Plants to Avoid

I'm always surprised at how many popular plants are poisonous. There are stories floating about of children dieing from simply drinking from a vase that's held foxglove flowers, or people in India using oleander to commit suicide. (Lovely-- we had a huge oleander bush at our old house.) Since my twins still unexpectedly pluck things off plants, or the ground, and plop them in their mouth, I need to be careful.

Most people have heard that foxglove is poisonous, but how about hydrangeas or boxwood hedges? On the flip side, many people think poinsettias are poisonous, but surprisingly that's a myth. (On the Christmas front, the less-hyped holly bush and mistletoe actually are poisonous.)

Foxglove-- pretty, but watch out!
photo by Cath in Dorset

Here's a partial list of some common toxic plants you may want to avoid if you have little ones, and you can also check out the National Capital Poison Center's site for a more comprehensive list:

• oleander
• lantana
• daffodil
• foxglove
• azaleas and rhododendrons
• elephant ear
• juniper bushes
• wisteria
• iris

Too bad so many of them are so pretty. I'm guilty of having a couple of these, but I planted them in our front yard, where I always have to keep an eye on the kids anyway.