# Camelia -edible or toxic?



## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

So... Fiasco shows camelia on the edible list... but everywhere else I read says it's toxic. It does resemble rhodies to an extent - dark, thick, glossy evergreen leaves, etc. I use the Fiasco list a lot... but the discrepancies on it make me unwilling to consider it gospel. Things like lilac are listed on both sides, but everywhere else says lilac is fine - and mine dont seem to have any issues with it even though it grows in their pen. Lily of the Valley and Pieris Japonica are completely different plants (one is a rhizome bulb-like plant and the other a bush) though I'm assuming both are toxic... just things like that make me not trust the info 100%.

Obviously I will not feed it to my goats until I KNOW it is safe... but I have a HUGE camelia that could be very useful in giving them some variety over the winter since the only greens they have in the winter is pine. 

So yeah... anybody know? That Fiasco says it's edible is encouraging... but there are so many other things out there saying it's poisonous (including a few places with rhodie poisoning antidotes). So... I'm definitely skeptical.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Off the ASPCA list

Additional Common Names: Common Camellia, Peony Camellia





Scientific Name: Camellia japonica





Family: Theaceae





Toxicity: Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

^Hmm... also helpful. Maybe it really is ok. :shrug:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Here visible proof 
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=FA32C69964B7D3E4C242FA32C69964B7D3E4C242


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Camelia oil non-toxic http://www.chefknivestogo.com/tsoilst1.html


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

And from Arbor Day Foundation 
*Wildlife Value:*
Squirrels and birds feast upon camellia seeds. Deer eat both young and mature camellias, but rabbits concentrate their nibbling on the young, tender plants.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

Sweet! Looks like I can do some pruning.


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