Poisonous and non-toxic houseplants and plants

Houseplants make a room cozy in the first place. But it depends on the right choice of plants! Not all are suitable for every location and we cannot recommend every houseplant and green plant without reservation. Especially if you have children and / or pets, you have to be even more careful when making your choice. There are some poisonous houseplants and some that can cause allergies or similar reactions when touched. Caution is advised!

Non-toxic houseplants

Indoor plants are all plants that are predominantly cultivated in closed rooms. In summer some can be put outside, but we are assuming room culture here. Anyone who has children or pets usually makes sure that they do not bring any poisonous plants home. The risk of poisoning is just too high. After all, there are enough harmless, yet beautiful indoor plants.

There is hardly a genus of plants that can be generally recommended as harmless because it is non-toxic. However, you are usually on the safe side with palm trees, ferns, orchids and cacti.

  • Schiefteller (Achimenes-Hybriden) – free flowering Gesneriengewächs, related to the African violet, flowers mostly purple, but also white and pink possible, flowering July to September
  • Shame flower (Aeschynanthus) – hanging plant with orange or purple flowers, very imposing, needs high humidity and hibernation (4 weeks)
  • Flamingo flower (Anthurium) – many different flower colors and sizes available, popular houseplant because it flowers all year round and is easy to care for
  • Camellia (Camelia) – beautiful flowering plant, not easy to cultivate, not an entry-level plant, but great flowers in many colors and fillings, select varieties specially grown for indoor cultivation!
  • Orange trees (citrus) – very decorative, but not very easy to care for, can grow large, the easiest to cultivate are kumquat
  • Echeverie (Echeveria) – many species available, tempting to collect, easy to care for and decorative, many also with beautiful flowers, good for beginners
  • Blue Lizzie (Exacum affine) – annual flowering plant with many small blue to purple or white flowers that are fragrant and easy to care for
  • Gardenia (Gardenia) – fragrant plant with creamy white flowers and enormous fragrance, flowering July to October, does not tolerate calcareous water, very elegant plant, also as a high stem
  • Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) – popular flowering houseplant, overwhelming variety of colors, but only a few colors are available, susceptible to pests, also as tall stems
  • Porcelain flower / wax flower (Hoya) – mostly twisting plant with thick leaves and porcelain-like flowers that are extremely fragrant at night, frugal plant, easy to care for
  • Hard-working Lieschen (Impatiens) – flowers of various colors, grateful plant that blooms profusely and can be easily reproduced, some species need cooler wintering
  • Jasmin (Jasminum) – abundant flowering from June to September, likes cool wintering, endangered by aphids, strong fragrance – can lead to headaches
  • Flammendes Käthchen (Kalanchoe) – the most popular flowering houseplant, it must not be watered too much, many colors, great double flowers and easy to care for
  • Passion flower (Passiflora) – many species, some of them very robust and easy to care for, also like outdoors in summer, cooler location in winter, quite undemanding and very decorative
  • African violets (Saintpaulia-Jonantha hybrids) – available in many varieties, with simple, double, wavy or curled flowers in white, pink, red, purple and blue, easy care
  • Gloxinia (Sinningia hybrids) – large decorative flowers of numerous colors, bulbous plant, leaves must not get wet. Tubers can be overwintered and will sprout reliably again
  • Ash flower (Senecio Cruentus hybrids) – inexhaustible richness of color and lots of flowers, annual culture, favorite food of aphids, flowers in March / April
  • Wreath loop (Stephanotis floribunda) – climbing shrub with beautiful flowers, very easy to care for, grows best on an arch, pleasant floral scent
  • Rosette thick leaf (Aeonium) – succulent plant, very decorative foliage plant, little water because water reservoir, cool in winter! Too much water is harmful!
  • Elephant foot (Beaucarnea resurvata) – very bizarre and decorative plant, trunk is water reservoir, very little maintenance required, do not water too much!
  • Green lily (Chlorophytum comosum) – dense rosette clusters, arching overhanging shoots, small white flowers and very easy to care for, ideal houseplant that becomes very lush with good care
  • Club lily (Cordyline) – many beautiful species with brightly colored leaves, needs high humidity, but otherwise little care, can grow large
  • Screw tree (Pandanus) – very beautiful green plant, but it takes on stately proportions, easy to care for, grows well in vessels with water storage, be careful – very prickly leaf edges
  • Bow hemp (Sansevieria trifasciata) – new varieties on the market, with very attractive leaves and growth forms, extremely easy to care for, beginner plant, forgives almost every care mistake
  • Palm lily (yucca) – easy-care houseplant, grows tall, but can be shortened well, also outdoors in summer, risk of injury to the leaf tips

Poisonous houseplants

Although there are quite a few poisonous houseplants, poisoning is not that common. A large number of the plants are known. Nevertheless, it is always surprising which plants all have poisonous parts or which are completely poisonous.

  • Cat’s Tail (Acalypha hispida) – poisonous in all parts – very decorative, large leaves with red cat-tail-like flower spikes in between that hang down.
  • Desert rose (Adenium) – the milky sap is highly toxic – beautiful plant with flowers from white pink to purple to violet.
  • Gold trumpet (Allamanda cathartica) – poisonous in all parts – meter-long shoots with bright yellow flower trumpets, needs high humidity
  • Browallia (Browallia) – Nightshade plant poisonous – many blue, purple or white single flowers, which are formed all year round, also suitable as garden flowers
  • Begonias (Begonia) – not all poisonous, but B. tuberhybrida, B. gracilis and B. rex – very beautiful and popular foliage and flowering plants
  • Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) – slightly poisonous, especially the sap – one of the most popular indoor plants, quite easy to care for
  • Cyclamen – Cyclamines and saponins can cause respiratory paralysis, diarrhea, vomiting and more – a very beautiful flowering plant and very popular
  • Tree friend (Philodendron) – great foliage plant, different species with different leaves, quite easy to care for, likes higher humidity
  • Brunfelsia (Brunfelsia) – nightshade family – with large white, yellow or light to dark purple flowers from January to August
  • Cup primrose (Primula obconica) – the glandular hairs are dangerous – typical primrose, but with a long flower stalk, should only be touched with gloves!
  • Coral trees (Solanum capsicastrum) – whole plant poisonous, berries in particular – beautiful shrub with white star-shaped flowers and later bright red round fruits
  • Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) – poisonous in all parts – pink or white flowers from May to October, beautiful, very dark foliage with a white central rib
  • Clivia, belt leaf (Clivia) – contains poisonous alkaloids – sword-shaped leaves with flowers on a long stem, very decorative, needs hibernation
  • Dipladenia (Dipladenia) – very poisonous in all parts – beautiful plant with white, purple or dark pink flowers, can be outdoors in summer, preferably as a container plant
  • Christ thorn (Eupforbia milii) – poisonous in all parts and danger of injuries due to thorns – cactus-like, pseudo-flowers in white, pink and red, can become very large
  • Blood flower, elephant ear (Haemanthus) – amaryllis, onion contains toxins – decorative flowers from July to October, rather rare plant
  • Crown of Fame (Gloriosa rothschildiana) – tubers contain colchicine – very decorative climbing plant with great flowers, sprouts from minor tubers every year
  • Ritterstern (Hippeastrum hybrids) – tuber poisonous – great flowers and easy to cultivate, more difficult to make them bloom again, hibernation!
  • Bottle plant (Jathropha podagrica) – poisonous in all parts – stem stores water, flowering makes plant very attractive, but also without an eye-catcher
  • Piston thread (Aglaonema) – berries poisonous, the rest of the plant contains substances that irritate the skin and mucous membranes – pure foliage with decorative leaves
  • Alocasia (alocasia) – contains substances that irritate the skin, the leaves of some species contain hydrogen cyanide – foliage with interesting leaves and beautiful growth
  • Ornamental asparagus (Asparagus) – berries poisonous – widespread, popular and easy-care houseplant, mostly hanging, but also upright
  • Miracle shrub (Codiaeum) – Milky sap is irritating to the skin and mucous membranes – beautiful, brightly colored leaves, different colors on one plant
  • Dieffenbachia (Diffenbachia) – poisonous in all parts, juice is irritating to the skin and mucous membranes – very beautiful leafy plant that can grow very large, very popular
  • Spurge family (Euphorbia) – contain white milky sap, poisonous for humans and animals, sometimes with dangerous thorns – there are very different types
  • Room ivy (Hedera helix) – berries are highly poisonous, but are rare – a popular plant, decorative due to their different colored leaves and their hanging or climbing habit
  • Madagascar palm (Pachypodium) – Milky sap is highly toxic, thorns pose a risk of injury – popular houseplant because of its conspicuous growth and ease of care
  • Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) – Milky sap can irritate the skin and mucous membrane, slightly poisonous – very popular houseplant at Christmas time, the plant can be further cultivated and made to bloom again

Important!
When buying a houseplant, you should always inquire whether it is poisonous or whether it contains substances that can have negative effects on health. Unfortunately, not all knowledgeable staff are available, so it is often better to look it up again on the Internet. It is ideal if you have the Latin name of the plant, this simplifies things and eliminates confusion (provided the name is correct).

Conclusion
I generally advise against spontaneous purchases of plants, regardless of whether they are indoor or garden plants. You are often tempted because there are really great plants, but I think it is better to do some research first. Anyone who has a suitable mobile phone with Internet can do so on site. If handled correctly, poisonous plants are usually not a problem. But if you have children or animals, you have to choose very carefully. Once you have finished reading, check immediately after the care instructions and the winter storage. The right conditions are important for the survival of the plants!

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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