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Why are some plants poisonous? |
by Brian Griffin (whyzz writer) >> more about the author
Unlike people and animals that can walk and crawl around, plants are pretty much stuck in the same place for their entire lives. Because they can’t really move too much, some plants have figured out some useful ways to protect themselves from animals that might want to eat them. Some plants like rose bushes grow sharp thorns, while others have made themselves poisonous!
Lots of plants are poisonous and can be too dangerous to eat. Daffodil bulbs, holly berries, irises, poinsettias, and even apple seeds are dangerous to people. Plants have developed these special defenses over thousands of years! Since they can’t run away from animals trying to eat them, they’ve figured out how to stop animals from eating them—by making the animals sick.
Dangerous Dog Food
If you had a pet dog, you’ve probably heard people say not to feed it chocolate because dogs are allergic to chocolate. It’s true! There’s a chemical in the cacao plant, which is used to make chocolate, and it’s dangerous to dogs. Luckily for us, most people aren’t allergic, so we can enjoy chocolate. We just shouldn’t feed it to our dogs.
This is just one example where a plant is dangerous to only certain types of animals and not others. The plants we find in our grocery stores’ produce sections are usually very healthy for us to eat, but some that grow in the wild are not. It’s always best to check with a grown-up before trying a new food, just in case you might have an allergy or the food might make you sick.
Lots of plants are poisonous and can be too dangerous to eat. Daffodil bulbs, holly berries, irises, poinsettias, and even apple seeds are dangerous to people. Plants have developed these special defenses over thousands of years! Since they can’t run away from animals trying to eat them, they’ve figured out how to stop animals from eating them—by making the animals sick.
Dangerous Dog Food
If you had a pet dog, you’ve probably heard people say not to feed it chocolate because dogs are allergic to chocolate. It’s true! There’s a chemical in the cacao plant, which is used to make chocolate, and it’s dangerous to dogs. Luckily for us, most people aren’t allergic, so we can enjoy chocolate. We just shouldn’t feed it to our dogs.
This is just one example where a plant is dangerous to only certain types of animals and not others. The plants we find in our grocery stores’ produce sections are usually very healthy for us to eat, but some that grow in the wild are not. It’s always best to check with a grown-up before trying a new food, just in case you might have an allergy or the food might make you sick.