There is a great variety of unusual beautiful plants, which are of great interest to connoisseurs of beauty. Many of them can grow in room conditions, which cannot but please flower growers. However, few of them know that these green friends can be dangerous to the health and sometimes to the life of humans and their pets. There are a very large number of poisonous indoor plants that need to be grown very carefully.
Family Euphorbiaceae
Its representatives are the popular poisonous indoor flowers Euphorbia (comprising about two hundred varieties), jatropha, croton and acalypha.
Solyanum has excellent decorative properties, it is very compact, forms bright orange berries, which greatly decorate the bush.
Datura, another name for datura, is bright plant with large fragrant inflorescences of calm tones.
The fact is that the stems of these plants contain the toxic substance solanine, which, if it enters the human digestive tract, can lead to severe intoxication. the main features of which are:
- Headache, dizziness, nausea.
- Bitterness in the mouth and increased salivation, burning in the mouth.
- Increased heart rate and difficulty breathing.
- Severe poisoning can cause fainting and muscle paralysis.
Knowing what indoor plants poisonous, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from danger. You should also take all necessary precautions when caring for them.
All plants have their own unique beauty, as well as certain advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before you get a green pet at home, you should carefully familiarize yourself with all its characteristics and properties. After all, not all types of houseplants are safe. All risks and benefits must be weighed to make a rational decision.
If you look into any room, be it an office or a residential building, you will definitely find a houseplant there. These plants play a very important role, since on the basis you can create a beautiful green corner. However, despite all their benefits, you need to keep in mind that there are also plants that can cause harm.
List of poisonous plants
If you are planning to get indoor plants, then it won’t hurt you to know which ones can harm you.
Therefore, if you are looking for indoor plants for your home, it will not hurt to first learn more about their characteristics and conditions of maintenance. Necessary strictly adhere to safety measures when caring for plants. If you have purchased the most poisonous flowers for your home, for example, cockroaches, then they must be placed as far as possible from children.
The danger of poisonous plants
The person may get hurt not only after contact with the entire plant, but also with a small part of it. This can be not only juice, but also berries, flowers, roots, bulbs and leaves.
First of all, we should include in this group flowers of the spurge family. The resins of most of its representatives contain toxic substances, which, if ingested, can cause severe poisoning. Characteristic symptoms of intoxication are mild irritation, burns, and sometimes ulcers.
Serious harm juice euphorbia plants can be harmful to a person if it gets on the mucous membrane. In this case, inflammation of the eyes and mouth may begin. No less pleasant consequences are indigestion and nervous activity. The cell sap of some representatives of the aroid, kutra and amaryllis families has a similar effect.
Plants with poisonous organs
One of prominent representatives of this family are flowers with poisonous berries from the nightshade family. First of all, children need to be careful with beautiful orange and red berries; when they see these tempting fruits, they will certainly have an irresistible desire to try them. Among the Kutrov family there are also flowers in which flowers and leaves pose a danger. Among them, oleander can cause the greatest harm. If these parts of the plant are ingested, it may cause cardiac problems.
Also among domestic poisonous flowers there are specimens that only conditionally pose a danger to humans. For example, one of them are flowers, which can harm allergy sufferers. Usually unpleasant sensations arise from pollen, but there are also non-flowering plants, which also capable of producing allergens. These are:
- geranium;
- ferns;
- oleander;
- some are amaryllis.
Allergy sufferers can suffer even when interacting with the soil in which indoor flowers grew. The point is that in it microscopic fungi may remain leading to an allergic reaction.
Poisonous indoor flowers can harm not only allergy sufferers, but also ordinary people who do not have health problems, and pets.
If you have poisonous indoor flowers in your home, then you need to special attention devote to small children and pets. In principle, you can do this very simply with children by isolating them from flowers. However, no matter what you do with cats, you will most likely fail. These animals will be able to overcome all obstacles to get to the flower. In this case, you have only one thing left - to remove it from your apartment once and for all. potential hazards.
Although if we talk about harm, then, as a rule, it comes from those flowers whose aerial parts are poisonous. If you grow plants with poisonous tubers in your home, then most likely they will not pose a danger to both children and animals.
It is necessary to be careful not only at the stage of growing poisonous flowers, but also while caring for them. If you have to interact with plants, for example, during transplantation, then you must wear rubber gloves. This way you can protect your hands from poisonous plant sap. In addition, it is important to take care that to prevent juice from getting into your eyes or mouth.
However, if, despite all precautions, poisonous juice got on your skin or inside, you need to do it as soon as possible do the following:
- If a toxic substance gets on the skin, it must be washed off with running water with soap;
- if the plant juice gets into your eyes, you need to rinse your eyes under running water no later than 10-20 minutes from the moment of infection;
- If you accidentally swallow a small amount of juice or part of a poisonous plant, you should take a glass of water with activated carbon. Or you will have to artificially induce vomiting so that a piece of a poisonous plant that accidentally enters the stomach leaves the body;
- If a large amount of a poisonous plant has entered your body and you experience symptoms such as fainting, convulsions or rapid heartbeat, then you need to call an ambulance as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
Growing indoor flowers does not always bring joy. If they grow in the house poisonous plants, then this is fraught with great worries for the owner. Care must be taken at all times to ensure that they do not harm small children or animals. Therefore you will have to choose safest flowers to grow. However, even in this case it is not always possible to guarantee that these plants will not cause poisoning. In this case, you will have to prepare for such unforeseen situations by becoming familiar with the basics of first aid.
Cockroach and other poisonous indoor plants
An abundance of well-groomed indoor plants is considered a huge plus for housewives. When visiting such a house, people involuntarily admire and do not hide their joyful emotions, since the large number of plants often leaves no one indifferent.
Well-groomed flowers in flowerpots undoubtedly delight the eye and charm, harmoniously complementing the interior as a decorative attribute. Urban area not rich in clean air, and in open windows contaminated oxygen gases enter and harmful substances. Indoor plants cleanse it of toxic contaminants. But there are also poisonous ones that are not recommended to be grown at home.
Plant experts do not recommend planting “flower greenhouses” indoors. Huge number does more harm to vegetation than good, releasing dangerous volatile compounds.
This problem can be easily solved; it is enough to regularly ventilate the living area. But there are species that are dangerous not only to health, but also to human life, if they are not properly cared for.
What house plants are fraught with danger? We will look at the main poisonous plants that are most popular in floriculture in this article.
Belongs to the group of succulents, stunning everyone with its beauty. Called the Impala Lily and the Desert Rose, it is also known as the Star of Sabinia. The crown is decorated with fragrant flowers, reminiscent of lilies. Due to its simplicity and ease of care, Adenium is in demand among amateur gardeners and as a home ornamental plant.
Ancient African tribal communities used the juice to soak arrows, which, when they got into the prey, killed it. Therefore, when buying a flower, you need to think about a secluded place that children and pets will not have access to.
Scientists prohibit placing a flower in a child's room.
Contact with the plant only with gloves, then wash your hands and all equipment. Do not touch clothing or skin areas.
Popularly called “The Fragrant Source of Well-Being.” Its inflorescences are collected in clusters and create a pleasant, but slightly strong aroma, which very often causes headaches and dizziness. It grows very quickly and therefore its flowering is always abundant. But For human body the most dangerous element is the lanceolate leaves, which if ingested can cause the death of an adult and wood used as fuel.
When ingested, it causes cardiovascular abnormalities. The cardiac glycoside contained in the leafy part causes arrhythmias and cardiac conduction blockades. It is necessary to wear gloves when working with a pet.
One of the recognized plants of the Araceae genus in indoor microclimates. The flower contains oxalates in the juice - salts of oxalic acid. Contact with skin causes redness or allergic reaction, but it all depends individual characteristics person. , getting into the digestive organs, often causes swelling of the larynx and a slight burn of the oral cavity. Considering the dangerous effect on the body, it is necessary to work with the plant carefully. Install at home in an inaccessible place.
Pachypodium
The second name is Madagascar palm. A flower with a thick, spiny stem and a rosette-shaped tip that resembles a palm tree. Pachypodium contains poisonous milky sap, which manifests itself as a result of violation of the integrity of the flower.. The substance has no negative effects on the skin; it only has a bad effect on wounds and mucous membranes. Washing your hands after working with Pachypodium will help you avoid harm to your health.
The flower qualitatively restores the indoor air composition to the standards; it is not recommended to place it in sleeping rooms. Poisonous composition the juice contained in the stem causes severe disturbances digestive system, as well as difficulty breathing. Juice getting on fragile layers of skin causes burns.
Zamioculcas
Zamioculcas is a popular plant that can be found in every home. More common popular name. Dangerous juice found throughout the plant. Touching the flower does not cause pathological disorders in the body. Only the juice contained inside is poisonous. The flower itself does not produce toxic fumes that provoke chemical poisoning.
Avoid getting the juice into your eyes and mucous membranes.
Plumeria is considered a poisonous plant. To a greater extent, toxic substances are contained in the juice. Getting on soft fabrics, causes severe irritation and inflammation. Despite the negative fact, the flower takes root well at home and contributes to good indoor air purification.
Poinsettia
A representative of euphorbia plants, which are known primarily for their toxicity. Contains milky juice, which, in contact with the mucous membrane, causes itching and redness. The flower is so original that it is called the Star of Bethlehem. Each flower part is framed by a colorful bract. Milky juice is released due to the slightest damage to the flower.
Poisonous house plant With beautiful flowers And pleasant aroma. The juice contains alkaloid substances that trigger the gag reflex, sending signals to the brain. Poisoning occurs after eating the flower bulb, which looks like onions. The onion produces a strong bitterness. The sap released from the leaves has a sedative effect and also causes convulsions. The natives often use it to process hunting arrows.
Do not put your life and the lives of your loved ones at risk. Before purchasing a houseplant, carefully study its features. and required locations in the house.
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 V short terms. 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. Enough to do simple rules In order for flowers to please 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 is able to bring happiness to the home, 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 transplant, 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, the occurrence of 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. Majestic flower grows quickly, practically does not get sick, does not require special care.
Monstera belongs to the Araceae family, its juice is poisonous and causes irritation. 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 headache, That's why 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, and severe poisoning can lead to death.
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:
- Wear gloves when replanting plants.
- 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.
Poisonous houseplants are fairy tales, you say. The world of indoor plants is amazing and diverse. Often, getting to know him turns into a favorite hobby for life. However, you should know that many plants, the most original and exotic ones, are poisonous and pose a serious danger to children, pets and even adults.
A small child sometimes cannot resist the temptation to eat bright and attractive fruits, to pick beautiful flower or touch it, or even worse - put it in your mouth beautiful leaves. An adult, not knowing that the plant is poisonous, can suffer while, for example, pruning or replanting it.
Many people mistakenly believe that keeping toxic plants in the house is not dangerous if you place green pets in places inaccessible to children and animals. This does not solve the problem, since some plants, for example ficus, release toxic substances into the air through tiny pores on their leaves that can cause various allergic reactions, especially in people prone to this disease. Leaves or fruits may fall from the plant onto the floor, where children or animals will find them. Cats show a special gastronomic interest in plants, not even disdaining cacti! Cats will always find a way to get to a plant, even if it is on a cabinet or shelf. Animals should not be relied upon to distinguish poisonous plants from non-toxic ones. In an effort to enjoy greenery, some four-legged animals even begin to chew artificial flowers, fragments of which, if ingested, can cause serious illnesses.
When purchasing a plant, you should be sure to obtain information about its toxicity. Trust sellers flower shops impossible, since they themselves mostly do not know about poisonous properties plants. Below are the most popular toxic indoor plants, divided into three groups according to their level of danger.
Poisonous indoor plants are deadly to humans and animals
The leading position in the list of deadly poisonous indoor plants is occupied by the Kutrov family: adenium, allamanda, bumontia, dipladenia (mandevilla), carissa, catharanthus, oleander, pachypodium, plumeria, strophanthus and tabernemontana. The most beloved and popular representatives of the kutrovye - oleander and adenium are also the most poisonous. Just one ingested oleander leaf can cause the death of an adult. All parts of this plant, especially the milky sap, stem and seeds contain poisonous cardiac glycosides, nerioside, oleandroside and saponins.
When these toxic substances enter the body, the victim begins to experience severe digestive upset, vomiting and bloody diarrhea, heart rate increases, and hallucinations appear. After some time, a person or animal's blood pressure, the heart rate slows down, breathing and cardiac activity stop.
Toxic substances are contained in all plants of the Kutrov family. Great care must be taken when working with them, since the milky juice getting into the eyes or mouth causes very severe burns. Be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after finishing work.
The luxurious flowers and exotic caudex stems of many cutraceae will undoubtedly be the highlight of any plant collection. But you should still think a thousand times before bringing these plants into your home, especially if you have small children and animals.
Very dangerous for humans and animals all types and varieties of lilies. Blooming lilies emit a very strong aroma that causes dizziness, headaches, fainting and allergies. Under no circumstances should lily leaves be ingested, as this can be fatal. Pets can become seriously ill and even die if they lick a lily leaf or bite off a small piece of it.
Symptoms of poisoning from lily poison appear 30-60 minutes after it penetrates the digestive tract. The animal becomes lethargic, refuses food, and begins to vomit. If left untreated, the animal's kidneys become impaired, they stop functioning, and the animal dies. If you suspect that your pet has tasted a lily on its tooth, it should be taken to a veterinarian immediately and emergency treatment should begin.
There is no antidote for the poison of lilies, so if there are animals and especially small children in the house, you should not grow lilies in the house or on the property and you should not bring bouquets of lilies into the house.
Another representative of the lily family is also very poisonous and deadly for domestic animals - May lily of the valley.
An amateur florist is unlikely to be able to resist the unusual ornamental plants families aroid: aglaonema, alocasia, anthurium, arizema, dieffenbachia, zamioculcas, zantedeschia (calla), caladium, colocasia, monstera, sauromatum, syngonium, spathiphyllum, scindapsus, philodendron. These plants attract unusual shape leaves and their striking color, while many aroids bloom very beautifully. But, unfortunately, almost all aroids contain poisonous oxalic acid, toxic proteins and enzymes.
Oxalic acid salts penetrate deeply into the skin and mucous membranes, causing severe burns and irritation. The most dangerous thing is getting aroid juice into the eyes. oral cavity and the digestive system. Upon contact with oxalic acid, the mucous membranes swell and become inflamed, as a result of which it becomes impossible to eat, the voice disappears, and breathing becomes difficult until it stops.
The most dangerous of the aroids is Dieffenbachia. If its juice enters the body of a person or pet, it is necessary to urgently take the victim to a doctor who will prescribe decongestants and painkillers. Animals should not be given medications without the approval of a veterinarian, as many medications are toxic to them.
Rhododendrons and azaleas
toxic to humans, dogs and cats. Poisoning occurs when several leaves are eaten. Plants contain substances (andromedotoxins) that affect muscles, heart and nervous system. A few hours after the leaves enter the body, the animal begins to experience severe stomach upset, diarrhea, and colic. The animal becomes weaker and refuses food. Subsequently, loss of coordination, numbness, paralysis of the limbs and weakened heart rate may develop. The animal may fall into a coma and die.
Representatives of the family cycads- cycas and zamia contain the toxic substance cycasin and are very dangerous for cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning are vomiting and severe thirst. Animals develop hemorrhagic gastroenteritis and liver disease, which subsequently leads to liver failure and death.
Tubers cyclamens contain saponins, poisonous to cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning are drooling, vomiting, diarrhea. At large quantities eaten tubers - cardiac arrhythmias, apoplexy, and death are observed.
Seeing violently flowering bush hydrangeas, you will probably want to buy it or at least pinch off a sprig. Think before you do this, because hydrangea contains one of the most toxic substances - cyanide.
Toxic plants, the poison of which is not fatal, but in large doses causes severe illness.
Fruits of plants of the family Araliaceae, for example, aucuba japonica, polyscias, fatsia, fatshedera, schefflera are poisonous and cause digestive system upset and allergic reactions. In ivy, which also belongs to the Araliaceae family, all plant organs are poisonous.
IN begonias contains insoluble salts of oxalic acid, which cause burns and irritation of the oral cavity, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting. Begonia tubers are the most toxic.
Toxic substances are contained in the bulbs gloriosa. In large doses, they lead to blood clotting disorders and kidney disease. Symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Unripe berries lantana contain triterpenoids that are toxic to humans, cats and dogs. Symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, weakness. In some cases, the liver fails.
All plants of the family Euphorbiaceae: akalifa, croton, spurge, spurge (poinsettia), jatropha contain the toxic substance euphorbine, which causes severe burns to the skin and mucous membranes. 
When working with euphorbias, it is necessary to take special care of the eyes, since the milky juice irritates the cornea 
and can lead to temporary or complete loss of vision. Once in the mouth, the milky juice very strongly burns the oral cavity and throat, causing upset of the digestive and nervous systems.
Representatives of the family nightshades: nightshade (solyanum or Jerusalem cherry), brovallia, brunfelsia, decorative pepper quite poisonous. 
The beautiful fruits of pepper and nightshade pose a great danger to children, who will definitely want to try them. Brunfelsia contains the toxic substance brunfelsamidine, which causes stomach upset, profuse salivation, trembling, lethargy, coughing, and seizures.
Upon contact of milky juice ficus With the skin, some people experience inflammation, eczema and dermatitis. Ficus sap released into the air can cause allergies and bronchial asthma.
Low toxic plants
Eating these plants leads to such unpleasant phenomena as digestive system upset, vomiting, diarrhea, trembling and weakness.
The group of low-toxic plants includes members of the family containing lycorine and other toxic alkaloids amaryllis: amaryllis, hemanthus, hymenocallis, hippeastrum, zephyranthes, clivia, crinum, nerine, eucharis, and many other plants, including aloe, gardenia, geranium, dracaena, calamondin, Kalanchoe, cordyline, strelitzia, yucca.
Fortunately, there are many indoor plants that do not pose a health hazard, such as orchids, Usambara violets, gloxinias and other plants of the Gesneriaceae family, various types succulents, hibiscus. These plants will successfully form the basis of your home collection.