Poisonous plants are a major cause of economic loss to the livestock industry. Two poisonous plants common to Oregon are poison hemlock and Western water hemlock. Ingestion of either by humans or livestock typically results in death.
Many people think of shade or woodland gardens when they think of growing native plants. In fact, many woodland plants do very well in garden settings. But careful selection and care is essential to making your woodland garden flourish.
Silage-making has been used to reduce the concentrations of toxins in a variety of crops. But in the case of poison hemlock, the opposite is true — making silage out of it actually increases one of its toxic alkaloids.
Invasive plants disrupt ecosystems and have no place in streamside gardens. But these plants can be tempting because of their showy flowers and cheap prices.