GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

beccabunga · 24-03-2010, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewart Robert Hinsley

In message , echinosum
writes

'Sacha[_4_ Wrote:
;881091']On 2010-03-22 21:44:58 +0000, EastneyEnder
said:
-
On Mar 22, 9:08*pm, Sacha wrote:
By the way Sacha - what is its common name? Many lists of plants
poisonous to rabbits don't specify the latin name.
Is it Christmas berry?

Many thanks
xxxx-

I don't have any list of plants poisonous to rabbits but do you mean
what is the common name of Photinia? No idea, I'm afraid. I've only
ever known it as Photinia but then I don't keep rabbits!

"Christmas berry" is a name used for some types of Photinia. "Red Robin"
is a commonly used name for a some particular forms of Photinia x
fraseri.

Wikipedia suggests that Photinias are poisonous to grazing animals.

Google only knows of Photonia as a misprint for Photinia. Photinia is
Rosaceae, so that just shows that not all Rosaceae are non-toxic.
Another well-known rosid with toxic leaves is "cherry laurel", ie Prunus
laurocerasus.

Cyanogenic glycosides are reasonably common in Rosaceae, especially in
the Pruneae (Prunoideae) and Pyreae (Maloideae). In cherry laurel the
active compound is prulaurasin, in bitter almonds it is amygdalin, and
in Photinia it is prunasin (presumably found in some other species of
Prunus).

Photinia also contains aucuparins (a class of compounds first isolated
from rowan), but these seem to be anti-fungal compounds, and I'm not
finding any documentation of toxicity in animals. On the other hand I
wouldn't assume that they're innocuous.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

When they get bored of the taste, they will stop eating it. It is probably the young leaves they are going for. I would not be too concerned for their health - bunnies are nearly indestructible.