Vernal Express | 1979-12-20 | Page 29 | Holiday Greenery and Berries-a World of Caution!

Holiday Greenery and Berries A Word of Caution! Decorating with holiday greenery and bright red berries is an old and lovely tradition. However these bright plants are naturally natu-rally filled with potent chemicals and can be dangerous. Ancient people, living closer to the earth and more familiar with plants than most of us, knew about the "good and bad" in leaves, cones and buds. Romantic mistletoe is for kissing under and decoration, but the pale green leaves and waxy white berries contain natural poisons, and are dangerous! The yew berry, pinkish red and translucent, is also poisonous when eaten. Oddly enough yew berries have no harmful effect when eaten by birds. Our feathered friends have enzyme systems sys-tems that render the poison found in yew berries, harmless! Holly berries, shiny and sparkly red are far less dangerous, but can also upset the stomach. It is important to discourage infants and children from tasting the tempting looking berries of holly and yew and Jerusalem cherries, whose attractive fruit is potentially dangerous. Its chemicals are capable of inducing vomiting, paralysis and could be fatal in sufficient quantities. So remember ... a word to the wise . . . and most important, impor-tant, to iittle ones!