With its delicate and elfin flowers floating above the slender stems, the columbine appears harmless. But is it really that or does it contain toxins in its plant parts?
The fresh leaves of the columbine are poisonous, dried they have a healing effect
Columbine is slightly poisonous
Columbine or Aquilegia vulgaris is poisonous like all other plants from the buttercup family. Compared to other poisonous plants, it is classified as slightly poisonous. Poisoning that ended in death is not known to date.
The entire plant contains toxins. The seeds that ripen between July and August stand out the most. They contain the highest content of toxic substances. Toxic are a hydrocyanic acid-forming glycoside and magnoflorin.
symptoms of poisoning
If you eat a columbine through ignorance, symptoms of poisoning can occur. Just 20 to 30 g of fresh leaves (depending on body weight and condition) can lead to the following symptoms:
- shortness of breath
- nausea
- Vomit
- diarrhea
- cardiac arrhythmias
- cramps
But columbine is not only poisonous internally. Even if you come into skin contact with it, symptoms of poisoning such as skin irritation, redness and blisters can become noticeable. To prevent this, it is advisable to wear gloves when handling and especially when cutting the columbine.
Dried and heated non-toxic
The toxins can be rendered harmless. As soon as the columbine is dried or heated, the toxins evaporate. Therefore, the planted herb can be harvested and used in tea blends or externally, for example as a poultice. It works against:
- rheumatism
- gout
- indigestion
- ulcers
- abscesses
- parasites
tips and tricks
Since columbine tastes bitter, children or animals usually eat only small amounts of it or spit out the plant parts immediately.