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Today, we will look into 8 common poisonous house plants that can be dangerous to your children and pets. Identifying these plants and risks associated with each will help you either n avoid such plants or take precautions to prevent complications.
, I Am sure most of you will be surprised to know when I reveal the names of these plants and Some common house plants can really be toxic to children, pets, elderly people and even you, specially , if you do not know about the plant name and its properties. So plant identification is also important before you purchase or grow a plant in your home or garden. I have a big playlist titled – PLANT IDENTIFICATION which has lots of videos on individual plant names and care tips. Will link that at the end of this video.
Well, These poisonous plants can affect your kid or your pet if they:
- Eat the plant leaves and the action is due to some poisonous chemicals
- Touch the plant
- Eat their flowers or fruits
- Touch or eat the Sap or juice produced from the cut ends.
- For pets, Eat the soil or even drink the Water left over in the Plant Tray.
So, lets start identifying 8 common toxic houseplants with some important points and symptoms they produce in pets and humans. And Many of these are also known as good-luck plants, but some may not be so lucky for your pets and children.
- PHILODENDRONS: Yes these are one of the most commonly grown indoor plants and low light plants and most of us are not aware of its risks. Nothing too much to worry because they are mildly poisonous to your pets like cats and dogs. But if ingested in large amounts specially by cats, it cause cause seizure disorder meaning fits or spasms and can sometimes be fatal. In humans, eating its leaves might cause mild stomach upset. This reaction is because of the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in most plants.
- MONEY PLANT (Pothos, Devils Ivy and so on): This might be surprising to most of us. But do not worry, its only midly poisonous, specially to pets and children if leaves are ingested. In Humans it can produce swelling of mouth, tongue and throat and sometime vomiting and loose motions. But in cats and dogs similar symptoms are produced plus it can also produce kidney failure and even death if ingested in large amounts.
- CALADIUM (Elephant Ear Plant): This is another common plant which can cause irritation and swelling of mouth and throat in pets and kids on chewing due to the release of calcium oxalate. Other symptoms can be drooling, vomiting and stomach upset. It can also cause difficulty in breathing and death if ingested in large amounts. And one more point is if the sap gets into eyes it can damage cornea and impair eye sight.
- DIEFFENBACHIA (Dumb Cane Plant): This is another commonly grown house plant and its rightly called dumbcane because eating its leaves can cause irritation and swelling of mouth and throat and it makes you dumb meaning you cannot speak for sometime due to throat or laryngeal edema. This action is again due to calcium oxalate effect. Other symptoms can be pain in the mouth, excessive salivation or drooling, burning sensation, and swelling and numbing of the throat.
- SANSEVIERA (Snake Plant or Mother in Laws Tongue): Yes this is another common easy to grow houseplant and an indoor plant. In Humans as well as pets it causes similar symtoms on Eating it – like mouth pain, excessive salivation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
- PEACE LILY: This is another common indoor plant and an excellent air purifying plant. The signs and symptoms of poisoning are almost similar to that of Phylodendrons, which we already discussed.
- OLEANDER: Though this plant looks beautiful with delicate leaves and flowers, this is infact a toxic plant. Ingestion of leaves and even flower can produce serious symptoms. Ingesting even a single leaf can cause symptoms varying from vomiting, dizziness, tremors and even Heart beat rhythm issues called arrhythmias or irregular heart beats and palpitations and can even cause death. So better avoid this plant if you have pets and children.
- POINSETTIA: This beautiful plant has its toxins in its sap or the juice which comes out from the cut stems or branches. This sap can irritate your skin and cause dermatitis and if ingested can produce nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
