9 Houseplants That Can Be Dangerous to Children and Pets
We all have that single friend whose beautiful house would never safely support a toddler. But not everyone is in that situation. These nine popular houseplants should be avoided if you have kids or anima
Amazonian Elephant Ear (Alocasia mortfontanensis) is a hybrid species between Alocasia longiloba and Alocasia sanderiana. The Alocasia is known for its large leaves and wide variety of cultivars within the species. Amazonian Elephant Ear is native to tropical Asia and Australia.
The Euphorbia milii is commonly known as the Crown of thorns or Christ thorn, as it is believed to the plant associated with the crown of thorns that was worn by Christ. It needs to stay above 10 °C with full sun.
The Sago palm is said to be a source of sago, a starch and carbohydrate source eaten in certain countries. Great care must be taken, however, because Sago palm is poisonous that could cause vomiting, diarrhea and headache, etc. These palm-like plants are more often kept for their decorative value. But make sure that your pet is away from this plant, which could be fatal to pets if consumed.
The Peace lily gets its scientific name Spathiphyllum wallisii from a combination of the two Greek words ‘spath’ and ‘phyl’, which means spoon and leaves, respectively. The large graceful white spath of the Peace lily resembles a white flag, which is an international symbol of truce or peace.
English ivy is the most common climber of European forests. It is a perennial woody vine with evergreen, dark, shiny lobed leaves. It utilizes aerial rootlets to attach to the tree bark with exceptional strength, helping the ivy creep more than 15 m up a tree. English ivy also grows as a forest groundcover and is invasive outside of its native range.
The Heart of jesus is a poisonous leafy plant. Its paper-thin, heart-shaped leaves lend the plant its common nickname, along with names like “angel wings” and “elephant ear.” Though native to South America, its primary hub of cultivation is now around Lake Placid, Florida, where it has become a popular centerpiece for an annual festival.
Persian cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is a flowering herbaceous perennial native to Turkey, Israel, northern Africa and some Greek islands. The Persian cyclamen root can be combined with lime and added to lakes in order to stun fish. This method of fishing is banned in many jurisdictions.
The Golden pothos is a popular flowering house plant that’s commonly seen in Australia, Asia, and the West Indies. It goes by many nicknames, including “devil’s ivy,” because it is so hard to kill, and can grow in the dark. Golden pothos has poisonous sap, so it should be kept away from pets and children.
The Poinsettia is a common sight in the United States during Christmas time. It was popularized by Albert Ecke after he emigrated to California from Germany. Today, 70 million Poinsettia are sold in a short 6 week period.