Garden Safety for Kids: Know Your Toxic Plants
Plant poisoning 101: what every parent should know to keep children safe
We may be diligent to baby-proof our homes, yet fail to recognize the dangers to the children in our lives that may be in our yards and gardens by the plants that may be toxic. Too often, we don’t think about this aspect and often don’t know which plants are poisonous, especially more common varieties. Let’s change that now. It might save a life.
Plant poisoning can happen to anyone at any age, the highest risk is young children under two. It is critical that parents and anyone caring for children, become aware of common poisonous plants and symptoms of plant poisoning.
Safety Tips to Prevent Plant Poisoning
Educate yourself about poisonous plants and symptoms of plant poisoning.
Have the national poison control center 1–800–222–1222, your doctors, and emergency room phone numbers easily available. Consider having these in your cell phone contacts.
Keep all plants out of the reach of children. Teach children not to eat any plant without your supervision.
If you have young children, consider not having any toxic plant varieties in your home (including indoor plants), yard, and garden space. Always supervise kids.
What To Do if a Child Ingests Poisonous Plants
Immediately call the Poison Control Center, a doctor, an ambulance, or an emergency room for help.
Do not give any type of home treatment without first consulting a medical professional. Bring the plant ingested with you to the medical professionals.
Try to remain calm, and try to keep your child calm.
Specific Poisonous Plants and Symptoms of Poisoning
Angel’s Trumpet- All parts of this plant contain toxic alkaloids. Some of the symptoms of poisoning of this plant are blurred vision and dilated pupils, confusion, hallucinations, altered blood pressure, fever, fast heart rate, and difficulty breathing.
Azaleas and Rhododendrons — Both the leaves and flowers can be deadly. Symptoms can be delayed but may include watery eyes, runny nose, salivation, nausea and vomiting, stomach ache, weakness or paralysis of arms, legs, hands, and feet, hypotension, and slowed pulse rate
Azaleas and Rhododendrons — Both the leaves and flowers can be deadly. Symptoms can be delayed but may include watery eyes, runny nose, salivation, nausea and vomiting, stomach ache, weakness or paralysis of arms, legs, hands, and feet, hypotension, and slowed pulse rate.
Autumn Crocus — A bulb flower that blooms purple flowers in the fall. The bulbs are poisonous and cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and can be fatal if ingested.
Bleeding Hearts — Leaves and roots are poisonous and cause seizures and other nervous symptoms.
Buttercups — Are most toxic while blooming. Symptoms include blistering of the skin, stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and rash, could cause kidney damage.
Calla Lily — Is highly toxic and may be fatal if eaten.
Castor Bean Plant — Causes burning in mouth and throat, seizures, and is often fatal if eaten.
Cherry Trees — The seeds, leaves, twigs, and bark can be deadly. A person could stop breathing, loss of voice, muscle twitching, spasms, or coma.
Chinese Lanterns: The unripe berries, fruit, and leaves of this plant are toxic. Symptoms may be banging head (really!), vomiting, diarrhea, stomach, numbness and breathing troubles. It’s commonly used in dried floral arrangements.
Clematis - The entire plant, especially the leaves and stems is toxic. The majority of the time, excessive salivation, upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea will be the adverse effects.
Crown of Thorns - all parts of the plant are toxic and the sap can cause skin irritation. The main symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, severe stomach or stomach discomfort, irritation or blistering in the mouth and throat, diarrhea, excessive salivation, and weakness.
Daffodil — The bulbs are poisonous and cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Stems also cause headaches, vomiting, and blurred vision and can be fatal.
Daphne — The berries (either red or yellow) are poisonous, causing burns to the mouth and digestive tract, followed by coma, and often fatal.
Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia) — All parts of the plant are toxic, this is a houseplant. Symptoms it can cause are burning and numbness in the mouth and tongue and slurred speech.
Elephant Ear or Caladium — All parts of the plant are poisonous. Symptoms are irritation, pain, and swelling of tissues. If the mouth or tongue swells, breathing may be fatally blocked.
Foxglove — The leaves, seeds, and flowers are toxic, with leaves being fatal if ingested. It causes mental confusion, nausea, and heart problems.
Jerusalem Cherry — All parts, especially the berries, are poisonous, causing nausea and vomiting. It is occasionally fatal, especially to children.
Jimson Weed or Stinkweed — All parts of the plant contain dangerous levels of poison and may be fatal if ingested by humans or animals, including livestock and pets.
Holly, Mistletoe and Poinsettia — All three classic Christmas plants. The berries of holly and mistletoe, leaves, and the sap of the poinsettia are poisonous. Symptoms they can bring include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash to the skin.
Hyacinth — The bulbs of this powerfully fragrant spring plant are poisonous, causing nausea, vomiting, gasping, convulsions, and possibly death.
Iris — Causes burning in mouth and throat, stomach pain, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.
Lantana Camara — The immature fruits and leaves are very toxic. It may cause jaundice, light sensitivity, and nausea.
Larkspur — All parts of this plant are toxic and can be deadly in larger doses. Symptoms are burning and numbness in the mouth, nausea, sweating, breathing troubles, heart problems, and depression.
Lilies — Most are poisonous, especially to cats.
Lily of the Valley — Can cause headaches, confusion, dizziness, slow or irregular heartbeat, nausea, and vomiting.
Lupine — Symptoms include sleepiness, foaming at the mouth, convulsions, slowed heart rate, and slowed breathing.
Mayapple — The root and fruit of this plant are poisonous, with the root being deadly. It can cause respiratory stimulation, vomiting, coma, and death.
Monkshood- also known as wolfsbane, all parts of the plant are toxic. Symptoms may include stomach and chest pain, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, heart rhythm changes, and numbness.
Morning Glory - not usually considered highly toxic, morning glory seeds can cause hallucinations if ingested in large quantities. There are many different symptoms associated with consuming these seeds, ranging from hallucinations to diarrhea. The leaves cause an upset stomach, causing nausea and vomiting.
Mountain Laurel — Mountain laurel’s bark, sap, leaves, and flowers are toxic. Symptoms may be uncontrolled salivation, vomiting, stomach pain, muscle tremors, increased heart rate, and seizures as well as others.
Nightshade — Part of the Datura family —poisoning can occur when someone ingests parts of the black nightshade plant. It can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, low blood pressure, high body temperature, and other symptoms.
Oleander — All parts are very toxic, but especially the leaves and woody stems. They cause severe digestive upset, heart trouble, and rashes. The smoke of burning oleander can cause reactions in the lungs that can be fatal.
Philodendron — This common houseplant is toxic on all parts. It causes burning in the mouth and throat, inhibited breathing problems, digestive issues, and skin problems.
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak — The leaves, fruit, stem, and even smoke from burning these plants can cause severe reactions. Some people will respond even if a dog has brushed against a plant and then pet the dog. The severity of symptoms varies with people, but terrible itching, pain, and rash.
A couple of years ago I got poison oak on my hand and it was so severe I went to the doctor for treatment. He said it was the worst case he had ever seen and gave me a prescription. My hand looked like I had put it in a fire. I was very fortunate that I didn’t have permanent scarring.
Pokeweed — All parts of this plant are poisonous to touch without gloves. The leaves and sap can cause skin irritation. If ingested, some symptoms may be headache, diarrhea, low blood pressure, fainting, slow breathing, and more.
Rhubarb — The leaves are poisonous and can be lethal. It causes a burning mouth, stomach aches, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and internal bleeding.
Swedish Ivy — A very common indoor plant, its leaves are toxic and cause nausea and vomiting.
Water Hemlock — All parts of the plant are poisonous and can be deadly. Poisoning symptoms are stomach pain, vomiting, tremors, convulsions, delirium, stoppage of breathing/death.
Wisteria — It is the seeds that are poisonous causing nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
Yew- is considered one of the most toxic woody plants worldwide. Poisoning symptoms include some of the following, confusion, blue lips, trouble breathing, convulsions, and coma as well as others.
Many other poisonous plants may exist in gardens, yards, and near homes in vacant fields and other places in nature to watch out for.
This list is some of the more common ones, but by no means is an exhaustive list. It is important to keep pets away from these as well.
Thanks for reading!
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