A common item that may be found in homes across the world is the everyday houseplant. Houseplants come in many shapes and sizes, including many different breeds or types. There are some plants that are more common to find inside houses, such as spider plants. But there are other more unique plants out there that one might consider bringing into their homes, that can actually be extremely toxic to both animals and young kids, especially when ingested.
One such plant is the Dieffenbachia plant. This plant is usually known for its beauty and specifically its white-spotted leaves. It is also known as the “mother-in-law” plant or the “dumb cane”. The last name is specifically because when ingested Dieffenbachia is known to cause numbness, numbness, a burning sensation, swelling, and many other alarming symptoms. This plant contains calcium oxide, which is the cause of most of these symptoms.
Dieffenbachia has become a more common houseplant because of its need for shade. This may lead to younger kids or inside pets being more likely to come into contact with the plant than they would if it was outdoors. While the side effects of ingesting this plant will most likely be mild, there are known severe cases out there, especially in the case of severe swelling. Hospitalization may be required in these severe cases.
When it comes to household plants, Dieffenbachia is not the only plant in the world that can be poisonous when ingested by kids or animals. It is important if you plan on having this plant in the house to make sure that your child knows about being safe around them. Make sure to teach your children about plant safety, including that it is not safe to chew on leaves of any plant, inside the house or outside, especially if they do not know what it is. Green does not always mean good or healthy. In the case of animals, the only way to make sure that the plant is securely away from them is to have it in a place where you are sure they cannot reach it. Most animals, especially pets, have their own ways of getting into trouble when they want to, even if they do not mean to, so if you want to try to have Dieffenbachia in the house, you may want to keep it in a high place where most animals will not be able to reach it. Dieffenbachia is an ornamental and maybe a plant that you want to try to have in the house. But, if you do, make sure if you have kids or animals that you are putting it in a place where the dangers of this toxic plant will be as small as possible. If you have concerns, it may be better to leave this plant out of your home entirely, to prevent any dangerous encounters from happening.
