Recently, some Chengdu citizens reported that mandala flowers were planted on the greenway near the Jiang'an River near their homes, worried that the flowers were poisonous and had potential safety hazards, hoping to be able to remove them. The local water department took the advice of the public and quickly removed the mandala flowers in the area.
So, can poisonous plants be used for urban landscaping? In this regard, Li Zhibiao, director of the Landscaping Division of the Chengdu Municipal Park and Urban Construction Administration, said that urban landscaping does not prohibit toxic plants, but it needs to be used with caution, such as avoiding areas with high traffic and easy contact.
Liu Chuanhua, senior engineer of Chengdu Botanical Garden, said that there are many common poisonous plants around us: such as wild dragon sunflower, Shanglu, cultivated poinsettia, oleander, sea sweet potato and so on. When planting ornamental plants containing poisonous ingredients, it is necessary to pay attention to the location of cultivation, away from trails and places that are easily accessible to people, and at the same time, bushes can be planted around them as a barrier to avoid children approaching.
Citizens reported that the mandala flowers planted on the greenway next to the Jiang'an River have been removed
Containing toxic ingredients is a survival strategy for some plants
In addition to the mandala flowers on the greenways reported by the above-mentioned citizens recently, in fact, there are mandala flowers in many places in Chengdu, the most famous of which is undoubtedly the mandala flowers in daci Temple.
On the afternoon of June 1, Red Star News reporters saw three mandala flowers in the Daci Temple, and there were signs on the trees.
According to the staff of Daci Temple, the mandala flowers in the place have been planted for many years. The trunk of the mandala tree is supported by an iron frame on which a sign is hung. The sign reads "No touch, this flower is poisonous". In about ten minutes, more than ten tourists passed by to see the flowers, and no one touched them. When passing by the hydrangea next to it, someone reached out and touched it.
"In fact, there are many poisonous plants in nature." Li Zhibiao said that including the familiar daffodils, oleanders, etc. are poisonous. In addition, like poplar trees, willow flutters may cause harm to pedestrians with respiratory diseases. In this regard, Liu Chuanhua also holds the same view. She said that just as some plants have thorns and hairs, plants containing toxic substances is also one of their survival strategies. What we need to do is to know and understand the plants around us and their biological characteristics, and to respect and protect every creature in nature with a sense of awe, but also to respect and protect ourselves.
The mandala flowers in Da ci monastery
Use caution and avoid areas with high foot traffic and easy access
Can poisonous plants be used for landscaping? "Use with caution." Li Zhibiao said that landscaping has not completely banned toxic plants. However, there are some principles to be followed when using, including avoiding areas with heavy traffic and easy to touch, and more for some background greening. In addition, areas where poisonous plants are planted need to set up signs to clearly inform the public of related matters.
"The commonly cultivated mandala flowers, there are species of mandala and woody mandala, each with a series of varieties, as early as the Northern Song Dynasty cultivated chiba mandala and heavy mandala varieties. Commonly planted in Chengdu is a series of varieties of woody mandalas with large flowers, and the flowers are multi-shaped and ornamental. Liu Chuanhua said that the common plants of the family Lycopidae, Euphorbia, Tiannanxing, Andychophyllaceae have certain toxicity, and if all are banned, landscaping and home gardening may lose many ornamental species. Just like the other side of the flower (manjushahua), there are also toxic substances in its body. From a medicinal point of view, both flowers can be used as medicinal herbs.
At the same time, Liu Chuanhua said that understanding the biodiversity around us is also one of the survival skills of human beings, just like the yam, taro, eggplant, soybeans, etc. on our table, if eaten raw are poisonous, we learn to get along with them scientifically, they will not be harmful.
On the mandala flower tree of Daci Temple, there is a notice that "this flower is poisonous and it is strictly forbidden to touch"
You should maintain reverence for nature and enjoy the flowers in a civilized manner
In fact, from the perspective of later maintenance, poisonous plants are more likely to be selected. Li Zhibiao said that urban landscaping plants are generally selected according to specific needs, such as street trees, which will choose tree species with straight trunks and high branching points. Landscape plants like the greenway park will be matched according to the requirements of the surrounding environment.
In addition to the landscape requirements such as shape and color, the cost of later maintenance is also one of the important factors to be considered, including long flowering, perennial, disease and insect resistance. In terms of resistance to diseases and insects, poisonous plants will undoubtedly have an advantage. So in this regard, other conditions are the same, toxicity will become an advantage.
Finally, Li Zhibiao and Liu Chuanhua both stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the relevant science popularization, everyone is more familiar with it, and the probability of danger will be greatly reduced. Just like everyone knows that potatoes and beans are not cooked and poisonous, they will not be eaten. At the same time, all people should maintain a reverence for nature and keep a certain distance. Civilized flower appreciation, do not touch the picking, let alone eat.
Red Star News reporter Lin Cong Photojournalist Lu Guoying
Edited by Guan Li
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