• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

is this plant safe?

kaths101

Warren Veteran
Hi, I have had a fairly bunny proof garden - no plants etc that I was quite happy with, yesterday my in-laws planted about 6 plants in the garden because it 'was so dull' as a surprise :roll::?

Now - one plant sooty has taken a particular liking too - is it safe? or should i just pull it up (though that is a but rude :?).

Can anyone identify the plant - i dont particularly want to ring the mother in law and tell her the rabbit has eaten it?? but sometimes I wish they would keep out of things - dont want to sound ungrateful but they tell me off for having the heating on, the lights on, the garden is boring blah blah - they didnt even tell me they were coming round to do it - i only knew when i saw sooty munching on something! :censored:
Rant over!!
The plant
CIMG0647-1.jpg
 
I think it may be a rather poorly looking Abelia grandiflora (or perhaps photo a bit overexposed??). These are attractive shrubs in sheltered situations and have trumpet shaped pale pink flowers from summer until late autumn (now) - it is semi evergreen. They grow as hedges in France.

I have a couple and my buns also love it - no ill effects.

To be honest suspect yours won't last long if bun has his way.
 
Personally I'd be inclined to ask her but be as polite as possible. I know it was a kind gesture, but surely they know you have buns and should of thought before they started planting things in your garden?
 
actually looking at it again . . .

are the flowers pink and trumpet shape or are they more very faded blue???? (if faded blue I am wondering at a faded Ceratostigma wilmottiae - just because of the leaf shape.
 
if faded blue I am wondering at a faded Ceratostigma wilmottiae - just because of the leaf shape.

Just asked my hubby and he said exactly the same plant, it's just that the flowers are all wrong if the colour has come out correctly in the photo.
 
ok will have a look at the colour in the morning and see if i can get a better close up - thanks for replying..

as parsnipbun said it wont be there much longer anyway if sooty has her way!!

Amy - yes i would have though so too but it was a 'surprise' and probably didnt give the buns a second thought :roll:
 
I'm certain it's a ceratostigma too, also known as hardy plumbago or leadwort. I don't know whether it's toxic though.
 
actually looking at it again . . .

are the flowers pink and trumpet shape or are they more very faded blue???? (if faded blue I am wondering at a faded Ceratostigma wilmottiae - just because of the leaf shape.

I was just thinking ceratostigma...my boss would be proud :D

It's a bit off planting stuff in someone else's garden without asking though :? What if you had had plans for that area :?
 
I was just thinking ceratostigma...my boss would be proud :D

It's a bit off planting stuff in someone else's garden without asking though :? What if you had had plans for that area :?

:roll::roll: i know - they always think they are being helpful because my Oh and I dont really have time and they like gardening.. It started off with just cutting the grass, now they have just started planting things - time to sack the gardener i think!!

So does anyone know if this ceratostigma is poisionous?
 
I don't know....but if you google it, it comes up on a list of "Rabbit Resistant Plants" published by the University of Arizona...I tend to think that anything that is rabbit resistant, is so because it's bad for them...like potatoes

Just hypothesising though, I don't really know. Although it is on this list as being poisonous to horses:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/plant-list-horses.html

(Listed under chinese plumbago)
 
I was just looking at that as well. It is actually on the 'non toxic to horses' list. I can't find anything specific to rabbits though :)
 
Back
Top