Been planning to grow your houseplant collection with exotic plants out there? However, here’s a list of plants you should never grow indoors!
As gardeners, we often have a wishlist of plants we would like to adorn our houses. However, before buying any plant, it is crucial to research it properly—not just its growing needs but also any associated cautions or side effects. While you may love a plant’s color or unique shape, it is important never to bring harmful plants into your home. So, here’s a list you must steer clear of!
Plants You Should Never Grow Indoors
1. Lilies
Botanical Name: Lilium
If you have a feline at home, lilies would be an immediate no-go for your houseplant collection, especially those in the true lily and day lily families. Though it is hard to pass up on the beautiful species of this flowering plant, it is quite poisonous to cats, causing vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite. In severe cases, when not treated in time, it could even lead to death. Often, the furry felines can’t resist a nibble of this plant, which can prove fatal.
Wondering if lilies can affect your pawsome doggy as well? The answer is no! So, unless you have a pet cat, you can have all the lilies you could possibly want, including tiger lilies, day lilies, Asian lilies, and more!
2. Castor Oil Bean
Botanical Name: Ricinus communis
Interchangeably called the “castor bean,” this is the plant from which castor oil is extracted. While it produces this liquid gold, the bean contains a compound called ricin, which is the most lethal poison in its natural form.
According to research, just one milligram of ricin, whether in food or water, can be lethal to an adult. If inhaled, symptoms start with a cough within three hours. This progresses to nausea, diarrhea, and body aches within 18 to 24 hours.
3. Amaranth
Botanical Name: Amaranthus cruentus L.
The Amaranthus is one of the top producers of pollen, which can make you really sick. During dry summers, your allergy symptoms can worsen, so it would be a good choice to skip bringing this plant indoors.
4. Agave
Botanical Name: Agave americana
Agave plants produce sap that contains harmful compounds like oxalic acid and saponins, which can cause severe skin irritation, rashes, and blisters if touched. Eating any part of the plant can lead to nausea, vomiting, and serious stomach issues. Plus, they have long and sharp, spiny leaves that can hurt your curious pets badly hurt the curious pets and toddlers in the house.
5. Caladiums
Botanical Name: Caladium
It is always the most beautiful plant with gorgeous variegated foliage you can’t have at home! Though gardeners often recommend this plant if you want to add pops of color to your home, unfortunately, it is toxic to humans and animals.
While it is common for most houseplants to have calcium oxalate crystals, it is present in caladiums in large quantities, and the particles are large enough to block airways and swell the oral organs of pets and humans if ingested.
6. Oleander
Botanical Name: Nerium oleander
If you have been gardening for a while now, you may have been often warned against this plant. Considered to be a poisonous indoor plant for both humans and pets, it can cause arrhythmia, dizziness, and tremors if ingested. Research says eating 15 grams of the root or 5–15 leaves of this plant can be fatal. In pets, it causes vomiting, arrhythmia, and cold extremities.
7. Poinsettia
Botanical Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
A colorful plant that is a massive hit during Christmas as some leaves turn bright red while others stay green, the Poinsettia is often used to make DIY Christmas decorations. While the danger does not lie in the leaves of this plant, the milky sap is quite fatal for both humans and animals because of harmful toxins. Not only can it cause severe health complications if ingested, but a couple of people have also died due to ingesting some sap.
8. Daffodil
Botanical Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima
Sorry, daffodil lovers, but you can’t have these pretty flowers in your home. Daffodils and related plants, such as amaryllis and clivia, contain a toxic compound called lycorine. If ingested, this compound can cause vomiting, drooling, and arrhythmia in animals and pets.
Another fact you should know is that lycorine is present in the highest concentrations in the bulbs. So, if you have a toddler or furry companion in your home, there is all the more reason to keep this plant away from your indoor plant collection.
9. Hyacinth
Botanical Name: Hyacinthus orientalis L.
Seeing colorful, attractive Hyacinths blooming in the late winter to early springtime may tickle your desire to have these beauties in your home. However, this plant comes with a long list of unpleasant symptoms for both humans and animals. While it can trigger your allergies badly, it can cause serious symptoms in your pets, requiring emergency medical attention.
Even if you don’t suffer from allergies, you should wear gloves and other protective gear when handling these flowering plants, as you can bear the brunt of their toxicity without them.
