Happy Holly Days

There are many traditions we follow when it comes to the holidays. We get together with friends and family. We exchange gifts. We throw parties. And we decorate. That means we do everything we can to make our homes, workplaces and sometimes even ourselves and our cars look as decorative as the holiday season calls for. But some of those home decorations can be a little more than we bargained for.

If you are planning to bring holiday foliage into your home this season, you will need to know which plants are safe. There are some which should be kept out of your kid's and your pet’s reach. Then there are others which you should avoid entirely. 

We will start with the Christmas tree. The water used to nourish Christmas trees can be noxious. Bacteria, molds, and fertilizers can cause your pet to become extremely sick with only a few laps. The oils produced by fir trees can be irritating to a child's or a pet's mouth and stomach, causing excessive vomiting or drooling. The tree needles, meanwhile, may cause gastrointestinal irritation, obstruction and puncture. These, along with ornaments, may also present a choking hazard.

The Christmas Cactus (or its relative, the Easter Cactus) plant is not toxic in either its parts or flowers. Keep kids and pets away from them, though. The fibrous plant material can cause irritation to the stomach and intestine, leading to vomiting or diarrhea.

The flowering Amaryllis can be very dangerous. The Amaryllis contains lycorine and other noxious substances.The plants are more likely to be eaten by pets than children, but the alkaloid poison lycorine is considered toxic to humans, too. It causes salivation, gastrointestinal abnormalities (vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and abdominal pain), lethargy, and tremors in both cats and dogs. The bulb of the plant is reputed to be even more dangerous than the flowers and stalk. Amaryllis also goes by other names, including Belladonna, Saint Joseph Lily, Cape Belladonna, and Naked Lady.

Mistletoe is a name given to one of several plants, all potentially dangerous for kids and pets. Phoradendron species contain a toxin called phoratoxin, which can cause blurred vision, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood pressure changes, and even death. All parts of the mistletoe plant are poisonous, though it is the berries that may be most attractive to kids. Eating 1-2 berries probably will not cause a problem for a child, but a small pet could be endangered by eating a few leaves or berries. If your child or pet eats mistletoe, it's a good idea to seek medical advice.

The beautiful poinsettia is not something you want on a salad, but this Euphorbia is not particularly dangerous. If you eat a few leaves, you may feel ill or vomit. Rubbing the sap from the plant into your skin can give you an itchy rash. Beyond that, this plant is unlikely to cause a problem for either humans or pets.

A child can eat 1-2 holly berries (Ilex) without harm, but around 20 berries can cause death, so eating holly berries is a serious concern for children and pets. Though the berries are the part that is most commonly eaten, the bark, leaves, and seeds are toxic. What is the poison? Interestingly enough, it is theobromine, an alkaloid that is related to caffeine. Theobromine is found in chocolate (and is toxic to dogs even at the lower concentration), but there is much more of the compound in holly berries.

'Tis the season to be jolly, just watch that mistletoe and holly! Make sure your indoor holiday plants do not become the gift that keeps on giving.

 

Zimmerman Tree Service provides plant care, lawn, insect control, pruning, stump grinding, exotic invasive removal, mangrove, lethal yellowing treatment, pine revitalization, coconut palm injections, blend fertilizers, disease, cabling, bracing, lightning protection and total plant health care in Palm Beach County, Boca Raton, West Palm, Wellington, Manalapan, Green Acres, Lake Worth, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Lantana, Boynton Beach Tree and the rest of Palm Beach County, as well as Broward and Martin Counties in South Florida. Call 561-968-1045

Make Your Holiday A Safe One

The holiday season is upon us again, and again it is time for us to decorate. For many of us this is a time when we string up festive lights and deck the halls from wall to wall. It is also the time of year when holiday displays are shown off in the great outdoors. Whatever your traditions may be, there is one important tradition we should all keenly observe...safety.

Carefully make your holiday a safe one by inspecting and testing your lights before hanging them. What worked fine last year may not this holiday. Wiring and bulbs have undergone a year of wear and tear by now. Be mindful to use only lighting that has been designed for outdoor use. If not properly installed and cared for those blinking and glowing lights can become a hazard. Holiday lights add cheer to the season, but use caution with placement and never leave the lights unattended if you are not home.

Remember that you should never use inside cords for outside decoration. Also, do not overload them by putting more than three strings of lights into one cord. Be sure to use extension cords correctly. Current going through the cords can heat them up, so you do not want a cord coiled on the floor in layers. This could be a fire hazard. Try to use the length of cord that you will need.

Keep in mind that trees and other plants you may choose to decorate with lights are organic compounds such as wood and leaves, and these materials can possibly catch fire if they are overheated. You should definitely discard your old holiday lights if you feel that the lights are giving off too much heat. New technology means that the bulbs on newer lights can be replaced, and they are designed to prevent a short circuit.

Certified outdoor lighting is specifically designed to be used outdoors in all weather conditions, and should be used for an outdoor seasonal lights display, rather than indoor lights. Indoor lighting used outside can increase the risk of fires, and short circuits. LED lights look just like the standard incandescent holiday that you've grown used to, only better. In point of fact they last longer with a 50,000 hour bulb life. LED lights are safer - due to burning at a lower temperature, and are practically unbreakable. But most importantly, the LED lights are more efficient - they use 90% less energy than the lights your neighbor leaves up year-round.
Zimmerman Tree Service provides commercial and residential holiday and year-round lighting services in the Palm Beach County area. 

http://zimmermantreeservice.com/Services/HolidayLightingInstallationandRemovalService.aspx.

Canopy Reduction For Your Trees

Canopy reduction is the process of removing the end of branches at the top or sides of trees.

The main reasons for pruning your tree canopy are:

1. Provide clearance from a structure

2. Reduce the risk of tree failure

3. Overall size reduction

http://zimmermantreeservice.com/Services/CanopyReduction.aspx