working around this plant.

7. Castor bean

These dramatic perennials are frost-tender, so in colder climates, they are usually grown as annuals. They can still grow 5-6 feet in a year, taking on the appearance of a small tropical tree with large, lobed, reddish-purple leaves and pin-like seed spots. Castor contains the deadly compound ricin in all its parts, especially the seeds. Two more caveats: the juice may cause skin sensitivity, and the pollen from the flowers can cause severe allergic reactions.

8. Lily of the valley

Fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers appear on the green leaves of this shade-loving, perennial groundcover in spring. Eating any part of the lily of the valley can cause blurred vision, digestive problems, and altered heart rhythm.