The boxwood, sometimes also spelled boxwood, is a very popular plant for the ornamental garden in this country. Whether cut in the shape of a sphere, a square or as an animal shape, the tree always finds a nice place in the garden. And a boxwood hedge is the ideal privacy screen for many. As pretty as the plant is to look at, it is unfit for human and animal consumption.
Poison in the box tree
Buchs belongs to the genus Buxus. There are now more than sixty varieties of the common boxwood, botanically Buxus sempervirens. They differ in leaf color, size, shape and spacing as well as in their growth habit and speed. What all varieties have in common is that all their parts are poisonous. Since the leaves have a very bitter taste, they are usually not swallowed but spat out immediately. The intake of larger amounts and thus poisoning is rather rare, but you should still be careful.
The popular Buchs is very poisonous. With around 70 alkaloids, it contains a veritable poisonous cocktail. The proportion of all alkaloids in the leaves and bark is three percent. The blossoms and fruits of the boxwood are also highly toxic. In addition to the main active ingredient cyclobuxin (buxin), other toxins have also been found in the plant.
This includes:
- buxantine
- buxanine
- buxandrine
effect of the poison
The poison cocktail in Buchs unfolds its effect when parts of the plant are eaten. Simply touching the plant does not cause poisoning. However, when working on the plant, you should wear gloves and always wash your hands thoroughly after cutting.
symptoms of poisoning
As with all poisons, the degree of poisoning with boxwood depends on the dose administered, body size and weight. This is why small animals, for example, are more at risk than children. Since adults only swallow small amounts of boxwood, if at all, poisoning that has led to death is fortunately not known or documented in this country.
human
Nevertheless, if the worst comes to the worst, you should not hesitate to call the appropriate emergency number. A check by a doctor or vet gives you security. Because in the worst case, boxwood poisoning can lead to death.
Symptoms of poisoning caused by boxwood are:
- Vomit
- nausea
- diarrhea
- cramps
- paralysis
- Tremble
- Drop in blood pressure up to circulatory collapse
If children have nibbled on buchs or its fruit, keep calm. First and foremost, you should get the child to spit out any leftovers. Unlike other poisonings, boxwood poisoning does not require an antidote. The body can even break down small amounts of the poison itself and the symptoms subside after a while.
A first measure is the administration of medicinal charcoal. It binds toxins in the stomach. Do not make the child vomit. It is more effective if the child drinks small amounts of tea or water. Milk is not recommended. It's not an antidote. Under certain circumstances, it can even promote the absorption of toxins in the intestine.
animal
Symptoms of poisoning in pets are similar to those in humans. If your darling has nibbled on the boxwood, the poison initially has a stimulating effect, but then very quickly paralyzes and lowers blood pressure. Stomach and intestinal irritation as well as vomiting and diarrhea are among the symptoms, as are cramps and tremors.
Since the amount eaten by pets can be difficult to determine, you should consult a veterinarian immediately if symptoms appear. Do not try to make the pet vomit, it is better to offer him water to drink. This dilutes the venom in the gastrointestinal tract.
As with humans, the same applies to pets: young animals tolerate a smaller amount of poison than adult animals. Around 20 grams of boxwood are deadly for a four-kilo cat and 150 grams for a 30-kilo dog. The rule of thumb is: 5 grams of the plant per kilogram of body mass in dogs or cats are fatal.
Precautions
To prevent poisoning with boxwood in the first place, a few precautionary measures should be taken for your own balcony or garden.
- place on balcony or terrace out of the reach of children and pets
- with small children it is better to refrain from planting in the garden
However, box trees are not only found in your own garden or in the neighbor's garden as a box tree hedge. The slow-growing plant is also often used as a border for graves or as an ornamental plant in parks or near playgrounds. The following applies to the public area: Make sure that Buchs is nearby.
animals
The plant is poisonous not only for children, but also for pets. The endangered animals include not only dogs and cats, but also rabbits or guinea pigs and other smaller cage animals. To protect your loved ones from poisoning, the following precautions should be taken.
- no box tree in the garden if there are pets
- Fence box animal-safe
- Cats shouldn't be able to climb
- Set up outdoor enclosures for rabbits and guinea pigs at a great distance from the box
Boxwood as a medicinal plant
Despite its toxicity, the box was already used as a medicinal plant in ancient times. It was mainly used as a remedy for coughs and stomach and intestinal diseases. Today, the plant is no longer used as a remedy because its dosage is extremely problematic. An overdose leads to vomiting and cramps. It can even be deadly. Only in homeopathy is Buxus still occasionally prescribed for rheumatism.