Plants that should not be kept at home. Domestic poisonous plants and flowers Pachypodium - Madagascar palm
Plants at home are cozy and beautiful, your own own garden in the middle of winter - just super! The flower shop was empty after you, you bought a fancy pot, seeds or seedlings, and Google admitted what drainage is. Great. Now is the time to stop! Place the pot in place and carefully read the name of the plant, and then quickly check the list in this article to see if it is among those listed. Because we will talk here about poisonous plants, close contact with which can cost your life.
Vomiting, abdominal pain, arrhythmia, burning in the mouth and lips, cramps - this is not the whole list of “pleasures” that can be obtained if you do not find out in advance which plant has put out its leaves in the living room and do not start treating it accordingly. It is better to show respect and caution - do not grab the bulbs and leaves with your hands until you are sure of their safety.
Signs that a plant is going to kill you:
If you break the stem or break off the leaf, a juice similar to milk is released.
Its leaves are smooth, as if varnished.
It has yellow or white berries.
Its leaves are shaped like a holey umbrella.
So, our insidious but beautiful favorites:
Oleander (lat. Nérium)
The juice of this plant can cause blindness, arrhythmia and tremors, and the aroma of the flowers can cause dizziness. Truly stunning beauty!
Lily (lat. Lilium)
She is definitely popular and seems so innocent. But some varieties cause stomach upset, vomiting, headaches, blurred vision and allergies. And at night, when we sleep, the lily insidiously absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide.
Orchid (lat. Orchidaceae)
Another dangerous beauty. Its smell causes insomnia, so it is not recommended to place an orchid in the bedroom, even if pink flowers perfectly harmonizes with the bedspread.
Tuberose or polyanthes (lat. Polyanthus)
White, cloud-like flowers can be misleading. No need to give in! The smell of tuberose causes dizziness and depression, headaches and nausea.
Small green tree with carved beautiful leaves, having acquired which, you should not rejoice, it is better to wash your hands thoroughly with soap. After all, Fatsia juice is toxic and, if it enters the body, causes serious disruptions in functioning. nervous system.
Toxidendron, mustard gas or oriental sumac (lat. Toxicodendron)
A stylish plant with sharp red-green leaves, it looks deceptively harmless. Attention! Touching the plant causes severe allergic irritation, unpleasant itching, redness of the skin and blisters immediately and for a very long time.
Philodendron (lat. Philodendron)
Croton (lat. Croton)
White, body milk-like croton juice causes severe burns when it comes into contact with the skin, and instant and painful death if it gets into the bloodstream.
Azalea (Rhododendron Sims) (lat. Azalea)
Once in the body through the mouth, it causes intestinal colic and cramps, so there is no need to eat the leaves, they are of no use anyway - despite their appetizing appearance, they taste so-so.
Dieffenbachia (lat. Dieffenbachia)
Tree with large yellow-green leaves. The juice is poisonous and can cause serious poisoning. You need to be careful when cutting shoots or leaves - you can get burned.
Amaryllis (lat. Amaryllis) And hippeastrum (lat. Hippeastrum)
The poisonous bulbs and juice of these plants are rich in the alkaloid lycorine, which stimulates the vomiting center in the brain. Amaryllis and hippeastrum bulbs are similar to those of the good old onions. The main thing is not to confuse. Once in the body, they cause vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, drooling, loss of appetite, tremors, paralysis and even inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Beautiful Browallia (lat. Browallia speciosa)
It is named so for a reason: it is truly beautiful, and everyone wants to plant it at home. Forward! The main thing is to remember that its juice, if it comes into contact with the skin, causes severe intoxication. The smartest thing to do is to first get yourself a pair of rubber gloves.
Clivia (lat. Clivia)
Its lush inflorescences are charming, but if the leaves or rhizome are handled carelessly, clivia juice causes vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, and sometimes paralysis. It should be remembered: beauty is deceptive and insidious.
Pepper nightshade (lat. Solanum capsicastrum)
At home, they usually plant its dwarf variety with bright, round berries that you just want to eat. It's not worth it, really. Nightshade berries are extremely poisonous.
Caladium (lat. Caladium)
All parts of the plant are poisonous and cause suffocation and death.
Mother-in-law's tongue or Sansevieria (lat. Sansevieria)
Not as poisonous as some would like to think. Causes short-term pain in the mouth and allergies.
FIcus (lat. Ficus)
So familiar, close and dear, it would seem that you shouldn’t expect any surprises from him. Whatever the case. If the juice gets on the skin it causes severe irritation and dermatitis. And yes, you don’t need to eat it either.
Mimosa pudica or Gesner tulip (lat. Mimosa pudica)
The most dangerous plant on the list - hair falls out from being around it for a long time!
Hurray, it seems the list is over, and you can, putting on gloves and a gas mask, calmly stick the seeds into the ground, water them and forget? But no! Almost everything indoor plants poisonous to one degree or another. So it's better to think again.
There are quite a few dangerous indoor plants, and some at first glance seem completely harmless. Of course, adults will not taste flowers and leaves, and children and animals can put bright, but poisonous flower. It is better to know in advance about poisonous plants and avoid them.
1. Euphorbia - the most popular and dangerous
It looks like a small palm tree, has dense green leaves and a thick stem. The milky sap and seeds of this plant are poisonous and can cause burns and irritation on the skin. If milkweed juice gets into the eyes, temporary blindness and severe inflammation of the conjunctiva may occur. In case of severe poisoning, a person may experience dizziness, convulsions, poor circulation and even delirium.
2. Dieffenbachia - beauty
The poison is found in all green parts of the plant. Pets especially often suffer from Dieffenbachia juice; cats die if even a few drops get into their mouths. In humans, symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm and swollen tongue.
3. Adenium obese - a bright plant with poisonous juice
This exotic flower, which appeared in our country not so long ago, but quickly gained popularity. Interestingly, the poison of this plant is still used in African tribes. They lubricate arrowheads with it. It definitely should not be grown in homes where small children, animals, or people with asthma live.
4. Ficus is a powerful allergen that not everyone can live with
Ficus is one of the favorites of gardeners; it can be found in every third home. It cannot be categorically called a poisonous plant, but it is a dangerous allergen. It can be bred at home, but you need to take precautions, especially be careful not to get the juice on your skin.
5. Azalea is a beautiful, but capricious and dangerous plant
It is unlikely that an inexperienced gardener will be able to grow it. The azalea, also called the rhodendron, is not harmful to humans unless its poisonous nectar or leaves are ingested. Dangerous juice is contained in the leaf blades, it causes vomiting, lacrimation, nasal discharge and salivation.
6. Cyclamen - a representative of the primrose family with poisonous tubers
There are quite a lot of fans of cyclamen among flower growers, and some of them grow this plant from seeds. The flower is demanding and capricious; it needs special care and special temperature conditions. However, few people know that cyclamen has poisonous tubers; their poison is similar to that of curare.
7. Primrose is a dangerous inhabitant of children's rooms
It can often be found in children's rooms because of the bright and different shades of colors. But this is a poisonous plant, and all its parts are dangerous. During flowering, primrose releases alkaloids that cause nausea and dizziness. The poison is also found on the hairs of the leaves; touching them can cause itching and burning. To avoid this, wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the plant.
8. Clivia – bright flower, winning hearts the first time
Flower growers are madly in love with this plant for its bright, large buds that open simultaneously and create a huge bouquet. But this is a poisonous plant; its leaves and rhizomes are especially dangerous. Clivia juice is so dangerous that it can cause paralysis.
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In nature, there is always a chance of stumbling upon a poisonous plant. And while adults will most likely just pass by, curious children who want to taste everything may get hurt.
website reminds: many are very dangerous species plants are grown as ornamental and can be seen not only in the forest, but also on window sills and flower beds. Therefore, you should also be vigilant in the city.
Where it occurs: In the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; prefers damp places, swamps.
There are several types of buttercups, many of them poisonous.
Where it occurs: In Europe, Asia and North America. It grows in very damp places, in swamps and river banks.
The smell of carrots is deceptive, but it is one of the most poisonous plants on Earth. Only a botany specialist can distinguish it from dozens of other umbelliferous species. It’s better just not to pick up plants that look like milestones and grow in damp places.
Why it’s dangerous: In case of poisoning, vomiting, convulsions, depression of cardiac activity occur, and death may occur. Just 100–200 g of vekha rhizome will easily kill a cow.
Where it occurs: Temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, Australia.
The most common representatives are red and black elderberry. All parts of the plant are poisonous, and if you just touch the elderberry, it is best to wash your hands. Interestingly, black berries are completely safe when ripe; they are used to make drinks and pies.
Where it occurs: In tropical and subtropical regions. Used in landscape design, all over the world it is grown as an indoor flower.
A truly insidious plant that attracts with its pleasant aroma and beautiful pink or white flowers.
Where it occurs: In Europe, Asia and North America. Because of its beautiful purple, blue and yellowish flowers, it is grown in flower beds. This is a tall and conspicuous plant.
IN ancient world it was used to poison arrows. Even bees can get poisoned if they take honey from aconite. By the way, delphinium is its close relative, and it is also poisonous.
Why it’s dangerous: VERY poisonous plant. Causes cardiac arrhythmia, numbness of the face, arms and legs, darkening of the eyes and death. The juice even penetrates the skin.
Where it occurs: In Northern and Central America, Europe, southern regions Russia.
Datura resembles a potato or tomato, which is not surprising, since it is their close relative. This is an inconspicuous plant with spiky fruit-pods with black seeds inside. Its white flowers emit an intoxicating scent.
Why it’s dangerous: Contains alkaloids that cause rapid heartbeat, disorientation and delirium. In severe cases, death or coma may occur. Shamans of many nations used this plant in their rituals.
Where it occurs: In temperate regions of Eurasia, one species exists in the USA.
Just a giant among umbrellas, which looks quite impressive, but it is better not to take pictures next to it.
Why it’s dangerous: Some species contain furanocoumarins, which, under the influence sunlight cause painful burns. Therefore, if hogweed juice gets on your hand, wash it and protect it from sunlight for about two days.
Where it occurs: Everywhere. Often seen on window sills, including in children's institutions.
Euphorbias include a huge number of species, often very different in appearance: some look like cacti, others look like flowers. Teach children not to touch unfamiliar plants, even if they grow in pots.
Why it’s dangerous: The juice leaves burns. Later, malaise, swelling and fever appear.
CYCLAMEN (PERSIAN)
It is believed that cyclamen in the home helps ward off bad dreams and fears, and it should be placed in the bedroom at the head of the bed. Let's not argue about the magical power of Cyclamen, but about his poisonous properties need to be warned. Sometimes it is recommended to instill cyclamen root juice for sinusitis, but this should not be done under any circumstances. Not only can you burn the mucous membrane, but you risk getting a fever, sore throat and difficulty breathing. The most poisonous parts are the seeds and roots of the plant, the fresh juice of which can cause irritation or inflammation of the skin.
AMARILIS BELADONNA
The bulbs of the plant are poisonous because they contain the alkaloid lycorine. In small doses, lycorine has an expectorant effect, and in large doses it causes vomiting. If suddenly a leaf of a plant breaks off and milky juice appears, it is better to wash your hands thoroughly and not touch your eyes with them.
DIEFENBACHIA
The plant can improve chemical composition air in the room, but we do not recommend rushing to put it in the bedroom or nursery. The sap of the plant is poisonous, especially that contained in the stem. It can cause serious digestive and respiratory problems, and cause burns if it comes into contact with the skin of the face or hands.
If you have a plant at home, it is better to care for it with gloves. By the way, it is generally prohibited to grow Dieffenbachia in kindergartens.
GERANIUM
Yes, we didn't mix anything up. This plant is, of course, very useful. On the one hand, geranium is an excellent antiseptic, helps relieve stress and tension, and relieves pain from otitis media and sore throats. However, there are people for whom the smell of geranium can provoke a severe asthma attack and cause allergic reaction. Geranium (as one of the poisonous indoor flowers) is also contraindicated for pregnant women, people with low blood sugar, young children and those taking contraceptives.
CACTI
They are not poisonous, but dangerous only because of the thorns with which you can prick yourself and, in the worst case, get a small abscess. But some types of cacti, for example TRICHOCEREUS, contain hallucinogens that can cause paralysis of the central nervous system, their effect is similar to the effect of the drug LSD (many have read Carlos Castaneda).
SPURGE
The cactus-like species of Euphorbia and Europhobia are truly poisonous.
Euphorbia juice can cause burns, and if ingested, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness and mucosal burns. It’s strange, but these are the plants that can often be seen on the windowsill in school classrooms.
ALOE STRIPED
The most valuable and beloved aloe has two poisonous brothers - Aloe striped and Aloe intimidating. All parts of these plants are dangerous, mainly because most types of aloe are considered medicinal, and they are very often used as home remedy treatment. So, striped and frightening things cannot be used for medicinal purposes! They can cause stomach and uterine bleeding, and cause miscarriage in pregnant women.
HYDRANGEA
All parts of this plant contain poison. Touching hydrangea is completely safe, but if hydrangea juice accidentally gets into the body, it will cause increased sweating, worsen blood circulation, stomach pain, itching, nausea and muscle weakness.
AGLAONEMA VARIABLE
The juice and berries of the plant are poisonous. The juice can cause swelling and pain in the mouth and throat, and conjunctivitis if it comes into contact with the eyes.
— If you have small children or pets (especially cats), it is better not to buy poisonous houseplants at all.
— Very often the milky juice turns out to be poisonous. If you see that when a stem is broken, the plant releases white juice, it’s better not to touch it, and especially not to scratch your face or rub your eyes with your hands.
If plants are already growing in your home, and you did not know that they are poisonous, move them higher away from children, and in the case of a cat, try covering the base of the pot cling film so that the animal does not dig up the soil. By the way, sometimes cats chew leaves to quench their thirst, so give her some more water in a bowl so that it does not touch the poisonous indoor flowers.
Indoor plants not only humidify and purify the air, they can become a true decoration of the interior, emphasizing the style features when decorating a living space (for example, without small flowers in terracotta pots it is difficult to imagine decorating a house in the Provence style).
Unfortunately, when purchasing this or that houseplant, most often they are guided not by real botanical information about it, but by the desire to get a bright or easy-to-care-for specimen, or even to solve pressing everyday problems with the help of a flower: to attract a husband, prosperity and peace to the house, to get fabulously rich in a short time. At the same time, they forget about the requirements of the flower itself, completely ignoring the fact that most indoor flowers are poisonous; they can cause enormous harm to children, animals and flower growers themselves if handled incorrectly. In this article, we decided to figure out what seemingly harmful plants can turn out to be real poisoners.
Most indoor plants can be classified as poisonous.
Sadly, most indoor plants can be confidently classified as poisonous, and not only individual indoor flowers are poisonous, but entire families: Aroidaceae, Curtaceae, Solanaceae, Euphorbiaceae.
Growing indoor flowers with poisonous characteristics should not endanger children, pets and birds, who may accidentally become poisoned. It is enough to follow simple rules to make flowers delight you and improve your mood; getting rid of them is unnecessary, because toxic substances are not released into the air. The exception is the blooming oleander. During flowering, it is better to take the bush to fresh air.
To know which indoor flowers you should be wary of, read this article to the end.
1. Spathiphyllum, or poisonous “female happiness”
Women's happiness - the plant has poisonous juice.
The indoor plant spathiphyllum (in other words, flagolist) is extremely popular; it is believed that this elegant flower can bring happiness to the house, especially for the female half. It is quite difficult to verify this - happiness depends on the flower or on the behavior of the woman herself, but there is no point in arguing that Spathiphyllum (Araceae family) is poisonous.
An elegant plant with white or red bracts is often used to decorate the interior. It is important to properly care for the flower. Spathiphyllum grows well in a room, can tolerate some shading, and does not emit hazardous substances into the air. chemical compounds, but you should be careful when replanting - the sap of the plant is extremely poisonous. Considering that the flagolist bush needs annual spring replanting, you should remember the following precautions:
- Spathiphyllum can only be divided and replanted while wearing rubber gloves.
- If plant sap accidentally gets on open areas skin, the area should be washed immediately a large number water and soap.
- If spathiphyllum juice gets into your eyes, a chemical burn is possible, so you should immediately seek medical help.
- Try to protect the plant from the encroachment of pets who like to taste the leaves and flowers, otherwise the pet may suffer greatly from poisoning from the poisonous juice of the flagolite.
- Dieffenbachia - if it comes into contact with the skin, Dieffenbachia juice causes severe irritation and burns; if it comes into contact with the mucous membranes, swelling may occur, even to the point of stopping breathing. Even a small amount of Dieffenbachia juice can kill small pets.
- Anthurium – when contacting anthurium juice, serious consequences can occur for a person: severe poisoning, allergic manifestations, inflammation of the mucous membranes.
- Aglaonema - it is worth taking precautions when caring for the plant, replanting and dividing - the poisonous sap causes extremely negative consequences.
Danger level: medium. The sap of the plant is poisonous, causing irritation and burns.
2. Zamioculcas
Dollar Tree.
Another representative of the Araceae family, which can increasingly be found among amateur gardeners, is Zamioculcas. This elegant plant with spreading branches dotted with shiny glossy leaves is believed to be able to attract a flow of dollars into its owner's wallet. Money is money, but about safe cultivation " dollar tree“It’s worth thinking about - the poisonous juice, when it gets on the skin, causes persistent irritation. You should not replant or divide zamioculcas without gloves, and you should wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the plant.
Danger level: medium. The sap of the plant is poisonous and causes irritation.
3. Cyclamen
Cyclamen, or dryweed.
It’s hard to argue with the beauty of cyclamens - moth-shaped flowers appear above the squat rosette of leaves in the fall and bloom almost all winter. There is no limit to the variety of colors and shapes - cyclamen petals modern varieties They have fringe and cut-out edges, and their color is amazing. There are not only single-color varieties, but also flowers with borders, stripes, and specks of contrasting tones.
The plant grows from an underground tuber, the juice of which is very poisonous; if it comes into contact with the skin, the liquid causes redness, burning and severe itching.
Danger level: medium. The tuber of the plant is poisonous; its juice causes redness, burning and itching.
4. Scary Monstera Monster
A charming indoor plant is Monstera.
Monstera is a huge powerful vine with leathery leaves with holes. This plant is very popular among lovers who have winter gardens. The majestic flower grows quickly, practically does not get sick, and does not require special care.
Monstera belongs to the Araceae family, its juice is poisonous and causes irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.
Monstera has one peculiarity - in cloudy weather, its leaves begin to secrete juice, which accumulates in drops at the tips of the leaves. Curious children and cats try to play with the drops and lick them off, which leads to an inevitable burn of the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Danger level: above average. Drops of sap on the leaves of the plant are poisonous. Causes a burn.
5. Indoor pomegranate
A rich harvest has ripened on miniature pomegranate trees.
It seems that the pomegranate tree does not pose any danger, because pomegranate fruits are very healthy; even sick and severely weakened people have been eating them since ancient times.
Do you know that only the fruits of this plant are useful, all other parts (branches, leaves, roots) are poisonous, so you need to be careful when growing indoor pomegranate.
Danger level: medium. All parts of the plant are poisonous, except the fruits.
6. Oleander and its flowers
Oleander blossom.
When oleander bushes are blooming, it is difficult to take your eyes off the plant - charming clusters of flowers appear at the ends of all young branches. The delicate aroma can cause headaches, so flowering plant cannot be placed in the bedroom (it is better to take it out into the fresh air if possible).
Caring for oleander can only be done with protective gloves, because all parts of the plant (including seeds) contain poisonous juice, which can cause vomiting and bloody diarrhea, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, with severe poisoning, death is possible.
Danger level: highest, deadly.
7. Adenium, or desert rose
Charming adenium.
IN lately passion for exotics has led to the fact that adenium has become a fairly common flower among inexperienced plant growers. These flowers are full of unimaginable beauty, grace, uniqueness and charm, but at the same time they are so poisonous that extreme caution is required when caring for insidious exotics. Adenium juice causes damage to the skin and mucous membranes, causing persistent poisoning when ingested by humans and animals.
Danger level: above average. The juice causes persistent and severe poisoning.
Rules for handling poisonous flowers
The list of poisonous indoor plants is very wide, but this does not mean that all plants should be immediately swept from the windowsills into the trash heap. A number of precautions should be observed to protect family members and animals from poisoning:
- Replant plants while wearing gloves.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after caring for plants.
- Supervise children and animals to ensure they do not come into contact with poisonous houseplants.
- Do not try unfamiliar berries and fruits.
- Do not rub plant leaves with your bare hands.
- Do not use unfamiliar plants for treatment, following the advice of ignorant people.
If these rules are followed, most poisonous plants become completely harmless.
