Yew Berry

Day 353: They say we have to unlearn almost as much as we have learned by the time we reach adulthood, and in my case, that included the myth regarding how frequently yews (Taxus) form arils. Arils, yes. That's what those berries are called. I grew up believing that yews only fruited every seventh year, and I hate to tell you how long I held onto that misapprehension. Yews were not particularly abundant in my area, and it was only after I moved here to a property fronted by a hedge of English Yew (Taxus baccata) that I began to suspect that my mother had lied to me about the plant. I had already confirmed her deviation from the truth with respect to Salal berries (NOT the plant in the above photo!). That came about when I was roughly nine years old after watching my playmate Sydie eat them by the handful. For weeks, I kept expecting her to fall over, but she never did. Even so, I avoided eating Salal until I confirmed its edibility as an adult. That said, the berries of the yew (one type shown above) are poisonous. That, at least, was a truth taught to me at an early age.

Yew Berries

Day 40: Old wives, get ye back to hearth and home, and take your false tales with you! Yew knows better than to believe your lies! Although the solitary female shrub in my yew hedge fruits only occasionally, it is currently bearing arils as it did in 2020. Those old wives would have you believe it only fruits every seventh year. In the thirty years I've lived behind this hedge, it has borne "berries" less than half a dozen times. Why this year? I suspect our spell of hot weather in June may be one factor; it has certainly affected the cycles of several other plants whose behaviour has been somewhat unusual this fall. The aril...and note that I am speaking ONLY of the red flesh surrounding the seeds, not the seeds themselves...is the only portion of the plant which is not poisonous. Ingestion of even small amounts of the foliage, bark or seeds can result in death. Toxins in the foliage can be absorbed through the skin, so when working around yew, gloves and long sleeves should be worn. That said, its red-and-green holiday season appeal rivals that of holly. Just don't bring it in the house.

Nightshade

Day 336: Bittersweet Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) is common in western Washington wetlands, and although it is poisonous and in the same family, it is not the "belladonna" of notoriety (Atropa belladonna). Many plants in the family of Solanaceae are at least partially edible, e.g., tomatoes, potatoes, garden peppers (hot and sweet) and eggplant; the toxins are largely confined to the foliage. However, sensitive individuals may still react to the edible portions. Bittersweet Nightshade bears a red berry which resembles a tiny "grape" tomato. Birds can process the alkaloids contained in the fruit without ill effect as can some species of small mammals, but humans may experience digestive distress, permanent liver damage or cardiorespiratory distress from consuming the leaves or berries. Keep kids and pets away from this plant!

Native Nasty

Day 282: Being highly undesirable and very prolific are not sufficient criteria for a plant to be considered "invasive." It must also be non-native, and in this case, Toxicodendron diversilobum...good old Pacific Poison Oak to you...escapes the classification by being a natural-born citizen of Washington state. That said, I was surprised to find it at 3000' and miles inland from its preferred habitat closer to the marine shores of Puget Sound, so much so that I felt the need to confirm its identity and referred it out. It was not a typical specimen in any event; stunted, spindly, it even lacked the oily sheen one generally associates with the species. How did it come to grow on Packwood Lake Trail #78? I suspect it was carried in by horse, seed caught in material embedded in a hoof. Horses and dogs are common vectors in the spread of invasives and undesirables, including ticks. Livestock and pets are allowed on many trails in National Forest, as opposed to National Park trails where they are prohibited. There are many reasons why those regulations are in place, and weed management is just one of them.

Little Mothers

Day 337: I'm not being vulgar when I say I have a pot full of these little Mothers because that's what they are: Mother-of-Thousands seedlings, otherwise known as "pups." Kalanchoe (Bryophyllum) daigremontiana is a member of the succulent family and propagates by developing plantlets along the margins of its leaves. As they mature, the pups drop and root in any soil on which they happen to land, thus populating any flower pot which happens to be nearby, leading to a whole succession of Mothers-of-Thousands invading your indoor garden unless you keep them in check. They are a fun plant to grow and a good conversation piece, however if you pass any along to friends, warn them that they should keep the Mother away from pets and small children. All parts of the plant are considered toxic.

Monkshood, Aconitum Columbianum

Day 281: When it grows among the subalpine Larkspurs featured in yesterday's post, Aconitum columbianum is easily dismissed as a member of the same species, dwarfed as it may be by the stresses of life in the higher elevations. However, its color tends to lean more toward indigo or purple as opposed to the rich blue of Larkspur, and when viewed in profile, the helmeted cap of the flower quickly identifies it. Aconitum columbianum goes by several common names including the descriptive "Monkshood" as some readers may remember from Severus Snape's reproach of an inattentive Harry Potter, "As for monkshood and wolfbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" To that I say, "Well? Why aren't you? And while you're at it, make a note that all parts of the plant are highly poisonous."