Keep pets and children away from these plants

While our homes are often seen as our sanctuary and where we can relax in safety, there are a number of potential dangers that lurk and can cause a great deal of harm to children and pets. Flowers and plants are usually beautiful for decorating your home but some of them can be toxic or cause allergic reactions. To keep your pets and/or children safe, it’s important to make sure that you choose the right plants for your home.

Flowers to keep away from children

If you have children, it’s best to avoid such plants as daffodils, caladiums, azaleas, and chrysanthemums. Hydrangeas, irises, hyacinths, periwinkles, and morning glory plants can pose quite a threat to young ones. Small children have a habit of tasting everything they find and, when ingested, these flowers can cause serious harm. Even if you think that your flowers are out of their reach, you never can be too sure. Kids have a way of climbing up and reaching all sorts of places that they shouldn’t. If you have calla lilies, you will be happy to know that they don’t pose any risk. That said, the leaves and bulbs of these flowering plants can cause skin irritations.

Over the winter holiday period, there are several seasonal plants that are popular for festive décor. These include mistletoe, poinsettias, and holly. Poinsettia flowers are not poisonous but the sap from their leaves is. So, you might want to think twice before placing this plant within reach of children. This sap causes skin irritations and can even result in vomiting. Mistletoe berries are also poisonous which is why people either remove the berries before decorating with mistletoe. Alternatively, artificial mistletoe is used. Even if you don’t have any children of your own, your friends or family members may have young kids. If they visit over the holidays, their children could get their hands on one of these plants. Signs of mistletoe berry ingestion include diarrhoea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and many other serious symptoms. Holly berries also cause vomiting and diarrhoea if ingested but the side effects are generally milder than those of mistletoe berry ingestion.

So, with this in mind, what kind of flowers can you enjoy without worrying about your children? There are several lovely options including roses, zinnias, petunias, geraniums, and gardenias to name a few. If you are ever unsure about the safety of your little ones, you can always ask your florist for their suggestions.

Flowers to keep away from pets

Just like children, pets can also ingest plants and flowers without thinking twice. Animals have different dietary needs and something that might not harm us could harm them. If you are planning on buying flowers for yourself or if you want to send flowers to somebody with pets, you should pay close attention to the types of blooms included in a bouquet.

When it comes to potted plants, there are several options that should be avoided for the sake of your pets. These include dumbcane, elephant’s ear, caladium, mistletoe, and and lantana. Dumbcane, caladium, and elephant’s ear each contai a toxin called oxalate. For humans, oxalates don’t pose a serious risk but if your pet consumes too much of it, it can result in death. Lantana leaves as well as the berries are the most toxic parts of the plant and if your pet consumes them, it can result in bloody diarrhoea as well as weakness. In some extreme cases, death may occur between two and four days of consumption. Mistletoe leaves and berries are especially dangerous to animals. Ingestion can cause severe stomach pains, diarrhoea and an increased pulse. Death is possible but quite rare.

Remember, it’s not always the flowers that are toxic. Sometimes, other parts of the flower or plant are toxic while the flowers are not. Tulips, for example, have harmless flowers and stems but the bulbs are toxic. Certain parts of hydrangeas, irises, and various lilies are also dangerous to animals. Consuming these flowers can result in vomiting, diarrhoea, and in some cases seizures. Carnations and roses are perfect if you want to play it super safe.

It’s also good to note that your pet will usually not eat much of a particular plant which means that any side effects are often mild. They do, however, usually require a trip to the vet just to play it safe.