To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] What's safe to eat and what isn't
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 14:01:15 -0800
Daphne is a genus of mostly evergreen shrubs grown for their
sweet-scented flowers. They can perfume the air all around. If I
leave a window open, the entire house will be perfumed. Many flower
very early in spring (February). Some are low-growing alpines, some
can be as tall as a person. Many have pink flowers, some white, and
there are new yellow-flowered ones being imported from China. Many
have long-lasting red berries.
There is a yellowy green-flowered European one that has naturalized
all over this area. Birds spread its black berries, and it quickly
grows a lo-o-ong taproot so it thrives in dry shade and is really
hard to pull out. If chopped off, it regrows.
Great plants, but they are all poisonous.
--
Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
maritime zone 8
cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually)
sandy soil