The good news first: the Really serious poisoning by plants is very rare. Usually, the consumption of fruits, leaves or flowers no or only relatively mild symptoms (e.g., gastrointestinal complaints such as Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) caused.
Nevertheless, it is better to play it safe to go: Just when small children live in the household, you should know,
- if the plants in the house and garden are toxic
- what are the symptoms of poisoning they can cause, and
- what to do in case of an emergency.
Therefore, we provide examples of six more or less toxic to plants, which are for the Christmas season especially popular:
Christian Rose: Decorative Winter-Flowering
The Christmas rose (Black hellebore or Helleborus niger) is a robust garden plant, but especially in the Christmas season, also as a pot plant popular.
When is it risky?
Generally, the Christmas rose as a very poisonous: All parts of plants – so, leaves, seeds and roots contain toxins, some of which even the heart affect or harm can. However, the composition of the toxic ingredients in the various plant parts is different. In total, poisoning by hellebores nowadays rare , and are mostly easily.
What symptoms can occur?
- Scraping in the mouth and throat
- increased flow of saliva
- Gastro-Intestinal Complaints
- dilated pupils
- after eating large quantities of possibly cardiovascular disorders
What to do in case of a possible poisoning?
- Do not induce vomiting
- To drink liquid (max. 1 glass of non-carbonated water, tea or juice)
- Poison center calls and to the necessary measures questions
Ivy: Evergreen Climbing Plant
Common ivy (Hedera helix) adorns often the Christmas wreaths or flower arrangements. Its green to blue-black berries taste very bitter.
When is it risky?
Both the berries and the leaves of ivy are poisonous. They usually cause only mild poisoning. Nevertheless, after the consumption, in any case, counter-measures advisable.
What symptoms can occur?
- Gastro-Intestinal Complaints
- Skin and mucous membrane irritation
- allergic skin reactions
- increased temperature
- after eating large quantities of neurological symptoms (e.g. headache, dizziness)
What to do in case of a possible poisoning?
- Do not induce vomiting
- To drink liquid (max. 1 glass of non-carbonated water, tea or juice)
- Poison center calls and to the necessary measures questions
Yew: Evergreen Conifer
The European yew (Taxus baccata) with its evergreen needles and red fruits, almost as Christmas jewelry. The fruits taste sweet and are non-toxic.
When is it risky?
Up on the red fruit all parts of the yew are poisonous. In the needles and seeds , the toxin content is particularly high. Who is she biting down on, with a serious poisoning , which in extreme cases can be fatal can.
Therefore, after consumption of needles or more than two masticated seeds detoxification measures advised by the poison of the yew from the gastro-intestinal tract to remove.
What symptoms can occur?
- Gastro-Intestinal Complaints
- Dryness of the mouth
- dilated pupils
- Pallor
- Dizziness
- Heart rhythm disorders
- Liver and kidney damage
- Seizures
What to do in case of a possible poisoning?
- Do not induce vomiting
- To drink liquid (max. 1 glass of non-carbonated water, tea or juice)
- Poison center calls and to the necessary measures questions
- For larger quantities, or conspicuous symptoms (repeated vomiting, circulatory and/or loss of consciousness) immediately to the ambulance service using the emergency telephone number 112
Mistletoe: ball in tree crowns
The white-berry mistletoe (Viscum alba) is a ball-shaped tree crowns growing, evergreen free plant. At Christmas time, mistletoe branches, often used as a Christmas decoration on doors hung or for wreaths and flower arrangements used.
When is it risky?
The toxins are in the whole Plant, but mainly in the leaves and stems of the mistletoe. The berries are almost non-toxic – only the consumption of large amounts can cause problems.
What is the dose it comes to the poisoning is not known. Overall, the mistletoe but causes more light poisoning.
What symptoms can occur?
- After contact with leaf and stem juice: skin – and mucous membrane irritation
- After eating: stomach-intestinal complaints, sweating, for larger quantities, possibly circulatory problems (slow heart rate, drop in blood pressure)
What to do in case of a possible poisoning?
- Do not induce vomiting
- To drink liquid (max. 1 glass of non-carbonated water, tea or juice)
- Poison center calls and to the necessary measures questions
Holly: Evergreen Shrub Shrub
Branches of the Holly (or winter, or Ilex) berry because of its peculiar-shaped leaves and red berries are a popular Christmas decoration.
When is it risky?
All parts of the plant of the Holly are poisonous – the berries: some few of them to symptoms of poisoning to trigger. Depending on the amount of consumption they can cause mild-to-moderate poisoning.
What symptoms can occur?
- Gastro-Intestinal Complaints
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Changes in consciousness
What to do in case of a possible poisoning?
- Do not induce vomiting
- To drink liquid (max. 1 glass of non-carbonated water, tea or juice)
- Poison center calls and to the necessary measures questions
- In the case of conspicuous symptoms (repeated vomiting, circulatory and/or loss of consciousness) immediately to the ambulance service using the emergency telephone number 112
Christmas star: a houseplant with milk juice
Of the wolf milk plants belonging to the Christmas star (Euphorbia pulcherrima, is also advent, star, or Christmas star) is just for the Christmas season, one of the most popular houseplants.
When is it risky?
The Christmas star are all parts of the plant poisonous. The wolf milk plants typical whitish milk juice contains, at least in the case of the wild form of the Plant – strong skin irritants. (According to recent findings, this skin irritation is a lack of ingredients in the commercially available cultivated varieties of poinsettia, maybe.)
What symptoms can occur?
- After contact with milk, juice, skin, and mucous membrane irritation, allergic reactions of the skin
- After consumption of leaves: gastrointestinal discomfort, rarely drowsiness and dizziness
What to do in case of a possible poisoning?
- Do not induce vomiting
- To drink liquid (max. 1 glass of non-carbonated water, tea or juice)
- In the case of skin and/or eye contact immediately rinse with water
- Poison center calls and to the necessary measures questions
Sources
Online information the information centre against the poisoning at the center for Pediatrics of the University hospital of Bonn: www.gizbonn.de (retrieval date: 11.12.2019)
Online information of the Joint poison information centre of the German States of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia: www.ggiz-erfurt.de (retrieval date: 11.12.2019)
Online information of the Pschyrembel: www.pschyrembel.de (retrieval date: 11.12.2019)
BfR-Pressestelle (Hrsg.): Risk Plant – evaluation and notes. Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany 2017
BfR-Pressestelle (Hrsg.): Risk of poisoning accidents in children. Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany 2017
For More Information
Onmeda-Reading Tips:
- Poisoning accidents in children: Quick help via the App
- Mushroom poisoning: What are the symptoms are typical and when they occur?
- Green or sprouted potatoes: Toxic or not?
- Bitter pumpkins, Zucchini and cucumbers can be toxic
- Green parts of tomatoes: Healthy, unhealthy, or even poisonous?
- Caution in the case of Lupin seeds: So you can avoid poisoning
- Mercury: poisoning small amounts are enough
Link tips:
- www.bfr.bund.deDie free App “poisoning accidents among children” of the Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR) provides in the case of Poisoning help. Here you will find more info and Download Links to the App.
- www.kindergesundheit-info.deListe the Poison centers and poison information centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
28.01.2019
*The contribution of “poinsettia, ivy, yew & co.: How poisonous the plants are?” is published by Onmeda. Contact with the executives here.