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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.

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

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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!

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Friday - April 03, 2015

From: Fort Worth, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants, Poisonous Plants
Title: Non Toxic Fruit Plants
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I am trying to plant on my backyard. My dog spends about 8 hours a day outdoors and I am afraid she will be poisoned. I am overwhelmed by the information of toxic trees\plants for dogs. However, I just want a simple answer about what fruit trees are safe for my dog? Also, are blackberry and blueberry plants dog friendly?

ANSWER:

The best place to go for information about plants that are toxic or non-toxic to dogs is the ASPCA website. From this list…

The toxic ones are apricot, plum, peach, cherry, apple,

Non-toxic plants include raspberry and strawberry.

There are many testimonials online about dogs eating blackberries (in moderation) without any toxic effect. The same is also true for blueberries.  But to be 100% safe ask your veterinarian to confirm this.

 

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