The morning glory has been enjoying increasing popularity in Central European gardens for several years. This is understandable given the many attractive color patterns of the funnel-shaped buds, but you should also be aware of the characteristics of these plants.
The morning glory is highly poisonous
Which parts of the morning glory are poisonous
Lysergic acid amides are contained in the aerial parts of many species of morning glory, as are also found in the ergot fungus. Although these toxins are not found in the same concentration in all subspecies, you should exercise caution when handling all morning glories in view of unclear cultivar distinctions and contradictory research statements. Since the concentration of these hallucinogenic substances in the seed pods is particularly high, it is better to wear gloves when harvesting the seeds for sowing the following year.
Be realistic about the dangers
Similar to morning glory, many other common garden plants can lead to unpredictable intoxication and possible health and fatal consequences when consumed, such as the following:
- thimble
- yew
- angel trumpet
- euonymus
The plants do not necessarily have to be avoided, but as a gardener you should be aware of the possible danger, especially with small children and pets in the vicinity of the plants.
tips
In some cases, the consumption of the hallucinogenic toxins of the morning glory has already resulted in serious damage to health and death in the past. The various parts of the plant should never be consumed as substitute drugs because of the dangers that are difficult to calculate, since the proportion of toxins in the plants can vary greatly.