|
Poisonous Plants: Indoors
By Gwen Nyhus Stewart
House
plants clean the air, provide an indoor environment that brings us closer to
nature, and serve as attractive additions to the interior decor. While some plants in our lives are
considered poisonous and should be a matter of concern, the vast majority are
not. We can avoid the plants that
might cause us problems with knowledge and a little common sense.
Plants, to be classified as poisonous, simply need to
produce some adverse reaction when people are exposed to it. External reactions, such as allergies,
account for many plants being called poisonous. The part of the plant that causes internal poisoning when
ingested is called a toxin. Confusing
is the fact that many plants may appear on lists that classify the plant as
safe and other lists that classify the plant as poisonous. The following information examines the
more common house plants, their toxicity, and practical steps to prevent
poisoning.
Click
on link to go to plant name.
Plant name: Alocasia (Alocasia spp.)
Common name: Elephant's-ear
Poisonous parts: All parts
Toxins: calcium
oxalate crystals; possible proteins
Effects: Painful irritation
of lips, mouth, tongue, and throat after chewing; difficulty of speaking;
nausea and diarrhoea; delirium and death.
WARNING: HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY
BE FATAL IF EATEN!
SKIN IRRITATION SEVERE!
Plant name: Aloe Vera (Aloe
barbadensis)
Common
name: Burn plant
Poisonous parts: Sap part of leaves
Toxins: Anthraquinone glycoside.
Effects:
ingestion can irritate the large intestine, contact dermatitis in sensitive
individuals.
Plant name: Amaryllis
(Amaryllis sp.)
Poisonous Parts: Bulb
Toxins: Lycorine
Effects: large quantities of the bulb must be eaten to
cause symptoms (diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting).
Plant name: Anthurium (Anthurium
andraeanum)
Common name: Flamingo lily,
Painter's Palette
Poisonous parts: All parts of
the plant
Toxins: Calcium oxalate
Effects: ingestion chewing
causes painful irritation of the mouth and throat, blistering, difficulty in
swallowing, hoarseness.
Plant name: Asparagus (Asparagus
densiflorus)
Common
Name: Asparagus fern
Poisonous parts: Berries, contact with plant sap
Toxins: Unknown
Effects: ingestion
- gastrointestinal problems, contact dermatitis, redness, swelling, and
blisters following contact with sap.
Plant
name: Begonia (Begonia
semperflorens-cultorum)
Common Name: Wax begonia, Tuberous begonia
Poisonous parts: Rhizomes
(thickened rootstock), tubers, and roots
Toxins: Oxalates
Effects: ingestion - burning
of mouth, throat, lips, and tongue, swelling, difficulty with speech and
swallowing; possibly nausea and vomiting.
Plant name: Caladium (Caladium x hortulanum)
Common name: Angels' wings
Poisonous parts: All parts of the plant
Toxins: Calcium oxalate crystals, unidentified compounds
Effects: ingestion severe irritation to mouth, lips,
tongue, throat, nausea, vomiting, and
diarrhoea, contact dermatitis from cell sap. Children and pets that
nibble on the plant are all at risk.
Toxic only if large quantities are eaten.
Plant name: Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum
sp.)
Common name: Mums
Poisonous parts: Leaves, stalks
Toxins: Arteglasin A
Effects: contact dermatitis
Plant name: Clivia (Clivia miniata)
Common name: Kaffir Lily
Poisonous parts: All parts of the plant
Toxins: Alkaloids
Effects: ingestion - large quantities of the plant must be
eaten to cause symptoms of toxicity (collapse, diarrhoea,
paralysis, salivation, vomiting).
Plant
name: Coleus (Coleus X hybridus)
Common name: Coleus, Painted nettle
Poisonous parts: Leaves
Toxins:
Diterpene coleonol, coleon O.
Effects:
contact dermatitis with red rash after repeated and frequent contact.
Plant name: Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Poisonous parts: Bark, latex, leaves, roots
Toxins: 5-deoxyingenol
Effects: ingestion chewing
of the barks and roots causes burning of the mouth, latex may cause eczema
after repeated exposure.
Plant name: Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
Common
Name: Persian violet
Poisonous parts: Bulb, rhizomes
Toxins: Triterpenoid
saponins
Effects: rhizomes are bitter and found underground,
unlikely that children or pets will be exposed to the toxins.
Plant name: Datura (Datura
stramonium)
Common name: Angel's trumpet, Thorn apple
Poisonous parts: Flowers, leaves, seeds
Toxins: Atropine, hyoscine, and hyoscyamine
Effects: ingestion - toxic alkaloids that have caused
poisoning and death in humans and animals, symptoms of poisoning are
agitation, spasmodic movement, coma, drowsiness, hallucination, dry mouth, muscle weakness, increased blood
pressure and pulse, fever, dilated pupils, paralysis and
elevated temperature.
Large amounts have to be eaten to be toxic.
Plant name: Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia
sp.)
Common name: Dumbcane, Giant Dumbcane, Spotted Dumbcane
Poisonous parts: All parts of the plant
Toxins: Calcium oxalate raphides, proteolytic enzymes
Effects: ingestion - painful and immediate swelling of the
mouth and throat, speech impediment can occur, eye contact with the juices
can result in intense pain and swelling. Toxic only if large quantities are
eaten.
Plant
name: Epipremnum (Epipremnum aureum)
Common Name: Pothos, golden pothos, devil's
ivy
Poisonous parts:
All parts of the plant
Toxins: Calcium oxalate crystals
Effects: ingestion
burning and swelling of lips, mouth, tongue, and throat, diarrhoea, skin
irritation from frequent contact. Toxic only if large quantities are
eaten.
Plant name: Euphorbia (Euphorbia milii)
Common name: Crown-of-thorns
Poisonous parts: Sap
Toxins: Diterpene
esters in milky latex
Effects: latex - caustic and irritant chemicals, avoid contact
to the skin and eyes, ingestion - abdominal pains, blistering, irritation of
the mouth, throat, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Plant name: Euphorbia (Euphorbia
pulcherrima)
Common name: Poinsettia
Poisonous parts: Latex, leaves, stems
Toxins: Unknown, possibly terpenoids - no longer
classified as extremely toxic.
Effects (if any): contact dermatitis, ingestion mild
nausea and vomiting, contact dermatitis, mild nausea.
Plant name: Hedera (Hedera helix)
Common name: English Ivy
Poisonous parts: Leaves
Toxins: didehydrofalcarinol, falcarinol, hederasaponins
Effects: ingestion - poisoning in humans and pets,
difficulty in breathing, convulsions, vomiting, paralysis, coma, dermatitis
(rare) - severe with weeping blisters.
Plant name: Hydrangea (Hydrangea
macrophylla)
Poisonous parts: Leaves and buds
Toxins: Hydragin
Effects:
ingestion vomiting, abdominal pains, diarrhoea, laboured breathing,
lethargy, coma, contact dermatitis from handling the plants.
Plant
name: Ilex (Ilex
vomitoria)
Common
name: Holly
Poisonous
parts: Berries
Toxins:
Alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids
Effects:
ingestion nausea, persistent vomiting, diarrhoea
Plant name: Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe daigremontiana)
Common name: Devil's Backbone, Mother-of-Thousands
Poisonous
parts: Leaves, stems
Toxins:
Daigremontianin
Effects:
may contain toxic compounds
Plant name: Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)
Common name: Swiss-cheese plant, Split-leaf philodendron
Poisonous parts: Leaves
Toxins: Calcium oxalate
Effects: ingestion leaves can cause problems if chewed
by humans or family pets, loss of voice, blistering, hoarseness, irritation
of the mouth, and allergies.
Plant name: Philodendron (Philodendron
spp.)
Common name: Heartleaf philodendron (P. cordatum)
Poisonous parts: Leaves, juices
Toxins: Calcium oxalate raphides
Effects: ingestion - poisoning in humans and pets, burning
sensation in lips, throat, contact dermatitis, reddening and inflammation of
the skin, itchiness.
Plant name: Rhododendron (Rhododendron
sp.)
Common name: Azalea
Poisonous parts: All parts of the plant
Toxins:
Andromedotoxins (grayanotoxins)
Effects:
ingestion low toxicity, keep children and pets away from all rhododendrons.
Plant
name: Schefflera (Schefflera spp.)
Common Name: Schefflera,
Australian umbrella tree
Poisonous parts: Leaves,
plant sap from all parts.
Toxins: Oxalates
Effects: ingestion
- vomiting, numbness and tingling of the mouth, lack of co-ordination, skin
irritation after contact with cell sap.
Plant name: Solanum (Solanum
pseudocapsicum)
Common
name: Jerusalem Cherry
Poisonous
parts: Immature and mature fruit, leaves
Toxins:
Solanocapsine
Effects: ingestion moderate amounts of leaf or berry material,
symptoms of poisoning are abdominal pains, gastroenteritis and vomiting.
Plant
Name: Spathiphyllum (Spathiphyllum
spp.)
Common Name: Peace lily, spathe flower
Poisonous Parts: Leaves
Toxins: Calcium
oxalate crystals
Effects:
ingestion severe burning of lips, tongue, and throat. Toxic only if eaten in large quantities.
Practical
Steps To Prevent Poisoning
1. Keep
poisonous house plants out of the reach of children and pets.
2. Do
not eat any part of a plant that you cannot identify.
3.
Teach your children about plants.
4.
Teach your children not
to eat plant leaves, seeds, or berries.
5.
Store seeds and bulbs
away from food preparation areas.
6.
Keep tags from plants you
buy. The botanical name will be
identified in the case of poisoning.
Keep a list of the plants in
your life. Whenever possible, find
out the botanical name as well as the common name. If there is a skin reaction or internal poisoning occurs, contact
the nearest poison control centre.
Saskatchewan Poison Control Centre number is
1-866-454-1212.
Many types of poisoning need immediate treatment at the nearest
hospital. See Shelly Garners article on Poisonous
Plants Outdoors for more information on poisonous plants that
provide food and flowers.
NOTE: More children are poisoned by household
cleaners than plants. For more
information
about household and gardening products and non-toxic alternatives, see
Environmentally
Friendly GardeningProducts and Non-toxic
Cleaning Products & Recipes
on this
website. Chapter 14, Earth
Stewardship in my book The
Healing Garden:
A Place Of
Peace
is devoted to detailed information about what
you can do to provide
safe
alternatives and practical steps to environmental home caring as is the
booklet
Non-toxicAlternatives For
EverydayCleaning
And Gardening Chores. Both
are
available
for purchase at www.gwenshealinggarden.ca/Books.htm
This article can be added to your website for free:
learn more
|