does anyone know why columbines aren't safe?

[moswen]

i planted some mustard greens in an area of my garden where i can't get anything to grow, and i had tula out in my garden with me thinking that she would just mow down those plants, which she did, and then she walked straight over to my columbines and started eating them. so i watched her for about 5 seconds, and when she didn't spit the first bite out and went for another one, i moved her back over to the greens, and she ate a few more, and ended up back over by the columbines again. and again, she ate them.

does anyone know why they're bad? like, i'm not concerned she's going to die or anything, she only had 2-3 bites and she's acting just fine, but i'm just curious what they're "poisonus" with.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know anything about Columbines, but animals in the wild seem to know which plants to eat that will help them with a parasite load. Maybe Columbine is an alkalitic plant and Tula needs help with parasites???

 

[moswen]

Those were my thoughts as well yvonne... Thanks, as always!!

 

[t_mclellan]

Read this for starters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquilegia

 

[dmmj]

Don't trust wiki.

 

[moswen]

did i miss something, because i didn't read where that said speceficially what the toxins are or do to anyone who ingests it, other than the caterpillars who can eat poisonus things....!