The document discusses common poisonous plants found in gardens, detailing their toxic properties and potential risks to humans and animals. It emphasizes the importance of correctly identifying plants and understanding which parts may be harmful, while also providing guidance on plant propagation techniques for hardwood cuttings. Additionally, it covers seasonal gardening tips and highlights plants suitable for winter interest in landscaping.

1. Common poisonous
plants in the garden
Gay Wilhelm
Placer County
Master Gardener
...a quarterly newsletter published by the University of California Cooperative
Extension and the UC Master Gardeners of Placer and Nevada Counties
Inside
Hardwood Cuttings 3
Bulletin Board 5
Plants for Winter Interest 6
Nev Co MG Fall Plant Sale 7
Underground Aliens 8
Calendar of Events 9
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
PLACER COUNTY
11477 E Avenue  Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 889-7385
E-Mail: ceplacer@ucdavis.edu
NEVADA COUNTY
255 So Auburn  Grass Valley, CA 95945
(530) 273-4563
E-Mail: cenevada@ucdavis.edu
WEBSITE: ceplacernevada.ucdavis.edu
Poisonous plants can be defined
as a plant possessing a property
that is injurious to people or
animals. Plants may be
poisonous to the
touch like poison
oak or orally toxic
like Conium
maculatum,
hemlock was to
Socrates.
Many poisonous plants have
medicinal uses in controlled
doses. Another historical use is
using poisonous plants for
hunting, like the example of
strychnine from Strychnos nux-
vomica, strychnine tree.
Pyrethrum from
Chrysanthemum coccineum is
used as an insecticide.
Poisonous plants may also have
only certain parts that are toxic.
Rhubarb, Rheum cultorum,
leaves are poisonous while the
leafstock is not. Pokeweed,
Phytolacca americana, is an
example of timing. Pokeberries
and the older plant are
poisonous while very young
shoots have been cultivated and
cooked as a green vegetable
(that is not a recommendation!).
As you can see poisonous
plants are actually a very difficult
subject. Toxicologists have
studied the subject for years in
more depth and with more
expertise than Master
Gardeners.
The first question is who ingests
the poison? Is the plant
ingested by a child, an adult, pet
or livestock? Each must be
treated differently. How much of
the plant has been ingested?
Was it a root, leaf or a flower?
Continued on page 2
BUDGET NEWS from the County Director, Roger Ingram:
UC Cooperative Extension is not immune to the economic downturn
that many of you struggle with on a daily basis. The budget has been
drastically cut. Given the tight budget situation, we must constantly
seek ways to reduce costs. If you have regularly been receiving a print
copy of the Curious Gardener, we would like you to convert to re-
ceiving the newsletter via email. The email would contain a link to
get the newsletter at our website. If you have an email address, you
can go to the website (see bottom of page)and subscribe to the Curi-
ous Gardener for email delivery. We will be happy to subscribe for you
if you find that inconvenient. Please contact Kate Micheels at 530-273-
4563 or cenevada@ucdavis.edu

2. THE CURIOUS GARDENER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Page 2
Plant identification at this point
is critical. In some plants,
different parts have a different
toxicity level. Maybe the plant
itself isn’t toxic but has been
sprayed with an herbicide or
pesticide. The questions are
numerous and can only be
answered by a professional.
This is a list of common
poisonous plants. It is an
incomplete list. Just because a
plant is not listed does not mean
a plant is not poisonous.
Ingestion of any plant can cause
mild or dire complications. It is
always best to investigate
thoroughly.
Brugmansia spp., or „Angels’
Trumpet’
All parts are poisonous to
humans and pets, often proving
fatal. Scopalamine and
atropine, drugs used in hospitals
have similar components.
Datura spp., or Jimsonweed,
Devil’s Trumpet
Flowers, leaves
and seeds are
poisonous to
cattle, human,
goats and
horses.
Daphne odorata, Daphne
The berries are poisonous to
cats, dogs and humans.
Delphinium spp., Delphiniums
and Larkspurs
All parts are poisonous to cattle,
humans and goats.
Dicentra spp., Bleeding Heart
All parts are toxic to cats, cattle
and humans.
Digitalis purpurea, Foxglove
Used as a cardiac
drug in controlled
amounts, leaves
are toxic to
humans. Flowers
and seeds also
toxic. Cats, dogs, and horses
can be affected.
Iris spp., Iris
Rhizomes and
rootstocks are
poisonous to cattle,
swine and humans.
Lantana camara, Lantana
Unripe berries can cause
lethargy, weakness and collapse
of the circulatory system for
cats, dogs, goats, cattle, sheep
and humans.
Nerium oleander, Oleander
The poison can cause irregular
heartbeats, strengthening of the
force of cardiac contractions,
causing convulsions and death.
It can affect humans as well as
dogs, horses, goats, and sheep.
Nicotiana Spp., Flowering
Tobacco
The leaves carry nicotine that
affects swine as well as
humans.
Phytolacca americana,
Pokeweed, Thornapple
The raw berries and roots have
caused deaths of children,
adults, swine and horses.
Wisteria spp., Wisteria vine
Leaves, seeds and all flowers
are toxic to humans.
Any ingestion of an unknown
plant by an animal or a human
bears investigation. “Better
safe than sorry” bears
repeating when it comes to
poisonous plants.
Continued from page 1
If there is any doubt, do not
hesitate to call
Poison Control
(800-222-1222) or your
local veterinarian.
References:
Cornell University, Poisonous
Plant Database:
ansci.cornell.edu/plants
ASPCA, www.aspca.org/pet-
care/poison-control/plants

3. WEB SITE: ceplacernevada.ucdavis.edu
Page 3
FALL 2009
Hardwood Cuttings
Zoe Robison
Nevada County
Master Gardener
It is close to the time to take
hardwood cuttings from
deciduous ornamental woody
shrubs. From leaf-fall to late
winter is the proper time for this
type of propagation and the
procedure to be described here
is perfect for your first attempt
at rooting stem cuttings.
Compared to working with
softwood and greenwood
cuttings, taken respectively in
the spring and late summer,
this is much easier in that it
requires no special equipment
and comparatively little care.
Hydrangea, rose, forsythia,
viburnum, spirea, red twig
dogwood, weigela, barberry, fig,
privet, and
blueberry are
just some of
the good
candidates for
hardwood
cuttings here in the milder
areas of Placer and Nevada
counties.
When you decide which plants
you plan to propagate, always
select the healthiest and most
attractive specimens available
from which to take cuttings. You
are making genetic duplicates
and what you see is what you
get.
Materials
You will need sharp, clean
bypass pruners, plastic nursery
pots, a moist mixture of one
part sphagnum peat moss to
three parts horticultural grade
perlite, and rooting hormone.
#1 gallon pots for long cuttings
and 4" square pots or 8" bulb
pots for shorter cuttings are
usual, but anything sanitized
and with good drainage will
work.
As to the media, other
combinations of sand,
vermiculite, perlite, and peat
are possible but this media is
simple and works well in most
cases. A simple powder form of
rooting hormone from your local
nursery is adequate for your
first tries at propagation.
Procedure
Right after leaf fall (optimal
time) and on into late winter,
select mature fully dormant
stems from the previous
season’s growth. The wood
should be firm and not bend
easily.
There are three types of
hardwood stem cuttings-
straight, mallet, and heel.
The straight
cutting is the
most commonly
used and that
procedure will
be described
here. The
mallet and heels are for older
and more difficult to root plants.
Cut your selected stems back
to the point from which they
arose so you don’t disfigure
your plant in your zeal to
propagate it. Now, cut and
discard the thinner tips of the
chosen stems - only the stems
of average width for the plant
chosen will have enough
carbohydrate to carry the
cutting through the winter.
The length of the cuttings you
now take from these stems is
determined by the length of
space between the nodes on
the stem. The nodes are the
slight bumps or notches on the
stem from which buds arise.
Ideally, you want at least two
nodes below the surface of
your media and two nodes
above the surface. You must
have at least one above and
one below with most plants.
The length of the cutting will
vary from 4" to 30" depending
on the species of plant involved
and the purpose of the
propagation (the 30" cutting
would be for preparing root
stock for grating fruit trees).
Most cuttings will be around 8
to 10 “, unless the nodes are
really far apart, and a #1 gallon
pot will suffice for these.
Continued on page 4

4. THE CURIOUS GARDENER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Page 4
Now, with your pots at hand
filled to the brim with your
moistened media and a bit of
hormone spilled out onto a
clean piece of paper or small
dish nearby, make your first
cutting with a 45 degree angled
cut about 1/4 “ above the top
node, then count down to the
fourth node and cut straight
across just below this bottom
node.
The 45 degree angle will
remind you what is the top
portion of the stem. Polarity is
critical in that a cutting placed
upside down will not root. Next,
just touch the bottom cut to the
hormone powder and tap the
excess off - too much hormone
is worse than none at all. Stick
the cutting a bit more than half
way down into a labeled pot
and repeat the process with the
rest of the cuttings, spacing
them so they won’t be crowded
when the buds break.
It is never a good idea to have
more than one species per pot,
and it always a good idea to
keep records of what, when,
and how for future use.
Now, water the cuttings and
place outside where they are
protected from too much sun or
harsh rain. Keep the cuttings
slightly moist if the weather
doesn’t cooperate and we have
a dry late fall and winter.
In two months or so, check your
cuttings by giving one a slight
tug to check for resistance that
indicates root formation. If the
cutting pulls right out then re-
stick it and check again in a few
weeks.
Some species take four or even
more months to form roots. If
there is good resistance,
carefully tease out the cutting to
see if it has formed good
vigorous roots. Once you are
assured of good root production,
transplant your cuttings into pots
with good potting soil.
Don’t put your new plants in
pots that are either too big or too
small - suit the size of the
cutting and it’s root ball to the
size of it’s new temporary home.
Give hardwood cuttings a try
this year and you will be glad
you did.
References:
California Master Gardener Handbook,
2002, ANR Publication 3382
Plant Propagation ,The Royal
Horicultural Society, Philip McMillan
Browse, 1999
The Complete Book of Plant
Propagation , Graham Clarke and Alan
Toogood, 1990
Continued from page 3 Here are some plants that
can be propagated by
hardwood cuttings:
Abelia spp.
Berberis thunbergii,
Japanese Barberry
Camellia spp.
Ceanothus spp.,
California Lilac
Deutzia spp.
Euonymus spp.
Forsythia spp.
Lonicera spp.
Honeysuckle
Hydrangea spp.
Philadelphus spp.
Mock Orange
Hibiscus syriacus
Rose of Sharon
Weigela spp.
Salix spp.
Willow
Ligustrunum spp.
Privet
Rhododendron spp.
Viburnum spp.
Taxus spp.
Yew

5. WEB SITE: ceplacernevada.ucdavis.edu
Page 5
FALL 2009
REMEMBER:
FALL IS THE BEST TIME TO
PLANT!!!
BULLETIN BOARD
Two Fall Plant Sales
at the UC Davis Arboretum
Saturday, October 3
Members: 9am-11am
Public: 11am-1pm
Saturday, October 17
Public sale only: 9am-1pm
http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/
Sierra College
Community Education Courses
 Art of Bonsai—October 10,
9am to Noon, Matsuda’s Nursery
 Landscape Design –Let’s Get
Started, October 10, 9am to Noon,
Nevada County campus
 Permaculture, Garden and Soil
Preparation, October 17, 9am to
4pm, Nevada County campus
 Irrigation Design for Rural
Property, November 14, 9am to
4pm, Rocklin campus
 Water-Wise Landscaping,
December 3, 6:30pm-8:30pm,
Campus Plaza Shopping Center
Register here: www.sccommed.org
The 2010 Placer County Gardeners Companion
Calendar is NOW AVAILABLE!!!
The theme for this wonderful calendar is
“Dollars and Sense Gardening” and contains
useful tips for gardening inexpensively.
The calendar is available at both UCCE offices in
Auburn and Grass Valley for $10.00.
Local nurseries around the counties also carry
and sell the calendar.

6. THE CURIOUS GARDENER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Page 6
Planting for winter
interest
Judith Myrick
Placer County
Master Gardener
Iused to hate winter. Any day
that wasn’t warm and sunny
was a wasted opportunity to be
outdoors, planting, transplanting
and enjoying the sight of
hundreds of flowers and the
many shades of green a garden
provides.
Now, I’m older and wiser. I’m
also willing to admit I need a
break. I find myself looking
forward to that time of year
when the garden rests and so
do I. I’ve learned, though, that
winter doesn’t have to be a
dreary time of year. Some
thoughtful plant selection can
produce a winter landscape that
is beautiful and exciting.
There are many ways in which
plants and trees can add
interest to the winter landscape.
Evergreen conifers add color,
texture and architectural drama.
They vary in size, shape and in
the texture of their
foliage. They may be
tall, shrubby or
weeping. They may
have needle-type
foliage like pine,
spruce, fir or hemlock,
or have scale-like
foliage like juniper and
arborvitae.
In contrast to the conifers, there
are broad-leafed evergreens
like Mexican abelia, Abelia
floribunda, a shrub with a
graceful, arching habit. It
ranges in size up to 10 ft tall but
is usually shorter. This abelia is
often in full bloom in January.
Strawberry Tree, Arbutus
unedo, is another broadleaf
evergreen tree or shrub. It
grows to 8-35 feet with equal
spread. It has red-brown
shredding bark, dark green red-
stemmed leaves, clusters of
small urn-shaped flowers, and
round red fruits that resemble
strawberries. Both flowers and
fruits may appear at the same
time in fall and winter.
Boxwood, or Buxus, hybrids
hold their green color well
throughout winter. They are cold
-hardy, grow from 3-5 ft high, 3-
4 ft wide and need little pruning.
Mahonia aquifolium, or Oregon
grape, is a bushy evergreen that
grows to 6 ft high with a 5 ft
spread. Scattered mature red
leaves remain throughout the
year. Leaves turn purple or
bronze in winter. Yellow flowers
appear in late winter, followed
by edible blue-black grape-like
fruit.
In the leafless season,
deciduous trees get a chance
to show off branch structure,
bark patterns, and stem color.
The branches of Cornus nuttallii,
Pacific or Western dogwood,
grow in an attractive horizontal
pattern. Cornus stolonifera,
Redtwig dogwood, has bright
red twigs. Severe pruning
encourages new branches and
twigs for winter display. Cornus
stolonifera „Flaviramea‟
produces yellow twigs and
branches. Another tree notable
for its coral red twigs and
branches in winter is the Coral
Bark Maple, Acer palmatum
„Sango Kaku‟.
In winter we can especially
appreciate the lovely bark of
Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia
indica, as well as Lacebark Elm,
Ulmus parvifolia, and River
Birch, Betula nigra. Not only is it
a nice color, the bark of the
River Birch flakes and curls in
cinnamon-colored sheets.
Paperbark Maple, Acer griseum,
is another tree that sheds its
bark in long, thin sheets.
Not until its leaves have fallen
can we appreciate the twisted
branches of Harry Lauder’s
Walking Stick, Corylus avellana
‘Contorta’. This deciduous shrub
can reach 8-10 ft tall and wide.
Flowering Cherry, Prunus
subhirtella „Autumnalis‟, is a 25-
30 ft tall tree with pinkish-white
flowers that often appear during
warm spells in January.
For winter flowers, Camellia
japonica tops the list. Choose
this 6-12 ft tall tree according to
its bloom season, early, mid or
late.
Continued on page 7

7. WEB SITE: ceplacernevada.ucdavis.edu
Page 7
FALL 2009
Witch hazel, Hamamelis
intermedia, is a large deciduous
shrub that flowers from
December to March in shades of
red, yellow or orange.
Daphne odora, or Winter
Daphne, is a demanding
evergreen shrub with fragrant
pink flowers. Daphne needs
porous soil, excellent drainage,
some shade during the day,
and little summer water.
Don’t forget Forsythia, a
fountain-shaped shrub whose
bare branches are covered in
yellow flowers beginning in
February.
Lovely yellow 1-inch flowers
appear January to March on
Winter jasmine, Jasminum
nudiflorum, a deciduous vine.
Another winter-flowering vine is
Carolina Jessamine, Gelsemium
sempervirens. Fragrant tubular
yellow flowers appear in late
winter. Carolina Jessamine can
be trained on a trellis or used as
a ground cover.
Colorful berries brighten the
branches of many shrubs in
winter.
Metallic purple berry clusters
decorate the arching branches
of Callicarpa, or Beautyberry.
The bright red berries of
hollies ( Ilex species),
Cotoneaster, Strawberry Tree
(Arbutus unedo), Heavenly
Bamboo ( Nandina domestica),
and Firethorn ( Pyracantha
cultivars), add welcome
splashes of color to the winter
landscape.
Closer to the ground are the
perennials and bulbs that offer
colorful foliage and/or flowers in
winter.
Violas and violets, primrose
(Primula), Iceland poppy
(Papaver), Paludosum daisy
( Chrysanthemum paludosum),
and wallflower (Erysimum) are
winter-flowering as are Winter
iris (Iris unguicularis),
Snowdrops (Galanthus), and
Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica).
Continued from page 6
Nevada County Master Gardener
FALL PLANT SALE
Saturday, October 10
9am to Noon
California Native Plants, Perennials and Grasses
Garden Specialty items
WHERE: Nevada County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden
(on NID grounds, 1036 W. Main)
REFERENCES:
Sunset Western Garden Book
UC Davis Arboretum

8. THE CURIOUS GARDENER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Page 8
Have you noticed that some
of your ornamentals are
looking a little sad? Are your
plants displaced in the yard for
no apparent reason?
Sometimes the evidence is right
in front of you but sometimes
you have to dig a little deeper.
Gophers: there are five species
of the pocket gopher in
California. They can range in
length from 6 to 10 inches.
Signs and symptoms of the
presence of gophers
underground include mounds of
fresh soil. The mounds are
formed as the gopher digs and
pushes the dirt to the surface.
Typically the mounds are
horseshoe shaped in
appearance. The entry hole is
usually off to one side of the
mound and plugged.
Pocket gophers live in a system
of burrows that can cover up to
2000 square feet. The burrows
are about 3 inches in diameter
and 6 to 12 inches below the
surface. Gopher burrow
systems are very sophisticated
and consist of a series of
tunnels and chambers that
serve a variety of purposes.
Pocket gophers often invade
yards and gardens and feed on
garden crops, vines, shrubs and
trees. They can also cause
cosmetic damage in the lawn
and to plastic water lines.
There are a few measures to
control gophers. The most safe
and effective method is to set
traps. Secondly, baits can be
used quite successfully. When
using bait to eliminate gophers,
it is crucial to locate the main
burrow with a probe. Baits
should be used with caution in
living situations with children
and pets.
Underground fencing is
commonly used to deter
gophers from attacking valuable
ornamentals or trees. Hardwire
is commonly used in basket
form or underneath raised-bed
crop gardens to prevent
penetration. Sometimes no
control is needed because the
gopher population is self
limiting. The natural predators
in the environment include owls,
snakes, cats, dogs and coyotes.
While inspecting the yard and
you see a more circular mound
with a plugged hole in the
center, that is most likely the
habitat of the mole. A mole is a
small insect eating mammal.
Moles also live underground in a
network of tunnels. The moles
burrow just below the surface
and the tunneling is oftentimes
visible in lawn areas and
gardens where plant material
may be dislodged.
Several means of control are
available but there is no one
tried and true method. Trapping
is the most dependable method
of control. These traps are
specifically for moles and should
not be confused with gopher
traps. There are many other
products on the market ranging
from mothballs to whistling
bottles. None of these repellant
methods have been scientifically
proven to be effective. Toxic
baits are not effective due to the
insect diet of the mole. The use
of wire mesh baskets and wire
liners in the bottom of raised
beds are effective in eliminating
plant damage.
So the key to identifying the
species of your yard invasion is
the appearance of the mound
(crescent shaped: gopher and
round mound: mole) and a
visible or not visible tunneling.
These yard pests are active all
year with the exception of very
cold winter days.
For more specific information on
the management of these pests
please go to the University of
California Integrated Pest
Management website:
www.ipm.ucdavis.edu
Happy hunting!
Underground aliens
Mary Gish
Nevada County
Master Gardener

9. WEB SITE: ceplacernevada.ucdavis.edu
Page 9
FALL 2009
Fall 2009 CALENDAR
SATURDAYS, year round, 8 AM – Noon
Foothill Farmers‟ Market, Courthouse parking lot, Auburn
SATURDAYS, year round, 10 AM – Noon
“Master Gardeners & Friends” Radio Talk , KNCO Radio, 830 AM
October
Friday—Sunday, October 2,3, and 4 from 11am to 6pm at the Gold Country Fairgrounds:
Visit the Master Gardeners at the AUBURN HOME SHOW and ask your gardening questions!
Saturday, October 3 from 10am-Noon at Full Circle Demonstration Garden (Nev Co. ROOD Center)
Composting Basics
Saturday, October 10 from 9am-Noon at NC Master Gardener Garden (1036 W. Main, GV) :
FALL PLANT SALE
Saturday, October 17 from 10am-Noon at NC Master Gardener Garden (1036 W. Main, GV) :
Planting Cool Season Ornamental and Turfgrass
Saturday, October 17 from 10am-11am at Roseville Utility Exploration Center by Mahany Park::
Basic Composting
November
Saturday, November 7 from 10am-Noon at Full Circle Demonstration Garden (NC ROOD Center)
Composting Basics
Saturday, November 14 from 10am-Noon at NC Master Gardener Garden (1036 W. Main, GV) :
Ornamental Grasses
Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22 from 9am to 5pm at the Gold Country Fairgrounds:
Visit the Master Gardeners at the Mandarin Festival and ask your gardening questions!
Saturday, November 21 from 2pm-3:30pm at Roseville Utility Exploration Center by Mahany Park::
Selecting and Growing Fruit Trees
December
Saturday, December 5 from 10am-Noon at NC Master Gardener Garden (1036 W. Main, GV) :
Propagation

10. THE CURIOUS GARDENER
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Page 10
PLACER/NEVADA COUNTY RESIDENTS:
Placer and Nevada County residents may receive
The Curious Gardener by mail, free of charge.
County residents are encouraged to subscribe by
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OUT-OF-COUNTY RESIDENTS:
Mail subscription is $10.00 per year (by check
payable to UC Regents) by mail, or free by e-mail
by contacting:
UCCE Placer County
11477 E Avenue (530) 889-7385
Auburn, CA 95603 E-Mail: ceplacer@ucdavis.edu
The Curious Gardener is published quarterly by the University
of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Placer
and Nevada Counties.
UCCE PLACER & NEVADA COUNTIES
Kevin Marini
PROGRAM REP: HOME HORT AND COMPOSTNG EDUCATION
MASTER GARDENER COORDINATOR
530-889-7399
PEGGY BELTRAMO—PLACER MG LIZ REES—NEVADA CO. MG
The Curious Gardener is published quarterly in January, March, June, and September.
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