“Poisonous Plants of the Olympic Peninsula” by Christina St. John, Thursday, May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023 1:30 am
Red elderberry fruit may look tasty, but the seeds are poisonous. Find out more about which plants on the Olympic Peninsula are dangerous to you, your pets and livestock. Join expert Christina St. John for the Green Thumb Education Series presentation “Poisonous Plants of the Olympic Peninsula” to help you better understand which plants to avoid, Thursday, May 25th noon – 1:00 p.m. at the Port Angeles Library. Photo by Christina St. John
Red elderberry fruit may look tasty, but the seeds are poisonous. Find out more about which plants on the Olympic Peninsula are dangerous to you, your pets and livestock. Join expert Christina St. John for the Green Thumb Education Series presentation “Poisonous Plants of the Olympic Peninsula” to help you better understand which plants to avoid, Thursday, May 25th noon – 1:00 p.m. at the Port Angeles Library. Photo by Christina St. John

Wait, don’t touch that plant! The Olympic Peninsula is indeed a paradise of biodiversity hosting many plants pleasing to the eye and taste, including many edible plants. But unfortunately, poisonous plants, both native and introduced, also grow on the Peninsula. Join Clallam County Noxious Weed Control Program Coordinator Christina St. John for the Green Thumb Education Series presentation “Poisonous Plants of the Olympic Peninsula” to help you better understand which plants to avoid.

Poisonous plants run the spectrum from causing skin rashes when touched all the way up to potentially killing humans and pets if consumed. “But with a little bit of knowledge and a good eye, you can identify these plants and protect yourself, your family, friends and pets from their harmful effects,” Christina said.

Christina will discuss common poisonous plants found on the Olympic Peninsula, how to identify them, and hear tips on how to safely remove them from your landscape if necessary. She will also compare them with non-poisonous plants that look similar to help you better understand the differences. Christina will also have poisonous plants samples available on-site so you can look at them in person.

Christina is the coordinator for the Clallam County Noxious Weed Control Program, which works with private and public landowners to ensure the control of noxious weeds within the county and is responsible for treating noxious weeds on county-owned land. Previously she worked at Shore Road Nursery and the Matt Albright Native Plant Center growing native plants of the Olympic Peninsula. She has also worked on restoration projects in California and North Carolina. Christina obtained her bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz and her master’s degree in Sustainable Forest Management at Oregon State University.

The Green Thumb Education Series presentation “Poisonous Plants of the Olympic Peninsula” will be held in person on Thursday, May 25 from noon – 1 p.m. at the Port Angeles Library’s Carver Room, 2210 S. Peabody St. in Port Angeles.

Or you may join via Zoom from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:

https://wsu.zoom.us/j/93629898830?pwd=UnRkYjdwSGNmTnA4Y2hxVFBuRHVkZz09

Meeting ID: 936 2989 8830

Passcode: 676224

Or join by phone: 253-215-8782

The Green Thumb Education Series, sponsored by the Washington State University Clallam County Master Gardeners, is held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month through October. In November, December, and January, one lecture is offered. Scheduled presentations are subject to change. Visit the WSU Extension Clallam County website calendar for the latest information on upcoming presentations. For questions, call 360-565-2678.