• Knowledgebase: The One Minute Pediatrician

    These are short topics that Dr. Dennis wrote for use on the radio. Each topic reads in less than one minute!

    19. Poisonous Plants - Top

    As more and more people have interest in house plants, wehave seen an increasing number of poisonous plant ingestions. Small infants and toddlers are the children most at risk for this problem.

    Common house plants that are a problem are Philodendrums, Dumbcane or Dieffenbachia, Elephant Ear, and Caldiums.

    Plants with dangerous seeds include Morning Glory, Castor Bean, and Mistletoe berries.

    Common outside plants of concern are Hydrangea, Iris, Oleander, Rhododendron, Daffodyl, Pokeweed, and Wisteria.

    Basic safety rules apply here as in all areas. If a child does not have contact with a problem (plant in this case) a problem will be avoided.

    If your child eats any plant, you should contact your poison control center and then your physician. - Updated: April 27, 2001

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