Skip to main content

House Plants You Didn't Know Were Poisonous

 Common House Plants 



There are hundreds of beautiful houseplants you can grow, but some contain chemicals that can have unpleasant—even deadly—effects. Toxic houseplants can cause skin irritation, stomach upsets, and burning of the mouth and throat. Some plants are more toxic than others, and the good news is that most need to be ingested in large quantities to cause real damage. However, if you have curious children and pets who like to chew or crush the plants, avoid growing these varieties or take special care to keep them in a safe place out of their reach.


1. Dumb cane



Dieffenbachia selections thrive in low light and add a tropical look to the decor. It earned one of its common names, dumb cane, because of the symptoms it causes when it eats. The juice burns and swells the tongue, which is enough to prevent air from entering the throat. It can be dangerous to both humans and pets if ingested in large quantities. There are plenty of stylish stands available in stores that keep this plant off the ground and away from crawling children and small dogs.


2. English ivy


These plants are the perfect vine to draw from a bookshelf or indoor container garden. Large amounts of English ivy need to be ingested to cause serious problems, but all parts of the plant can cause symptoms such as skin irritation, burning throat (after eating the berries), fever, and rash. As ivy recedes, set up high off the ground out of reach of children and pets.


3. Easter Lily



The scent of this flower is unmistakable and the pure white flowers are eye-catching. Although they are cute, cats have been known to become seriously ill after eating Easter lilies. If not treated by a veterinarian within 18 hours, ingestion of even small amounts of any part of the plant can lead to death in a cat from kidney failure. Pollen is also toxic to cats, so it's a smart idea to remove the yellow anthers as soon as the flowers open to prevent your pet from being exposed to the pollen. This plant is not poisonous to children.


4. Peace Lily



A popular low-light houseplant, the peace lily is toxic only if large amounts of leaves are eaten. If you have pets or small children, enjoy the dark green leaves and white flowers from a distance. As it ages, the peace lily's green foliage deepens in color.


5. Daffodils


If you plan to force bulbs indoors, you should be aware that forcing indoor flowers can be toxic if eaten by humans or pets. Eating the bulbs (which can be mistaken for onions or shallots) can cause serious stomach problems, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and even death. Be sure to keep daffodils on a counter or shelf where they won't be disturbed, or try growing them in the landscape.


6. Philodendron



No other plant group is as widely used indoors as philodendrons, but they are poisonous to humans and pets. Eating them can cause burning and swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat along with vomiting and diarrhea. Like ivy, philodendrons have a trailing habit, so keep them well off the ground.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Great Designs for Container Groupings

Once your single containers are ready to merge It's hard to fail with a group of containers. Any size group, from a simple couple to large multiples, can enhance any outdoor space. Open patios and decks become softer and more intimate when you place pots around them. A straight and simple outdoor path lined with containers can become a wave of sorts—a formal one with some plants or an informal path with others. You never know what you'll come up with by placing one pot next to another or a particular plant with others. Once you start experimenting, you'll notice many places where a container is grouped. 1. Combine bright colors This collection of colorful pots introduces the viewer to the vivid color scheme in the beds behind it, mainly blue flowers. However, to maintain exclusivity, pots get exclusive rights to colors like magenta, pink and chartreuse. 2. Formal lateralization A combination of papyrus and vases always looks elegant, but when placed side by sid...

Strategies for improving a small garden space

Prioritize functionality when every inch is precious When I started designing gardens 20 years ago, I was surprised to find that small spaces were more challenging to plan than large ones. In those early years, a small number of clients would come to me with detailed lists of items they must have, and I would struggle to fit everything in. Identifying specific features and details was a major breakthrough. A garden should be the final step in the process, not the first. Since then, every consultation I have with a new client begins with three questions I've nicknamed the "three W's." These prompts help my clients imagine interacting with their redesigned spaces, and while they're useful in remodeling gardens of all sizes, they're especially helpful when space is at a premium. When my husband and I recently moved into a new house with a small backyard, we had the opportunity to use the process for ourselves. Here's what we found. Three question...

7 Big Impact Dwarf Flowering Shrubs

Scale with dwarf flowering shrubs Big gardens have a season in life, and we have unlimited energy to maintain perennial gardens and a quarter acre vegetable plot that produces enough food for the entire neighborhood. But if you're starting out with a three-story balcony garden or have a small garden, you can still use dwarf shrubs to create a beautiful outdoor living space. Dwarf shrubs are perfect for small space gardens When thoughtfully designed, a small space garden can be as visually appealing and emotionally pleasing as a sprawling yard. No need to sacrifice your favorite shrubs like roses and lilacs. You need to choose the right size varieties to match the size of the space. A short hedge or even a casket of flowering shrubs may be all you need to make your patio feel like "home." Dwarf flowering shrubs for your garden It's best to be selective when curating plant palettes for a small space. If the large shrubs you've seen at local nurseries ar...