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.
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.
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.