Marks & Spencer has apologised after a plant expert raised concern over a "poisonous" flower being placed next to vegetables.
In one of their stores, daffodils were placed next to spring onions under a sign saying "eat well". The bunches of flowers, which had not yet bloomed and as such could easily be mistaken for a vegetable, can be harmful if ingested.
Botanist James Wong, who has appeared as a presenter on several BBC series including the Chelsea Flower Show, The Secrets of Your Food and Springwatch, raised the alarm on Twitter after being sent a photo of the daffodils placed alongside spring onions in the supermarket.
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He said: "Gosh, my mum sent me this… Daffodils are the single most common cause of plant-based poisoning as people mistake their bulbs (even cut flower buds) for crops in the onion family."
The plant expert added: "@marksandspencer I don’t want to get any staff in trouble. But you need better training asap.
"Daffodils are filled with microscopic crystals, so biting into one is like swallowing a box of tiny needles. Properly nasty."
A toxic chemical called lycorine, which is found in daffodils, causes stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting. Daffodil bulbs also contain chemicals called oxalates, which are the needle-like crystals described by James.
A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer said: “Customer safety is our priority and our British daffodils are clearly labelled with an on-pack warning that they are not safe to consume.
“This was a genuine error in one of our stores and as a precaution, we are reminding all stores to make sure the flowers are displayed properly. We apologise for any confusion caused.”
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