Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
3 ratings

Saturday - May 30, 2009

From: Vernon, BC
Region: Canada
Topic: Trees
Title: Are blue spruce (Picea pungens) poisonous?
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Are blue spruce trees poisonous at all? Thank you.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants would say that Picea pungens (blue spruce) is not poisonous since it does not appear on any of the following toxic plant databases:

Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System

Poisonous Plants of North Carolina

Cornell University's Plants Poisonous to Livestock

University of Pennsylvania's Poisonous Plants

University of California–Davis Toxic Plants 

 

More Trees Questions

Delay in fruiting of Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana)
July 20, 2005 - Dear experts, My wife and i are members of your fine organization. Several years ago we bought four things at a spring plant sale for an understory spot in our yard. The Possumhaw Holly, American ...
view the full question and answer

Small tree for container near pool in Houston
June 24, 2010 - Can you recommend a small tree that I can grow in a pot for shade? Looking for minimal mess because it will be near the pool. How big should the pot be?
view the full question and answer

Pruning Bald Cypress in Wylie, TX
January 02, 2010 - I have a 6 year old bald cypress that sustained damage to the upper portion of its trunk a couple of years ago. Since that time it has grown more outward than upward and developed a rounder shape. I...
view the full question and answer

Native range of Osage orange tree
July 02, 2012 - I found a "bois d'arc" or Osage Orange Tree in a San Antonio park. Is this very unusual? I thought they were mainly in East Tx as I had never seen one here before.
view the full question and answer

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRANDYWINE MAPLE AND BIGTOOTH MAPLE - GEORGETOWN, TX
October 12, 2010 - We live in the Georgetown area (north of Austin). We have a maple tree, that had a tag that read Brandywine. We wanted a bigtooth maple. What is the difference between what we have and what we want...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.