If you are planning to bring holiday foliage into your home this season, you will need to know which plants are safe. There are some which should be kept out of your kid's and your pet’s reach. Then there are others which you should avoid entirely.
We will start with the Christmas tree. The water used to nourish Christmas trees can be noxious. Bacteria, molds, and fertilizers can cause your pet to become extremely sick with only a few laps. The oils produced by fir trees can be irritating to a child's or a pet's mouth and stomach, causing excessive vomiting or drooling. The tree needles, meanwhile, may cause gastrointestinal irritation, obstruction and puncture. These, along with ornaments, may also present a choking hazard.
The Christmas Cactus (or its relative, the Easter Cactus) plant is not toxic in either its parts or flowers. Keep kids and pets away from them, though. The fibrous plant material can cause irritation to the stomach and intestine, leading to vomiting or diarrhea.
The flowering Amaryllis can be very dangerous. The Amaryllis contains lycorine and other noxious substances.The plants are more likely to be eaten by pets than children, but the alkaloid poison lycorine is considered toxic to humans, too. It causes salivation, gastrointestinal abnormalities (vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and abdominal pain), lethargy, and tremors in both cats and dogs. The bulb of the plant is reputed to be even more dangerous than the flowers and stalk. Amaryllis also goes by other names, including Belladonna, Saint Joseph Lily, Cape Belladonna, and Naked Lady.
Mistletoe is a name given to one of several plants, all potentially dangerous for kids and pets. Phoradendron species contain a toxin called phoratoxin, which can cause blurred vision, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood pressure changes, and even death. All parts of the mistletoe plant are poisonous, though it is the berries that may be most attractive to kids. Eating 1-2 berries probably will not cause a problem for a child, but a small pet could be endangered by eating a few leaves or berries. If your child or pet eats mistletoe, it's a good idea to seek medical advice.
The beautiful poinsettia is not something you want on a salad, but this Euphorbia is not particularly dangerous. If you eat a few leaves, you may feel ill or vomit. Rubbing the sap from the plant into your skin can give you an itchy rash. Beyond that, this plant is unlikely to cause a problem for either humans or pets.
A child can eat 1-2 holly berries (Ilex) without harm, but around 20 berries can cause death, so eating holly berries is a serious concern for children and pets. Though the berries are the part that is most commonly eaten, the bark, leaves, and seeds are toxic. What is the poison? Interestingly enough, it is theobromine, an alkaloid that is related to caffeine. Theobromine is found in chocolate (and is toxic to dogs even at the lower concentration), but there is much more of the compound in holly berries.
'Tis the season to be jolly, just watch that mistletoe and holly! Make sure your indoor holiday plants do not become the gift that keeps on giving.
