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With beautiful balls of white flowers reminiscent of a snowball, the common snowball enchants in the local gardens in spring and summer. Bright red berries appear in winter. The plant has long been an integral part of many front gardens. But is Viburnum Opulus poisonous to humans and animals? The following article will discuss the level of toxicity of the graceful shrub and who is better off refraining from cultivation.
Definition common snowball
The snowball is a shrub that is often cultivated in the local garden. Because in spring to summer it shows its beautiful white flower balls, from late summer to winter it impresses with the bright red berries that hang on umbels and turn black over time. The shrub can grow up to four meters high and two and a half meters wide. The plant also has the following characteristics:
- bark brown-green
- which turns reddish brown over the years
- green leaves have red stems
- Leaf margins are serrated
- loses its leaves in autumn
Viburnum opulus is also known as heartberry
toxicity
All parts of the common viburnum are slightly poisonous. A resinous bitter substance is contained in the leaves and fruits as well as in the bark. This usually discourages people and animals from putting the parts in their mouths. The following toxins are contained in the shrub:
- diterpenes
- coumarins
Due to the toxicity, hobby gardeners with small children or free-roaming pets in the household are better off refraining from cultivation or planting the shrub in such a way that children and animals cannot reach it.
Although this is only a mild toxicity, caution should still be exercised when small children and pets are in the household. Even wild birds generally avoid the berries in winter. Only waxwings that overwinter in Central Europe feed on the berries
symptoms in humans
If parts of the Viburnum Opulus plant were consumed, various symptoms can occur. Small children in particular who live in the household are tempted to eat the brightly colored fruit. This can lead to the following symptoms:
- Discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract
- nausea
- Vomit
- diarrhea
- no serious symptoms of poisoning
If poisoning is suspected based on symptoms that may occur, the affected person should be given water immediately after about ten fruits have been eaten. Activated charcoal is recommended for larger quantities. But especially with small children, it is always advisable to call the emergency doctor and call the poison control center, even if no serious cases have become known in the last 100 years.
symptoms in animals
If cats or dogs have nibbled on the twigs or leaves, or even eaten one or the other berry, then the following symptoms occur with them:
- Vomit
- diarrhea
If you observe this, find the immediately as a precaution vet on. The symptoms mentioned above also occur in wild birds that have nibbled on the berries in winter in search of food.
inedible berries
The bright red berries appear on the bush between late summer and autumn. These hang in decorative umbels on the bushes. Due to the bitter substances they contain, which in nature usually indicate that a plant is toxic, the berries are usually spurned by animals. Even children who put the berries in their mouths out of curiosity will quickly spit them out because of the bitter taste. But even if no parts of the plant have entered the stomach, the toxins can still cause nausea and vomiting. Therefore, the berries should not be fed to ornamental birds living in the household.
Viburnum opulus berries
Source for toxicity: www.gizbonn.de/205.0.html
notice: Please note that this article is by no means a substitute for a doctor's visit. There is no guarantee of the correctness of medical statements.
Detailed information on first aid in the event of poisoning and important information on the poison control centers can be found here.