Beware of harmful plants in your garden
Mar 14, 2008
BEFORE you read this article you need to have a good gardening book like The House Plant Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessay (at Aristoc bookshop they go for sh15,000), to be able to refer to the plants mentioned.
By Winifred Rukidi
BEFORE you read this article you need to have a good gardening book like The House Plant Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessay (at Aristoc bookshop they go for sh15,000), to be able to refer to the plants mentioned.
In any home garden, the best defence is to avoid growing potentially harmful plants. This is not easy though because you might lack knowledge of which plant is harmful and which is not.
Note that the ubiquitous arum family, for example, includes many species that contain calcium oxalate crystals, which when ingested, cause burning and swelling of the tongue mouth and throat. In rare instances, the swelling may be severe enough to cause suffocation.
Among the arums is monstera, dieffenbachia caladium pathos, elephant ear, calla lily and philodendron.
The sap of euphorbias such as crown of thorns, candelabra cactus and poinsettia leaf can make a child nauseous and the sap harmful to the eye, in severe instances leading to blindness.
Flowering plants, which so easily find there way into a house either as a gift, especially during festive seasons, can easily spell out trouble. Two of the most deadly beauties are oleander and gloriosa lilies. A mere contact with an oleander leaf can kill a child.
Azalea, croton, datura and hydrangea are also toxic, but to a lesser degree.
As a mother the best advise I can give is to teach children as early as they can understand not to put things in there mouths. Simply stress that over and over again and they will abide by it!
winnieruk@hotmail.com
BEFORE you read this article you need to have a good gardening book like The House Plant Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessay (at Aristoc bookshop they go for sh15,000), to be able to refer to the plants mentioned.
In any home garden, the best defence is to avoid growing potentially harmful plants. This is not easy though because you might lack knowledge of which plant is harmful and which is not.
Note that the ubiquitous arum family, for example, includes many species that contain calcium oxalate crystals, which when ingested, cause burning and swelling of the tongue mouth and throat. In rare instances, the swelling may be severe enough to cause suffocation.
Among the arums is monstera, dieffenbachia caladium pathos, elephant ear, calla lily and philodendron.
The sap of euphorbias such as crown of thorns, candelabra cactus and poinsettia leaf can make a child nauseous and the sap harmful to the eye, in severe instances leading to blindness.
Flowering plants, which so easily find there way into a house either as a gift, especially during festive seasons, can easily spell out trouble. Two of the most deadly beauties are oleander and gloriosa lilies. A mere contact with an oleander leaf can kill a child.
Azalea, croton, datura and hydrangea are also toxic, but to a lesser degree.
As a mother the best advise I can give is to teach children as early as they can understand not to put things in there mouths. Simply stress that over and over again and they will abide by it!
winnieruk@hotmail.com