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Have you guys seen... at Lowes?

20 years ago

I'm going to have to email Lowes...

I went to their store the other day to buy seeds. They have (I forget the exact brand name, I'll have to look at my packets) seeds by something Ferry brand name... there is a little side display of seeds they are calling "Cook's Garden" which is a series of edible plants. In this section of seeds are packets of Digitalis Foxgloves. Nowhere on the package of seeds does it mention how increadibly TOXIC and POISONOUS these plants are! I was really horrified. I mean, I love foxgloves, but I would NEVER put them in a section of edible plants. I pointed this out to the ladies at the help counter, and they denied that they were poisonous! One gal even claimed she used to suck on the flowers as a child! I swear this is a poisoning waiting to happen.

So if you happen to go to Lowes, could you keep an eye out for the display and complain if you see it? I just don't want anyone to get hurt... and I can just see this happening. I shop at Lowes all the time, and I like that brand of seeds... I just want them to tell people that they are a poisonous plant.

Colette/madspinner

Comments (9)

  • 20 years ago

    There was a another thread in the past about monkshood being sold as a herb, although "herb" can include various medicinal uses wheras "edible" is definitely specific to a certain activity. Or maybe it was actually being represented as edible in this instance also, thus the concern--I don't remember.

    While your discovery is certainly a poor situation I've seen rats running down the aisles at a nearby Lowe's, mentioned it to an employee and gotten a sheepish grin and a chuckle--not that bad gardening information, mishandled plant products and disinterested attitudes are rare at big box stores.

  • 20 years ago

    Many employees in garden centers at big box stores have no experience or training or clue. Often this is not their fault, personally but the fault of management.

  • 20 years ago

    You may want to call the Poison Contol Hotline.
    There should be an option to push a number if it is NOT an emergency. Give them the details and ask what can be done.
    And call the Ferry company.

    I remember a couple in the Chelan area died a while back from making what they thought was "Comfrey" tea--turned out to be foxglove leaves.

    I don't get to Lowes but maybe one-two times a year, but will keep watching for things like that, too. Good eye!
    I'd have been tempted to take all the packets and *accidentally* relocate them to another rack.

  • 20 years ago

    I emailed Lowes... but have only gotten a "canned" responce so far. I wonder if Poison Control has a website or email address... I may go googling.

    And I think the brand name on the seeds was Ferry-Morse.

  • 20 years ago

    This is so dangerous! 20 years ago I bought a 6 plants that were labled Green Peppers. I'd never seen pepper plants before so didn't know what to expect. They flowered and got small seed pods on them. I waited but they never grew into peppers. Turns out they were deadly nightshade and I am STILL pulling them from my veggie garden. I had no idea...

  • 20 years ago

    All my gardening books say they are poisonous. I wouldn't take a childhood experience as an expert answer! Childish judgment isn't always the best. It may be the stems or the leaves that are the most poisonous, or maybe the roots. They used digitalis for some kind of heart medication, so there must be a part of the plant that isn't so poisonous.

    BTW, Bboy, monkshoods are not foxgloves, although they are poisonous too.

  • 20 years ago

    I was relating a similar example. I know the difference between Aconitum and Digitalis.

  • 20 years ago

    Foxglove is one of those cases where something in moderation can be good, and in lage amounts can kill you. It can be used as heart medication, but it is extremely easy to misjudge the amount and wind up being poisioned.

    I agree, I too would have moved the seeds somewhere else.

  • 20 years ago

    Oh, and here is the webpage for the seed company:

    Here is a link that might be useful: ferry-morse seeds

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