There are a lot of popular houseplants that almost every person who has a plant in their house will have. Sometimes people don’t realize that their favorite plant could actually be poisonous and can severely hurt someone they love. Neither children or pets know that certain things could be dangerous. Even adults don’t even know when they are looking at a poisonous plant. Let’s look a little at some of the most popular houseplants and ones that are poisonous and ones that you should be looking out for.
English Ivy plants have many different chemicals in them that are poisonous. If the plant is eaten it can cause someone to throw up or put them in a coma.
Dumb cane, also known as dieffenbachia also has a chemical in it that is harmful. It causes things like throwing up and itching.
Other plants that are poisonous that are often in homes are philodendrons, hydrangeas, elephant’s ears, bird’s of paradise, pothos or epipremnum aureum, chrysanthemums, mistletoe, peace lily, amaryllis, umbrella plants, and aloe vera. They all cause things like nausea but can also be much more serious if eaten or if a child or pet gets ahold of it.
Let’s take a look at what some poisonous plants actually look like so that you can be aware of them and what you should look out for when your child is around plants.
Amaryllis plants are very poisonous. They are often given out during the holiday season, as well as other times, because they are full with flowers. They come in many different colors including pink, red, white, orange, and salmon. They can also be white with pink or white with red. They have thick, furry like stems with bright open flowering blooms at the end. They are some of the easiest plants to take care of and so are thought to be a great gift, but if you have children be careful.
Azaleas are also poisonous. They are sometimes harder to grow and so aren’t as likeable as the amaryllis plants, but are still a major concern. They can be many different colors and have a lot of blooms on the end of the flower. They have a lot of petals.
Birds of paradise really do look like birds. They often have a pointy green “beak” with brightly colored “hair” standing straight up. They are very pretty to look at and are very sturdy flowers and so they can be very popular.
Chrysanthemums are also very popular plants. They are also very easy to grow which makes them even more popular. There are tons of different types and they come in all different colors, shapes, sizes, and can be tall or short. They have a ton of petals that are small, thin, and very oval shaped. Their leaves are also usually very noticeable too.
If you are in doubt about whether or not a plant is poisonous or not, be sure to keep your children away. It is better to be safe than sorry.