BULLETIN 235

PENNSYLVANIA

FLOWER GROWERS

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1970

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Penn State students visit J. L. Dillon, Inc., Bloomsburg, for working field trip.Fred Fries (left) of Dillons explains field production of chrysanthemums. Ourfloriculture students usually dress more sharply than they have in this photo,but this was a working field trip. Students spent the day at various jobs in thefield and greenhouses to gain experience in flower crop production.

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OUR BEST WISHES ~J

FOR A

MERRY CHRISTMAS

AND A

JOYFUL AND PROSPEROUS

NEW YEAR

PFG PRESIDENT

Lou Helbling

PFG VICE PRESIDENT

Marty Gohn

PFG PAST PRESIDENT

Doug Dillon

PFG EXECUTIVE SECRETARYHoward Krupp

PFG DIRECTORS

Dan Rich Mike ChulyakBill Streater Don LayserPenn Yeatman, III Don PrattBob Blind John ThomasCarl Fetzer Jim Himes

PENN STATE'S FLORICULTURE FACULTY

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GOOD NEWS ABOUT POINSETTIAS

HOPE IN SIGHT ABOUT TOXICITY

the dangers of so-called poisonousplants. The Society has always recommended—and still does—that floristsnot bring the matter to the attentionof the public through the news media,unless questioned by reporters. According to SAFs John Walker, "TheSociety is in complete agreement thatevery child should be instructed neverto eat any part of a plant or berrynot commonly used as food—but weare opposed to the stress placed onunsubstantiated reports of death fromalleged poisonous plants."

SAF further says that the statement "eating mistletoe berries causes

death" is "an old wives' tale." According to Dr. H. M. Cathey, Leader,Ornamental Investigations, U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Md., theplant may have been considered lethalbecause of legend or superstition inherited from ancient days. Dr. Catheypoints out that there never has beena death reported from Americanmistletoe—and that mistletoe couldcause death only if eaten in greatquantities.

Dr. Cathey also claims that theUSDA has virtually ceased to receivereports of allergic reactions to themilky sap of the poinsettia plant. Heattributes this to new varieties which

are probably less irritating to sensitive persons.

"Every year at this time, the Society of American Florists receivesreports of newspapermen and broadcasters capitalizing on the drama ofso-called poisonous plants and overemphasizing the toxicity out of allproportion to its danger," states SAFExecutive Director John Walker. "Anew study undertaken by The OhioState University will help florists dispel the fears of customers with regardto the popular poinsettia plant."

Mr. Walker's reference concerns anassistantship established at the University (with the Department of Horticulture and Zoology cooperating) todetermine the toxicity of poinsettias.The research, made possible througha grant from Paul Ecke Poinsettias,Encinitas, California, has focused onthe reaction of rats to extremely highdoses of poinsettia leaves, bracts, andflowers (cyathia). Rats, according toDr. D. C. Kiplinger, Professor of Horticulture at Ohio State, are customarily used as test objects for determining the relative toxicity of insecticides,fungicides, and herbicides. The findings than are used as a basis for ratingthe toxicity of the material to humans.

A progress report issued by RobertStone, Graduate Research Assistant,and W. J. Collins, Assistant Professorof Entomology, states that "An analysis of the preliminary data indicatesthat the poinsettia is not toxic tolaboratory rats. A complete reportwill be submitted to a scientific journal for publication."

Mr. Walker praises the researchstudy and the Ecke grant as.evidenceof concerned and coordinated actionto solve a "thorny" problem whichhas been plaguing the floral industryfor many years. "At least, we are onthe threshold of having concrete information with which to end the long-run of the poisonous Christmas plant'myth."v In prior years SAF has warned florists and association executives to beon guard for reports by newsmen on

POINSETTIAS ARE NOT POISONOUS!Most everyone has heard that poin

settia leaves are very poisonous andthat if eaten, can cause death. In1919, a child in Hawaii is supposedto have died as a result of eating oneleaf of a poinsettia, but this was neverauthenticated.

To determine the toxicity of poinsettias, Paul Ecke, Inc., of Encinitas,California, established a research fellowship at Ohio State through theOhio Florists' Association. This wasoperated through the cooperation ofthe Departments of Horticulture andZoology. Personnel in Horticulturegrew the poinsettias and a graduatestudent in Zoology prepared thesamples, fed them to rats, and tookthe data. Why rats? Because thetoxicity of various materials such asinsecticides, fungicides, herbicides,etc. is determined using the rat as thetest object and then the results are"translated" to man. In the tests whichwere run, no human toxicity wasevaluated.

The results of such tests are expressed as an LD50 rating which isthe milligrams of active ingredient(in this case, fresh plant tissue) perkilogram (approximately 2 pounds) ofrat that is a lethal dose for 50% of a

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rat population when the material isadministered orally.

A progress report has been issuedby Dr. W. J. Collins, Assistant Professor of Entomology and Mr. RobertP. Stone, graduate research assistantin Entomology, and it is presentedbelow.

"The poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcher-rima Willd., has gained a reputationas a highly toxic and deadly plant,causing conditions from dermatitisto death. Furthermore, since severalmembers of its family (the Spurges,Euphorbiaceae) are poisonous, it isnatural to suspect that the poinsettia itself might be toxic. No actualtoxicity tests had previously beendone on the poinsettia, therefore,such a study was undertaken.At The Ohio State University (Columbus), rats were given extremelyhigh doses of the leaves, bracts, andflowers (cyathia) of the poinsettia.An analysis of the preliminary dataindicates that the poinsettia is nottoxic to laboratory rats. A completereport will be submitted to a scientific journal for publication."

Report Received from Dr. D. C. Kiplinger,Ohio State University.

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DILLON RESEARCH FUND

CONTRIBUTORS FOR 1970Allyn & Allyn, West Palm Beach, FloridaAmerican Horticultural Supply Co., New York, N. Y.Anderson's Greenhouse, FranklinRaymond C. Aschmann, NorristownWm. Baird & Sons, GreenvilleGeo. J. Ball, Inc., Chicago, IllinoisBeall Greenhouse Co., Inc., Vashon, WashingtonCharles A. Bortmas Greenhouses, ButlerBrighton By-Products Co., Inc., New BrightonDonald K. Burkhart, LancasterCalifornia-Florida Plant Corp., Stuart, FloridaStan Cassel Greenhouse & Garden Center, ChalfontCharlett Greenhouses, CabotJ. L. Christy Greenhouse, AliquippaL B. Coddington Co., Murray Hill, New JerseyCremer-Florist, Inc., HanoverGeorge Didden Greenhouses, Inc., HatfieldDietz Florists, McKees RocksJ. L. Dillon, Inc., BloomsburgDillon Floral Products, Inc., ScrantonDrayer Florists & Greenhouses, ReynoldsvilleDuerr's Flowers, MeadvilleDunbar-Hopkins Co. Greenhouse, Ashtabula, OhioPaul Ecke, Inc., Encinitas, CaliforniaEdward's Flowers, TamaquaBard Eichelberger, NeffsvilleElmira Floral Products, Inc., Elmira Heights, New YorkEmerick's Greenhouse, New BrightonEngelman, Florist, TyroneFantom & Gahs Greenhouses, Inc., Baltimore, MarylandRaymond A. Fleck, Inc., SouthamptonFloral Acres, Inc., Delray Beach, FloridaL. Edward Folk Florist, Inc., BloomsburgFord's Greenhouse, CoatesvilleFriedl-Elverson Pottery Co., New BrightonK. Frederick Fries, J. L. Dillon, Inc., BloomsburgThos. R. Fries Sons, Florists, LancasterThe Garland Company, Cleveland, OhioE. C. Geiger, HarfeysvilleGeorge's Flowers, CarlisleFred C. Gloeckner & Co., Inc., New York, New YorkGrandview Florists & Greenhouses, JohnstownGeo. K. Groff, Inc., Bird-in-HandJ. Clarence Groff, StrasburgErich Gumto Greenhouses Inc., PittsburghLouis Hahn & Son, Inc., PittsburghN. V. Hansen, Port Chester, New YorkL. Hayes Greenhouse, Down:ngtownAbram E. Herr, MillersvilleHill Foundation, Richmond, Ind.James A. Himes, Friedl-Elverson Pottery Co., New BrightonPeter Hellberg Company, ChalfontThe John Henry Company, Lansing, MichiganHoliday Gardens Greenhouse, Inc., RutledgeH. G. German Seeds, Inc., SmethportGraber the Florist, Highland Falls, New YorkJohnston the Florist, McKeesportKapco, Agway, Inc., SomersetKasardas' Greenhouses, WyomingKrueger's Greenhouses, BethlehemLandis Greenhouses, SugarloafLayser Flowers, Inc., MyerstownHerman Lederer Sons, ParkerfordLincolnway Flower Shop & Greenhouses, Inc., YorkS. Locher & Son, PittsburghLinn C. Longenecker, ManheimRobert J. Loughead, WarminsterJohn H. Marx, MendenhallWarren J. Mathias, American Can Co., HersheyMay Greenhouses, Springdale

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McCurio Florist Company, Inc., PittsburghMcFadden Greenhouses, Inc., OxfordHenry F. Michell Co., King of PrussiaJ. C. Mikkelsen & Sons Greenhouses, Inc., Ashtabula, OhioPaul H. Mikkelsen, Henry F. Michell Co., EmmanusClint Miller, Geo. J. Ball, Inc., AllentownMiller's Greenhouse, LandisvilleMiller's Wholesale Florists, AltoonaMong's Greenhouse, FranklinMorroni Bros. Florists, Inc., SmithmillNevill's Flowers, MontoursvilleNiessner's Flowers, JohnstownOelschigs' Nursery, Inc., Savannah, Ga.Oglevee Floral Co., Inc., ConnellsvilleFrank M. Palmer, Kennett SquarePenna. Perlite Corp., Lehigh ValleyL. S. Peterman Company, AltoonaRobeit B. Peters Co., Inc., AllentownPeterson's Greenhouse, SpringdaleL. K. Philips, OxfordJohn J. Pranulis Greenhouses, ButlerDonald S. Pratt, AvondaleS. Russel Prizer, ParkerfordProper's Greenhouse, BradfordReiniger Brothers Inc., HatboroHenry W. Ridgeway, Mickleton, New JerseyF. O. Rinker & Sons, Inc., BloomsburgF. W. Ritter Sons Company, South Rockwood, MichiganH. Stanford Roberts, NewtownRobinson's Greenhouse, PhiladelphiaRoyer's Flower Shop, LebanonRuof's Flowers, Inc., LancasterRydal Flower Gardens, RydalSamtmann Bros., Wyndmoor, Phila.Sawyer & Johnson Inc., BethlehemR. H. Schloss, S. S. Skidelsky & Co., Inc., New Rochelle, New

YorkGustav H. Schroeder, Newtown SquareOtto A. Schmidt, PhiladelphiaBernard R. Sherman, Continental Casualty Co., LancasterClaymore C. Sieck, Baltimore, MarylandX. S. Smith, Inc., Red Bank, New JerseyCarl Springer, E. C. Geiger, LansdaleHoward J. Stein, Stein's Flowers. MohntonJ. E. Streater &Son, Inc., BloomsburgStoney Ledge Creenhouse, IrwinSyracuse Pottery, Inc., Syracuse, New YorkTegge's Greenhouse, SouthamptonTen Eyck's Greenhouse, Bucyrus, OhioJoseph Thomas Florist of Greensburg, JeanetteJ. H. Thompson, Inc., Kennett SquareThe W. W. Thompson Co., West Hartford. Conn.Tinari Greenhouses, Huntingdon ValleyOctave Vlamynck & Co., Inc., East Patterson, New JerseyVosters Nurseries & Greenhouses, Inc., SecaneArnold B. Wagner, J. L. Dillon, Inc., BloomsburgE. C. Wagoner's Sons, Beaver FallsFrank P. Walton, Kennett SquareRobert M. Way Greenhouses,Kennett SquareWeber Brothers Greenhouses, Inc., Oak Park, MichiganWeiland Greenhouse, New CastleWenger's Flowers, Inc., LeacockChas. M. Wernig's Sons, YorkJames P. Whalen, Drexel HillEdward Wilcock's, Ed's Greenhouse, CroydonWinandy Greenhouse Construction, Inc., Richmond, Ind.N. H. Wright,, Inc., Cranbury, New JerseyP. J. Yeatman's Sons, Inc., Kennett SquareZelienople Greenhouse Company, ZelienopleZieger & Sons, Inc., Dresher