Is the bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae) toxic? Learn about its toxicity before caring for it with peace of mind

1. Is it toxic?

The answer is that it has slight toxicity. Its fruit is mildly toxic, but very slightly so; if not eaten in large amounts, it will not harm us. Generally speaking, it not only does us no harm, but can also clear away heat, remove toxins, disperse blood stasis, and reduce swelling. Its entire plant can be used as medicine, with very powerful effects.

It is mainly grown in greenhouses. Its flowers are oddly shaped and very numerous, extremely dense. Whether grown as a potted plant for appreciation or planted in a courtyard, it is very suitable. Its branches are very soft and have climbing ability, and its leaves are relatively few, making it very suitable to grow attached to a flower trellis. Although it is not toxic, it has many flowers, so if someone in your home is sensitive to pollen or dislikes its scent, it is best not to put it indoors; it can be grown outside the house.

2. Can it be eaten?

It can often be seen in the wild, and in most cases we do not need to worry about its toxicity. But if we eat a lot of it, we will certainly be harmed, so we should not eat it in large quantities. If it is used as medicine, it must be eaten strictly according to the prescription, because eating too much will cause toxins to accumulate in our body and harm us to a certain degree.

3. Precautions

As a Chinese herbal medicine, it can remove toxic qi and clear away heat, but if you are pregnant, it is not recommended to consume it. It is cold in nature, and although it has very little toxicity, if eaten too much by accident, it is not good for the fetus. Although it can help reduce internal heat, its cold nature can also harm the stomach.