Over the past few years, there have been concerns about lead being used in some imported artificial greenery, and that has led many decorators to turn back to nature.

Another benefit to going natural is the cost, which is nothing. Just be careful, though, and make sure you don't grab the wrong kind of greenery in the woods.

Many people worry about accidentally bringing poisonous leaves into the house during the holidays, but the real potential problems are the vines that make up the base of the wreath and any berries used to decorate it.

It's becoming popular to make wreaths from grape or kudzu vines. They make great wreath framing, but when people are pulling down vines from a tree, they often grab poison ivy vines and mix them in the wreath.

Grape vines have long, flaky bark and may have remnants of a single tendril. Woody kudzu vines are smooth all the way to the base.

The only way to tell which vines are poisonous is to look at the base of the vine. If the vine looks "hairy" or has hundreds of tiny, root-like things attaching to the tree or rock, leave it alone!

Left outside, where the oils are inert, poison ivy vines can be relatively harmless. But when they get inside and get warm, the oil can volatilize or be released. That's when everyone in the house gets poison ivy.

The best way to tell the difference is to get a good botanical book. Study how the vines look in our area. Many Web sites have images that can help you identify woody vines.

You also need to use caution in gathering berries for your wreath. A good rule is that if the berry is fleshy and soft, like a grape, remove it. If it's hard or firm, you can keep it.

Mistletoe berries (which are fleshy and soft) are deadly, but can be removed before bringing the greenery indoors. Holly, yew, and juniper berries can make you ill if you eat a great many. However, the taste is so unappealing that this rarely happens. One berry or two won't harm people or pets.

Still, no one would want to risk a sick child or pet during the holidays, so it is always a good idea to place greenery with any berries out of reach of children.

Watch for berries that happen to fall on the floor, though. They can be irresistible to small children.

Dried greenery can be a fire hazard. Christmas tree boughs are the most flammable. Common sense dictates that we don't place candles in arrangements of dried woodland materials.

Keep pine branches wet and use them just before your holiday events. There are products you can spray on the leaves and stems to make them less flammable.

It takes about 10 days for untreated woodland materials to dry out. By then, you replace them with something fresh, or the holiday season is over and you can throw them away or, better yet, make them into compost.

Sid Mullis is the director of the University of Georgia Extension Service office for Richmond County. Call him at (706) 821-2349, or send e-mail to smullis@uga.edu.