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Holiday Plants: How Safe are They?

The holiday season is now in full swing, and that means many of us have already begun to "deck the halls." Flowering plants are beautiful, and are a traditional gift item, but with such a wide range of decorations brightening homes, schools, and child-care settings, many parents rightfully wonder if these trappings of holiday cheer could also be harmful.

It's a maze of holiday plants out there - make sure you know what's safe and what's not. Although few plants cause death, it is important to have adequate knowledge about our festive foliage. The following is a list of some of the most common holiday plants and what dangers they may present:

Poinsettia: There is a common misconception that the poinsettia plant is toxic, a belief tied, in part, to an urban legend surrounding an Army officer's 2-year-old daughter, who allegedly died in 1919 after ingesting a poinsettia leaf. Though this rumor has never been medically or scientifically proven, it has now circulated for more than 80 years, taking on a life of its own. In truth, poinsettia leaves may cause minor stomach, accompanied by vomiting, upset if eaten in quantity (for instance, if an unsupervised pet were to consume an entire plant). Ingesting a single leaf is unlikely to produce any ill effects, other than from the reportedly unpleasant taste! Contact with broken leaves can also cause minor skin irritation.

Holly: Consuming the bright red berries can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea

Mistletoe: Ingesting the leaves or flowers can cause acute intestinal and stomach discomfort.

Jerusalem Cherry: Ingesting this dangerous plant can result hallucinations, vomiting, drowsiness, and restlessness. It can also cause skin irritation in some.

Christmas Trees: Bare skin contact with the sap can result in an itchy rash; ingesting the bark can cause abdominal pain.

While most decorative holiday plants pose minimal risk, never hesitate to call your local poison control center in the case of ingestion. It's always better to be safe than sorry.