Toxic Houseplants

Most plants are harmless, but some are poisonous and should be grown with caution, especially if your household includes young children and pets. Be careful when growing plants with spines or thorns, such as cactus, pygmy date palm, and sago palm. Parts of poisonous plants or sap from them can be harmful if touched, chewed, or swallowed, causing allergic reactions, dermatitis, skin irritation, stomach upset, or worse from internal poisoning. The good news is that most potentially toxic plants must be consumed in large quantities to cause damage; they pose a risk only as a mild or moderate irritant. Often the bitter taste repels a child or pet and stops them from ingesting much of the plant. Among the toxic common plants are caladium,Clivia, daffodil, Dieffenbachia, Easter lily, English ivy, oleander, peace lily, philodendron, pothos, and ZZ plant.

To prevent problems, when you bring a plant into your home, look it up online and determine if it is safe or has any potential toxicity. Place plants out of reach of children and pets. If a plant is ingested, remove the rest from the mouth and rinse the mouth with water.

If you suspect that a child or pet has been poisoned by eating or touching a houseplant, call the 24-hour National Capital Poison Center at 800/222-1222, or call your doctor, veterinarian, local hospital emergency room, or acute-care clinic. It helps to have a plant sample, photo, or name of the plant with you when you make the call to correctly identify the problematic plant.

Poinsettias are not poisonous, although it’s wise to keep children or pets from eating them because they might have been treated with pesticides. However, they do contain a milky sap that can cause an allergic skin reaction similar to the latex allergy some people experience. If you’re sensitive to latex, use caution and wear cotton or leather gloves when handling poinsettias.