6 Toxic Houseplants You Can’t Resist Growing
05.09.2024 - 11:49
/ balconygardenweb.com
Well, obviously, you’re not growing these houseplants because they are toxic! But with this deadly and discomforting quality, why grow them indoors at all? Because you simply can’t resist them! Let’s find out what these plants are and why we can’t stop ourselves from loving them.
Before we dive in, here’s a word of caution: avoid growing these at home if they are well within the reach of toddlers and pets. But if you can keep them safely away, let’s uncover the beauty that belies their toxicity!
Botanical Name: Dieffenbachia
A high concentration of oxalic acids and calcium oxalate crystals in its leaves, stem, and sap can cause swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, difficulty speaking, and nausea. Dumb Cane is also fatal to livestock and pets, so avoid it if you have furry babies running around.
Ingesting its sap can temporarily mute you—hence the name! But despite these dreadful features, it is a stunning houseplant. With broad, rich leaves in green and cream patterns, this one grows up to six feet tall indoors.
Botanical Name: Cycas revoluta
Sago Palm is often kept as a decorative plant indoors due to its shiny palm-like leaves with margins that roll downwards. But ingesting this plant is a big no, both for you and your pets, especially cats!
It contains cycasin, a compound found in all parts of the plant, particularly in the seeds. If ingested, it can cause liver failure and, in the worst case, even death.
However, with stiff, feather-like, deep green leaves cascading outwards, this plant is a dream addition to any home! This slow grower takes 50 years or more to reach even 10 feet tall, but indoors, it never grows bigger than 2-3 feet, so you don’t need to worry much about it getting too big.
Botanical Name: Zantedeschia