Content
- Columbine - distinctive, poisonous leaves
- The leaves during the growing season
- On which characteristics the leaves are to be recognized
- The leaves are poisonous!
- Use the leaves for tea or envelopes?
- Tips & Tricks
The leaves of the columbine are highly poisonous
Columbine - distinctive, poisonous leaves
Persistently and robust - that's the columbine. But also colorful, graceful and graceful. However, it is difficult for the layman to recognize before her flowers have developed. Their leaves are anything but ordinary ...
The leaves during the growing season
In the spring - usually from March - the columbine leaves with its leaves. At the young stage, the leaves resemble small rosettes. They are light green in color and darken over the weeks. After the flowering time is over in midsummer and the seeds form, the leaves wither. The columbine retreats into its rhizome.
On which characteristics the leaves are to be recognized
The summer-green leaves of the perennial columbine create together with the stems a herbaceous image. At the bottom the leaves form a rosette. There are the long gestielt. They are doubly threefold, lobularly lobed, notched on the edge and appear pinnate.
From the basal rosette shoot long stems. Again, there are leaves. These are however undestroyed. In addition, their shape is oblong oval and they have no notches on the edge. Both the stem leaves and the basal leaves are bluish green on the top and gray-green on the underside. In addition, fine hairs appear on the underside.
The leaves are poisonous!
Already 20 g of fresh leaves can lead to poisoning after consumption. Why? The leaves are poisonous and contain, among other things, the toxic substance magnoflorin and a hydrocyanic glycoside. Among others, the following symptoms may occur:
Use the leaves for tea or envelopes?
But those who dry or heat the leaves need not worry about toxins. They are destroyed by drying or heating. For example, the leaves can be used for tea or envelopes. Among other things, they help with rheumatism, boils, gout and ulcers.
Tips & Tricks
The leaves are far less toxic than the seeds. Nevertheless, one should rather wear protective gardening gloves in dealing with them such as when transplanting or cutting. Otherwise it can come to irritated skin.