Certain plants if kept inside can prove to be harmful for children and the pets. Smaller pets and children below the age of three are the worst affected by the toxins. This does not mean that these plants cannot be kept at home at al. certain precautions should be taken, like the plant should not be ingested in large quantities, it should be kept out of the reach of children and pets and the fallen berries and the leaves should be picked up regularly. One needs to be careful with the following plants while keeping them at home.



Philodendrons: These are very popular among the house plants as they are easy to maintain. Though they are easy to care for but their leaves contain a toxin called calcium oxalate. It results in the inflammation of the mucus membranes in the throat and mouth if ingested in large quantities by children and pets. The reaction is not expected to be severe but it is advisable to keep them out of reach of children.

Caladium: These are beautiful house plants but they also contain calcium oxalate and can cause irritations in the throat and the mouth. The symptoms of the reaction are vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea.

English Ivy: The plant is said to improve the quality of the air in the house buy it also contains poisonous saponins which cause irritation to children and pets. If the leaves are chewed it can cause an upset stomach.

Hydrangea: The beautiful plant contains cyanide like compound which can make the person ingesting them ill.

Jerusalem cherry: This plant looks attractive with berries and leaves and thus, if a child swallows them he can get pain in the abdomen and headaches. It has a toxin called solanine which can also harm the pets.

Azaleas: These are beautiful landscaping plants and are kept indoors by many plant lovers. The leaves contain grayan toxins which can be harmful if ingested in large amounts. These leaves off late are being used to make tea and this makes the user ill. They result in diarrhoea, vomiting and other symptoms. When the condition gets severe it can lead to cardiovascular collapse and result in coma or death.

Easter Lily: When these are kept indoors, they can prove to be harmful to pets especially cats and cause kidney failure. If the cats ingest it, it can cause vomiting, lethargy and loss of appetite.

Poinsettias: if the milky sap of the plant comes in contact with the skin it can cause an allergy and nausea if it is swallowed.

Oleander: This plant is considered to be very poisonous as swallowing the leaves can prove to be fatal for the pet or the child.

All these plants are harmful especially to small kids and plants, thus, if proper care is taken they can be kept in the house without harming any one.