Page 65 - issue
P. 65
A Rose is a Rose 61
economic bubble, known as “Tulip Mania.” As people bought
up rare bulbs, they became so expensive that they were used
as currency. Eventually, like other futures markets which fol-
lowed, the market crashed. At the height of the mania, a tulip
bulb could be worth the price of an entire estate. By the end
of the crash, they were worth the price of the onion they
resemble.
Zinnias Take Flight
Sometimes even commonly found flowers can become
uncommon. A case in point is the zinnia. They are not con-
sidered very rare – unless you include some “out of this
world” zinnia plants. In January 2016, NASA astronaut Scott
Kelly shared photographs of the first flowers grown in space
aboard the International Space Station. These zinnia plants
were part of a science experiment to see how plants would
grow in microgravity. The seeds were rooted in NASA’s
“Veggie” plant production system” while still on earth, in
November 2015. During the nearly three-month flight there
was some concern on Scott Kelly’s part that the plants “did
not look so good.” At Kelly’s suggestion, the ground team let
him take over control of their growth while in flight and
allowed him to make his own decisions on how best to care
for the zinnias. Ground control’s acquiescence to his request
proved successful, and the zinnias bounced back to health.
(In microgravity, this may have been literally as well as figura-
tively.)
Pick your Poison
There are some well known flowers that you definitely should
be very careful about before placing them on your Shabbos
table, especially if there are precocious children around (not
that any of us would know any children who fit that descrip-
tion). I was surprised to find that hydrangeas are actually
dangerous if swallowed, particularly since this is a popular
flower used as decoration for Shavuos. A few hours after
ingestion, they will cause stomach pain. Patients may also
experience itchy skin, vomiting, weakness, and sweating.
Sometimes even more severe reactions can occur.
Fortunately, there is an antidote for hydrangea poisoning as
well as other drugs to relieve the symptoms.
The entire Lilly-of-the-Valley plant (also known as
Mayflowers) is poisonous. Although eating just a little won’t
cause severe symptoms, eating more can result in nausea,
u 410 358 8509 u
economic bubble, known as “Tulip Mania.” As people bought
up rare bulbs, they became so expensive that they were used
as currency. Eventually, like other futures markets which fol-
lowed, the market crashed. At the height of the mania, a tulip
bulb could be worth the price of an entire estate. By the end
of the crash, they were worth the price of the onion they
resemble.
Zinnias Take Flight
Sometimes even commonly found flowers can become
uncommon. A case in point is the zinnia. They are not con-
sidered very rare – unless you include some “out of this
world” zinnia plants. In January 2016, NASA astronaut Scott
Kelly shared photographs of the first flowers grown in space
aboard the International Space Station. These zinnia plants
were part of a science experiment to see how plants would
grow in microgravity. The seeds were rooted in NASA’s
“Veggie” plant production system” while still on earth, in
November 2015. During the nearly three-month flight there
was some concern on Scott Kelly’s part that the plants “did
not look so good.” At Kelly’s suggestion, the ground team let
him take over control of their growth while in flight and
allowed him to make his own decisions on how best to care
for the zinnias. Ground control’s acquiescence to his request
proved successful, and the zinnias bounced back to health.
(In microgravity, this may have been literally as well as figura-
tively.)
Pick your Poison
There are some well known flowers that you definitely should
be very careful about before placing them on your Shabbos
table, especially if there are precocious children around (not
that any of us would know any children who fit that descrip-
tion). I was surprised to find that hydrangeas are actually
dangerous if swallowed, particularly since this is a popular
flower used as decoration for Shavuos. A few hours after
ingestion, they will cause stomach pain. Patients may also
experience itchy skin, vomiting, weakness, and sweating.
Sometimes even more severe reactions can occur.
Fortunately, there is an antidote for hydrangea poisoning as
well as other drugs to relieve the symptoms.
The entire Lilly-of-the-Valley plant (also known as
Mayflowers) is poisonous. Although eating just a little won’t
cause severe symptoms, eating more can result in nausea,
u 410 358 8509 u
