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Which House Plants Have Poisonous Leaves?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

While house plants may be beautiful or attractive to have around the house, there are a large number of such plants that are actually quite poisonous. Of these various poisonous house plants, some of them only have parts of the plant that are poisonous, while others will be potentially toxic all throughout the plant and should typically be avoided in any type of household with pets or children. Many of these houseplants will only have poisonous leaves, which may seem innocuous to a child who is familiar with eating leafy greens in salads. Of the various house plants with poisonous leaves some of the most common are azaleas, oleanders, daffodils, and holly.

Most lists that compile the various types of house plants with poisonous leaves will indicate which part of the plant is poisonous. Often it may be either specific parts of the plants that are poisonous, while other parts are perfectly safe, or the entire plant may be dangerous if ingested. With regard to the different parts of the plants that can be poisonous, poisonous leaves can be especially dangerous since many children and animals naturally assume that green plants are safe to eat. Since the list of house plants with poisonous leaves can be quite extensive, it is often best to assume a plant may be dangerous and to immediately contact poison control in case of ingestion of potentially poisonous plants.

Oleanders are purely ornamental, and should not be eaten.
Oleanders are purely ornamental, and should not be eaten.

Among the most common plants with poisonous leaves are daffodils, which can be kept as house plants or may be given as gifts for their beautiful appearance. The flowers, bulbs, and leaves of daffodils can be poisonous if eaten and will typically cause unpleasant gastrointestinal responses such as cramping, nausea, and vomiting. Oleanders, with their beautiful groupings of small flowers, can be quite popular, though the entire plant is extremely poisonous and potentially fatal if ingested.

Elephant ear plants are toxic when raw, but can be cooked and are popular in many cultures.
Elephant ear plants are toxic when raw, but can be cooked and are popular in many cultures.

Azaleas have poisonous leaves that can be quite unpleasant if consumed. The leaves and nectar of azaleas contain crystals composed of calcium oxalate, and if eaten these tiny crystals can do serious damage to the mouth, throat, and digestive tract. Holly and mistletoe, both often found in houses around Christmas and other holidays, are both quite dangerous. These have poisonous leaves and berries and should be kept safely out of reach of children or animals. Some house plants have leaves that are especially dangerous to animals, such as house cats, most common among them are lilies.

Discussion Comments

RoyalSpyder

In my opinion, the funny thing about this article is that in some ways, it shows how animals have a lot of differences from humans.

While some plants can be poisonous to dogs and cats, especially if consumed, those are actually some of the plants we get everyday in the grocery store and cook for dinner. If you have a pet, it's always good to remember that they can't always eat what we eat, especially when taking vegetables into consideration.

However, I'm still curious as to how an animal's digestive tract differs from a human's, to the point where they'll get sick if they eat what we eat. Perhaps it all has to do with genetics, and how their body processes food.

Hazali

This article gives a really good distinction between how plants can be beautiful, yet deadly at the same time. While there's no doubt that they're filled with a lot of variety, on the other hand, we also need to be careful and what we're exposed to. Also, I would like to mention that I'm quite surprised the article didn't bring up poison ivy, one of the most dangerous plants.

Even though people thankfully don't consume it, the plant contains some oils that if they come in contact with your skin, it will leave several rashes that itch and burn. While I have never had experience with poison ivy before, I have known several people who have, and it was a very unpleasant experience. It's certainly a plant you should watch out for when you go out camping.

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    • Oleanders are purely ornamental, and should not be eaten.
      By: Iosif Giannakopoulos
      Oleanders are purely ornamental, and should not be eaten.
    • Elephant ear plants are toxic when raw, but can be cooked and are popular in many cultures.
      By: Le Do
      Elephant ear plants are toxic when raw, but can be cooked and are popular in many cultures.