That’s Toxic

Iwas 5 years old watching my mom prune our very large Elephant’s Ear - she was hacking away at it and the huge discarded leaves had white crunchy looking stems. 'Don't eat those leaves,' I'm not sure why she said it, but she did. Perhaps her telling me not to, is what put the idea in my head in the first place. I took a big bite out of the white crispy bottom stem, I thought it looked like lettuce. Next moment my mouth was foaming, I was crying and my mom was washing my mouth out with soap.

Needless to say, I now know first-hand that plants can be toxic. Now as grown adults we have a better sense (I hope) and don’t go walking around taking bites out of our indoor plants. However, pets and kids are less inclined to stick to these rules. And so as a plant lovers, it’s something we need to address.

DEFINITIONS MATTER

The word ‘toxic’ is a loaded term and can put any pet owner or parent off ever having a plant in their house again. However, the levels of toxicity are very wide ranging. They can vary from mild irritation, or in the odd severe case, organ failure resulting in death. These levels of toxicity also differ - not only from species to species, but also due to varying environmental factors, such as the parts ingested or the vegetative stage of the plant.

The issue with the internet is that most sources just list plants as ‘toxic’ or ‘non-toxic’, they don’t go into detail about how toxic specific plants are (and indeed, there isn’t much research on this). I think it often results in websites erring on the side of being extra cautious and listing something as toxic without explaining what precisely that means because they’d rather not be at the end of a lawsuit. Now if you have a pet or a kid that you’re worried about, then perhaps it is the best to err on the side of caution. You’ll find the Araceae family (including genera such as Anthurium, Arum, Caladium, Monstera, Philodendron and Pothos) as the most often demonised plants, as they are all flat-out labelled as toxic. But I’m not a fan of the way half-baked information is used to put the living fear into people. So, let’s look at some practical information regarding the term by adding in another layer – ‘mildly toxic’.

Mildly toxic plants might be labelled as ‘toxic’ but it actually takes a LOT of consumption to do any harm. Some of these mildly toxic plants include: Pothos, Philodendrons, ZZ plants, Sansevierias, Monsteras, Dracaenas, and Ficus trees.

This doesn’t mean you should take the toxicity of plants lightly, there are definitely some plants that are known to be very dangerous when consumed. Around 6-11 % of pet poisoning enquiries made to vets in Europe are due to plants. Examples of truly toxic plants include: Euphorbia, Dieffenbachia, Lilium, and Sago Palms.

WHY ARE THEY TOXIC?

What makes some of these plants toxic? Well, most sources say it’s because these plants have a high content of calcium oxalate crystals. However, there are many plants that we eat that have these crystals present such as, spinach, brussel sprouts and lettuce. Any of these compounds consumed in large doses can cause toxicity. Oxalate from these everyday plants has in fact been recognised as one of the reasons for kidney stones in people. Another reason why plants can be toxic is because some plants (such as Euphorbia varietals) manufacture special metabolites that work as a natural deterrent against herbivores.

KNOW YOUR PLANT

If you are a pet owner or if you have young children, know what plant species you have, as it is this information that can help a medical professional rapidly intervene on the target organ of the toxin. In one study, 87% of cats that received prompt care based on their diagnosis developed only mild signs without consequences. And when I say know your plant, I’m talking about the scientific name - even if you have to jot these down in a journal somewhere. Saffron de la Rouviere

Founder of Saffron's Gardens

www.saffronsfarden.com

@saffronsgarden

"WHETHER IT BE THAT YOU ARE LIVING WITH A PET OR A CHILD, THERE ARE CERTAIN INSTANCES THAT FLUCTUATE THE RISK OF HAVING ‘TOXIC’ PLANTS IN YOUR HOUSE."

There are many types of lilies that can do varying amounts of damage to animals. Some plants are often called lilies but aren't actually a part of that family, so knowing the specific name could literally help save a life.

KNOW YOUR CHARGE

Whether it be that you are living with a pet or a child, there are certain instances that fluctuate the risk of having ‘toxic’ plants in your house. I have 3 cats, a dog and a toddler in my house, as well as over 300 odd 'toxic' plants. Why do I take this risk? Because, I know my animals and my child. All of my charges grew up around plants from the get go, so indoor plants are not novel to them. My cats are outdoor animals that have plenty of stimulation and healthy vegetation to graze on. This lack of interest in plants coupled with accessible stimulation and vegetation has resulted in owning pets who don't care whether I place a Begonia or an Anthurium next to me. That makes me lucky, to a degree.

Not everyone under your roof is guaranteed to have this environment or personality. Generally, the younger an animal, the more likely they are going to be curious about a new plant and might even like the idea of taking a bite out of it. Bored animals and/or animals who don’t get to go outside, might do the same.

BEING SAFE

If you know your animal or child is bound to take a bite out of a toxic plant then make sure they can’t reach them. High shelves and plant stools can help with this. However, cats are notorious for getting places where they don’t belong, so if you have a Edmund Hillary that climbs up walls AND nibbles on plants, then it’s best to be more cautious. Another way that one can keep ornamental plants away from animals and children is by putting them in a terrarium or glass casing. There are also other anecdotes available on the web such as sprinkling cayenne pepper on your plants to deter animals, or not using kelp fertiliser as this entices dogs to eat around the plant.

If none of this is possible and you do have charges under your care who might take a bite, then it is best to not keep highly toxic plants. There are many wonderful plants that are not toxic that you can still collect, these include: Begonias, Peperomias, Prayer Plants and some Ferns to name a few.