Safe Houseplants For Children & Pets

Listed below are some of the most poisonous houseplants. Refrain from buying any of these plants if you have children in your household. Even if they are some of the most popular ornamental plants, they could cause serious physiological effects to any of your children.

Some of the safest houseplants for your children are African violets, spider plants, and Christmas cactus that are much more preferable as decorative plants.

Here are some of the most popular houseplants that are actually poisonous:

Flamingo Lily a.k.a. Anthurium andraeanum

The flamingo lily is an ornamental plant, usually kept as indoor decoration, which produces beautiful flowers but are poisonous when eaten. Once swallowed by your child, it can cause severe irritation of the mouth and throat. Other species also contain certain irritants called calcium oxalate crystals that may affect your children as well.

The amaryllis plant is also an indoor plant that is beautiful on the outside for its blooming petals but has toxins called lycorine in the bulbs. Since the particles come in small amounts, a large portion of the bulb can bring out the symptoms of the poison, which usually lead to diarrhea and vomiting.

If it is safe houseplants for your children that you are looking for, stay far away from this one.

The name makes it sound holy enough to be safe, but it is known to be one of the most toxic ornamental plants ever. Though it is one of those plants that is in high demand for its wonderful blooms it has a narcotic property that can give a "high" effect to the person who has ingested it.

Your children could suffer severely as it may cause them to lose consciousness and experience hallucinations.

These are definitely some of the most posonous houseplants for your children.

Here are some other common houseplants that have toxic properties. If you have children in your home you should not have any of these plants.

Aloe Vera
Bird of Paradise
Chrysanthemums
Dumb Cane
Elephant's Ears
English Ivy
Hydrangea
Mistletoe
Peace Lily
Philodendron
Pothos
Umbrella Plant

Just as we do with our children we try to keep our pets safe and happy. However, if we aren't careful about what types of houseplants we choose we can also be putting our pets in danger. While most cases of pets being poisoned by houseplants are mild your pets will still suffer needlessly and you may have to spend money at the Vet to make them feel better.

Did you know that very common houseplants like Dumb Cane, Heartleaf Philodendron and the Poinsettia are actually posionous to pets (and humans of course!)

Most dogs and cats, especially puppies and kittens, love to chew on things around the house. It seems like they have a special affinity to plants and will chew on them if given the chance. Learn about the types of houseplants that are poisonous to pets and if you have any of them in your home you should get rid of them or move them to a place where your pets will not be able to access them.

What To Do If Your Pet Is Poisoned

If you discover that your pet has eaten some material from a poisonous plant you will need to induce vomiting right away. The more quickly that this is done the less amount of the toxins that will be absorbed into your pets system. On the other hand, if your pet is already showing signs of poisoning such as going into seizures, throwing up blood, or slipping into a coma you should take it to the Vet immediately.

For more information read Some Houseplants Are Poisonous To Your Pet