Most garden owners want a visually appealing garden with the right set of plants, according to their preference. More often than not, they choose plants depending on how pretty and perfect they are for the overall aesthetic of their outdoor space.
We are here to tell you that you should also consider your family’s and the community’s safety in choosing plants for your place. Some of them can be poisonous, while others can affect the environment. So for guidance, you need to avoid planting these Australian plants in your garden:
Angel’s Trumpets
Contrary to its name, Angel’s trumpet can bring harm to humans if ingested. It is highly toxic, particularly their leaves and seed. Despite its pleasant appearance and aroma, it can cause diarrhoea, confusion, migraine, paralysis, or death.
Even though its colourful flowers are enough to enhance your garden, it is best to avoid planting it for your family’s safety.
Oleander
Oleander is a typical garden plant in Australia. Most people don’t know that it is also highly toxic. Contact with the plant can cause mild skin irritation. If ingested, it can be fatal. Fortunately, its leaves are bitter, so curious little children would unlikely eat the whole. Nevertheless, it is better to avoid planting oleander for a worry-free environment.
Moreover, burning this plant poses a risk to human health. Its poisonous content can mix with the smoke and fumes that people should avoid inhaling.
Deadly Nightshade
Deadly nightshade, or also known as devil’s berries, is a very poisonous plant that is still a common garden plant in residential areas. Its berries contain tropane alkaloids that can cause hallucinations, mental confusion, emotional disruption, and changes in behaviour.
Eating a single leaf or about 20 berries can be fatal to adults, and the same dosage has a more severe effect on children.
Fountain Grass
Fountain grass is in demand for landscaping, but it has detrimental environmental effects. It produces a lot of seeds that can spread fast and cover most of the area of your garden.
As it can steal nutrients from other plants and propagate quickly out of a property’s lawn, the authorities in South Australia proclaimed fountain grass as a declared plant. Meaning people are not allowed to sell and trade it anymore.
Wandering Jew
Considering Australian dog ownership has been rapidly rising, it is best not to plant wandering jew inside your property. This plant can cause allergic skin reactions in dogs and other animals when they come into contact with its foliage.
Moreover, it is also considered an environmental weed that competes with trees and plants for nutrients. Furthermore, it has been a severe problem for Australia’s rainforests as it also propagates fast once planted. Although it is not banned, Australians must avoid planting wandering jew to minimise the risk of spreading it out.
Leighton’s Green
Leighton’s green is a hedge plant that can last all year long without dropping their leaves. Garden owners opt for this tree as it can provide them with privacy while serving its purpose as an ornamental plant.
However, its fast-growing characteristic can put your garden at a disadvantage. If not maintained and pruned regularly, it can become massive and uncontrolled, with tree removal as the only solution.
Conclusion
Aside from a beautiful and functional garden, you need to consider the safety of your family and the community. Plants can be poisonous, destroy the environmental balance, or pose a risk that can cause accidents.
By avoiding the Australian plants presented in this article, you can prevent the mentioned probable dangers. And if you ever need help in choosing the right plant and landscaping technique for your garden, you can always trust Trees Down Under!
We are the number one garden service provider here in Sydney. Our team is knowledgeable about what type of plants are safe for your garden. Furthermore, we can do different plant treatments such as pruning, mulching, and trimming to help you avoid the hassle of these tiresome procedures.
No job is too big or small for us. We offer efficient and top-grade services tailored according to your needs. Immediately after your call, we will dispatch our trained and first-rate staff with the right tools and equipment. Excellent craftsmanship and affordable services — that’s our guarantee!
We are available 24/7. Call us today at 0475 463 597 or send us a message through our email.
