Reply
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,457
Registered: ‎05-22-2010

I ordered this today because I thought it looked interesting.  Something told me to check it out and found out it was the milkweed plant and is poisonous.  Yikes.  Cancelled it because I have a beagle who will eat anything and will not have this plant in my garden.  If that was mentioned in the presentation I must have missed it and if it wasn't it should have been.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,658
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

@chlema 

 

I agree, plants sold on QVC that are toxic to pets, should be disclosed as such!

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,809
Registered: ‎12-24-2010

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

I did a Google and one Review person said okay plant is you don't mind aphids).  Those buggers kill my roses just as they are coming out.  Also read about plant being poison to pets.

Not worth it.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,250
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

I don't have any pets. Even so I almost cancelled because of the toxicity.

 

I decided I can put them behind the garage if need be, it's fenced off from the rest of the backyard.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 89
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

[ Edited ]

Thank you to the op and to fthuntfor the additional info.!   I really appreciate it. Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,105
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

The Asclepias you see for sale in gardens is typically Asclepias Tuberosa which is a low severity toxin. There are other species of Asclepias that are more dangerous, but the garden variety is typically quite safe as it doesn't have the white milky sap that contains the most concentrated toxins.

 

I'm a firm believer that a whole lot of people overreact to reports of toxicity in plants. Most toxic plants taste bad and nothing but an absolutely starving animal will eat them. There are very few plants that are so toxic that one bite will kill the animal eating them. If you plant some safe plants, like cat grass or oats, that animals like to eat and that are non-toxic, and apparently taste good, they'll avoid the toxic stuff and focus on the good tasting, safe stuff instead. (I have three pots of cat grass under my plant lights and my oldest cat nags me each day to be sure I set one out for her.)

 

When you look at some of the lists of toxic plants, and then look around the world, you'd think all life would be extinct by now as the world is filled with toxic plants. Yet, wildlife is abundant and stray animals survive quite nicely despite living in a world abundant in toxic plants. Why? Because toxic plants taste bad and given any other option the animals will avoid the bad-tasting stuff.

 

If you only give an animal toxic plants to choose from, then yeah, they'll eat the toxic plant rather than starve. But, given other options, they'll avoid the toxic stuff and eat the good stuff. It's not nearly as big a problem as many want to think it is. Animals aren't stupid. If they take a bite of a plant and it tastes horrible, they'll avoid it afterward.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,300
Registered: ‎05-27-2013

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

My two little Yorkies don't eat my plants--they value their little lives.  What they will eat, though, is bone meal and blood meal.  After a very expensive experience with them getting into my gardening supplies (over $500 each at the vet), I no longer use those soil ammendments; switched to cottonseed meal and superphosphate.  

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,457
Registered: ‎05-22-2010

Re: B. King's Asclepias plants

@gardenman Ok so I'm confused.  They say it contains the white milky sap that attracts butterflies so is that not toxic?  I have this old beagle that likes to sample my plants so that is the reason I cancelled my order tho I really liked the flowers.  I'm not so sure my dog would avoid something just because it doesn't taste good - hey, he's a beagle and beagles are known for always being hungry lol.