Used to decorate the Christmas table, the interior of the house or sometimes even cakes, decorative plants for the end of the year can be toxic to our health or that of our animals, especially if their leaves or berries are ingested.
Which plants should (above all) not be eaten?
- Holly
Each year, poison control centers receive between 60 and 80 calls for children under fifteen who have accidentally put holly berries in their mouths, 40% of cases of which occur during the holiday season.
Its branches are indeed used to make Christmas wreaths or as a decoration on cakes. If the leaves – too hard and edged with prickles – are rarely implicated in poisoning, the red berries can be attractive to children who put them easily in the mouth.
Ingested in small quantities (one or two berries), they cause almost no symptoms or only minor digestive disorders (nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain). But consumed in larger quantities, they can generate more serious symptoms such as significant salivation, vomiting and persistent diarrhea, even drowsiness or convulsions. Be careful, berries and holly leaves can also be very toxic to pets.
- The mistletoe
Mistletoe branches can also be found adorning homes and gardens during the holidays. Unlike holly, its branches are more poisonous than its berries. Each year, the poison control centers receive around forty calls in total, three-quarters of which between November and January.
A small number of ingested berries can be the cause of minor digestive signs, while cardiac disorders (heart rhythm disorders, drop in blood pressure) or neurological disorders (drowsiness) can be observed in the event of too large a quantity. berries eaten. While they can be highly toxic to humans, mistletoe leaves and berries are deadly to animals.
- The Poinsettia
The leaves of this plant turn red at the end of the year, so it is often enjoyed around the holidays.
Putting these leaves in the mouth can be the cause of minor digestive disorders in children, but of greater consequences in pets.
What to do in case of ingestion?
If your child has put the leaves or berries of these poisonous plants in his mouth, clean his mouth, don’t make him drink and call a poison control centre. For your pet, there are veterinary poison centers.
If necessary, keep the label or a photograph of the plant to help doctors identify it in the event of poisoning.
Source :
- Decorative plants – their ingestion can be toxic for humans and animals, ANSES, 15 December 2022
