The so-called annual silver leaf (Lunaria annua) is being deliberately cultivated in more and more gardens because of its attractive flowers and seed heads. Therefore, the question arises more and more often whether the plant is poisonous and thus poses a danger to children and pets.
The beautiful silver leaf is non-toxic
The difference between leaves and seeds
In contrast to the white tomentose ragweed (Senecio biscolor), which is actually poisonous and sometimes also referred to as silver leaf, the silver leaf of the genus Lunaria is not very dangerous per se. After all, the plant parts such as stems and leaves can even be used in the kitchen in the following ways:
- like cress on buttered bread
- as an ingredient in vegetable side dishes
- in herb salads
However, this only applies to the green parts of the plant and not to the seeds, which contain various alkaloids. The seeds contain about 70% of the toxin lunarin, but also other alkaloids.
Caution when using as a decorative material
The silver leaf is particularly popular to be sown in the garden in order to cut off the durable seed pods together with the stalks after successful propagation and use them as autumnal decorations in the house. However, this should only be done if fallen seeds cannot be inadvertently eaten by pets or small children.
tips
The green herb of the silver leaf is not only harmless to humans, but can also be fed to turtles and other small animals in the garden as a change in the menu.