All those plants which are known to be toxic for sale on our website will be identified
WARNING – HOUSEPLANTS MAY BE HARMFUL IF CONSUMED.
Please read the following information on house plant toxicity carefully
Disclaimer. Stem & Co accept no responsibility if any pet or child becomes ill from eating houseplants purchased from us.
Some houseplants are categorised as ‘toxic’ and/or ‘poisonous’. ‘Toxic’ and ‘poisonous’ just means an adverse reaction may occur, which could be minor (i.e. mouth irritation or an upset stomach) or extreme (which is rare). The level of toxicity will depend on the amount of plant which is consumed.
There are many discussions surrounding plant’s toxicityand how harmful they are or are not. There is some suggestion that much of the discussions are exaggerated and there is a lot of misinformation out there. That being said, you do need to be sensible and ensure you do not have highly toxic plants in your home. Alternatively, you need to make sure those which have a possible risk are well out of reach of your pets and children.
Advice & Information
Not all houseplants are harmful. Please refer to the toxic list written by ASPCA which can be found here to check the toxicity of your houseplant. Please Note: The ASPCA is an American organisation, however, the information is still relevant within the UK.
The Animal Poison Line also has a Plants and Poisons leaflet where you can find further information if you are concerned about specific plants.
Children and pets can live harmoniously with houseplants but as any parent/pet owner will be aware, children and pets, such as dogs and cats, can be inquisitive around new objects.
Pets
If you see a pet chewing one of the plants then simply move it before your pet comes back to chew more and consumes too much. Check plant leaves regularly for signs that the leaves have been chewed on.
If your cat or dog consumes some of a plant and experiences mouth irritation, then it islikely they will notreturn again (but we all know our beloved pets can be daft at times). Other known symptoms of houseplant ‘poisoning’ are excessive drooling, confusion, disorientation, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Cats are the known as the worst offenders and as you will know, if you are a cat owner, they love to play with plants. With dogs we advise that you keep the plants higher up and in any event out of the reach of your dog, but this will not stop your cat. You can place cayenne pepper around the plant area or lemon/lime pieces or peel. Animals have a strong sense of smell and will not be tempted if they can smell pepper or citrus. Manypeople have had success with a spray named bitter apple. Another option to try would be to provide a cat grass patch that could deter them from eating indoor plants. Certain grass types have been shown to provide nutrition.
Research has shown that leafy type plants, such as palms or dracaenas have been chewed by pets the most, and more often cats were the offenders.
In our own experience, we have never had a pet that has become sick from plants. My family have always had pets (both cats and dogs) and plants without any problems.
Children
Do not leave children unattended in rooms where toxic plants are displayed. Ideally keep out of reach. Using plant hangers suspended up high is a great way to have plants on display but out or reach. Use stair gates to control access to rooms with houseplant collections.
If you think your dog or cat is sick
Keep calm and try to identify what type of plant it has eaten and roughly how much of it. Call your vet and explain what has happened, they will advise you what action to take next.
The vet may advise you to care for your pet while the negative effects clear, but it is worth a quick call and better to be safe than sorry.
If you think your child is sick
Keep calm and try to identify what type of plant they have come into contact with. Estimate how much has been eaten and then contact your local healthcare provider such as your GP or hospital for advice. Ring 111 for advice stating which plant has been consumed and of what amount.
Further information
If you require further information, please contact Sam Rodwell at sam@stem-studio.com or telephone at 07843378171 and we will do our best to help.
Further information can be found on the Animal Poison Line website:
https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk
