How poisonous is ivy?

Dangerousness of ivy to humans

All parts of the ivy (Hedera helix) contain falcarinol and α-hederin, which is why ivy belongs to the poisonous plants. Falcarinol causes allergic reactions. Skin irritation when cutting the plants is due to this substance.

Hederin is in the Berry contained in the strongest concentration, but the leaves and stems contain only a little of the poison. Eating just two berries leads to a burning sensation in the throat, diarrhea, vomiting and headaches, an increased pulse and cramps. In larger quantities, respiratory arrest and a life-threatening state of shock are possible.

In small doses, Hederin is a cure for coughs and has an expectorant effect. For centuries people have been extracting medicine from ivy leaves.

Although the berries are highly poisonous, poisoning is unlikely as they taste very bitter and thus keep children away from eating them. The flowers and leaves are slightly poisonous and also have a bitter taste.

Dangers to animals

Ivy leaves and berries are just as poisonous for most mammals as they are for humans. It is known that the climbing plant leads to poisoning in horses, donkey owners claim that it does not harm their animals.

The fact is that some birds can tolerate the berries, which are highly poisonous to mammals. But do not conclude from this that all birds are allowed to eat the berries. The falcarinol in the stems and leaves is poisonous to most birds.

Overall, the likelihood that animals will poison themselves on the plants is low. The bitter taste and the rapid onset of irritation from falcarinol deter the animals.

Prevent the formation of poisonous berries

Ivy hardly ever blooms in the room; in the garden, flowers and berries are to be expected with older plants. You can prevent this by making a cut.

• Watch out for ivy that is more than three years old.
• Do not cut back if the leaves overlap three or five times.
• Watch out for free-standing shoots when the foliage turns pear-shaped.
• Starting in late summer, look for inflorescences on these shoots.
• Remove the flowers before they bloom

As mentioned, the berries do not pose any great danger, as they do not taste good because of their bitter substances.

Interesting facts about the plant

The ivy is an evergreen climbing shrub that can climb up to 20 meters in height with its adherent roots. In the young stage ivy grows slowly, later it can overgrow large areas in a relatively short time.

With its strong adhesive roots, ivy can easily climb up house walls and pergolas. In the wild, it grows mainly in oak and beech forests as well as on walls and rocks. Ivy growing on trees can cause the carrier tree to die. If it should grow to the top, it takes the light necessary for life from the tree. In addition, moisture develops under the ivy, which can lead to rot.

Structural damage is possible on walls and house walls. Ivy can grow into cracks and crevices in the masonry and burst them open due to its strong branches and ramifications. It does not dig itself into undamaged walls.

The plant blooms in the form of hemispherical umbels between August and October and is a fragrant bee pasture during this time. The flower does not arise on shoots with lobed leaves that cling to walls or trees with adhesive roots. Flowering stems have pear-shaped leaves that stand free in the air.

The berries are dark blue and ripen during winter. They are not poisonous for starlings, redstart, blackbirds or robins, but a valuable source of food. Ivy is a beautiful plant whose poison is not very dangerous. There is no reason to do without these garden decorations.