h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In your article on Classic Poisons under Cyanide it states that the poison is contained in the leaves.

Could you let me know if it is also contained in the mature wood and if so is it emitted during burning in harmful quantities.

Many websites say it does but they may be recounting "Old Wives Tales"

Thanks

(link) A4113983

With my botanist and horticulturalist hat on, I would hazard a guess that you would be quite safe to burn laurel wood. I presume this is the reason you are querying the levels of cyanide in laurel wood?

I have never heard any warnings of dangers associated with the disposal of laurel prunings.

Also, the reason the poison is in the leaves is to discourage animals from eating them, and thus damaging the plant. Not many animals eat branches, so it is likely the concentration of cyanide in the wood is of such a small amount that any released into the atmosphere would be relatively harmless. There are other toxins in smoke though - you should try to make a bonfire with very dry wood, so as to lessen the amount of smoke.

But maybe you were thinking of burning it in a wood stove indoors? I would think you would be safe to do this, as any smoke produced would be vented out through the chimney.

If you want to dispose of laurel wood in your own garden, my best advice would be to build a log pile, to allow a habitat for beetles and other small animals.

Lanzababy