Pothos plants are popular houseplants that are known for their heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines. But many people are curious about whether or not pothos plants are harmful to people.
Pothos can be poisonous if eaten, that’s the short answer. But if you take the right steps, you can safely enjoy these plants in your home.
Why Pothos Plants Are Toxic
All parts of the pothos plant, including the leaves, stems, and roots, contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. These crystals are shaped like tiny needles that can puncture skin and cause irritation, pain, and swelling.
If a person or pet were to bite into or ingest part of a pothos plant, the calcium oxalate crystals could scratch and shred tissues in the mouth, tongue, lips, and throat. Swallowing larger amounts may also irritate the digestive tract, causing upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
So while pothos isn’t typically fatal to humans, it can definitely cause discomfort if mishandled or consumed.
Risks to Humans
Simply touching an intact pothos plant is not hazardous. The real risks come from ingesting plant parts or getting sap from a torn leaf or stem on your skin or in your eyes.
Kids are most likely to get hurt because they might be curious and try to eat pothos leaves or stems. It can burn, swell, and make it hard for a child to swallow even a small amount if they chew or swallow it.
Adults may also experience irritation, swelling, and discomfort if pruning or repotting pothos without gloves and accidentally getting sap on their hands or face. There have even been rare cases of throat swelling from consuming very large amounts.
Even though it’s unpleasant, most cases of pothos poisoning in humans are not life-threatening. However, pain and swelling should still be taken care of by a doctor.
Symptoms of Pothos Poisoning
Here are some common signs and symptoms of pothos poisoning:
- Swelling, burning, or irritation of the lips, mouth, tongue, and throat
- Excessive drooling
- Pain and difficulty swallowing
- Skin redness, irritation, swelling from sap contact
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea if leaves or stems are ingested
- Eye irritation if sap gets in eyes
If you experience any of these symptoms after handling or consuming parts of a pothos plant, call your doctor or poison control right away. Prompt treatment can alleviate discomfort
Is Pothos Poisonous to Pets?
Pothos can also be toxic to household pets like cats and dogs. Pets tend to bite and chew on houseplants, putting them at high risk for oral irritation and gastrointestinal upset if they ingest pothos.
Cats and dogs may show symptoms like excessive drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty swallowing after eating pothos leaves or stems. Take your pet to the vet immediately if you notice these signs.
Luckily, most pets will avoid pothos after an initial bad experience with it. But it’s still best to keep pothos plants out of reach of curious pets to prevent the risk altogether.
Making Pothos Safe for Your Home
While pothos has the potential to cause harm if eaten, there are some easy ways to grow it safely:
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Place out of reach of children and pets – on a high shelf or plant stand, or in a hanging basket.
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Wear gloves when pruning or repotting to avoid sap contact.
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Keep in an area pets and kids can’t access, like a closed office.
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Opt for less-toxic alternatives like philodendrons, prayer plants, or calatheas.
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Educate children and visitors to avoid chewing or eating the plant.
With proper precautions, you can safely enjoy the beauty, ease, and air-purifying benefits of pothos plants in your home. Monitor closely whenever pothos is accessible and act quickly if poisoning occurs.
What to Do if Someone Eats Pothos
If you suspect someone has consumed part of a pothos plant, stay calm but act fast. Call your local poison control center or emergency services right away for guidance.
You may be advised to induce vomiting, rinse out the mouth, administer activated charcoal, or head to the nearest hospital.
Try to determine how much was eaten and when, as this can help medical personnel provide the right treatment. Prompt help can reduce risk and minimize discomfort.
Pothos plants do contain insoluble raphides that can cause irritation and discomfort when ingested. But they rarely cause severe or deadly poisoning in humans.
By placing pothos out of reach, wearing gloves during gardening, and supervising children and pets around these plants, the risk can be greatly minimized. Their low maintenance and visual appeal still make pothos desirable and safe houseplants for most homes.
English ivy (Hedera helix)
This plant is also known as Branching Ivy, Glacier Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy, Sweetheart Ivy, and California Ivy.
English ivy is poisonous to dogs, cats, and horses. It can make them vomit, have abdominal pain, salivate a lot, and have diarrhea. The foliage is more toxic than the berries. You have to eat a lot of ivy for it to be harmful, but all parts of English ivy can make you sick, with skin irritation, fever, rash, and a burning throat after eating the berries.
English ivy is easy to grow and an excellent air-purifying plant. Those suffering from asthma or other breathing problems at night could benefit greatly from English ivy, possibly improving sleep quality as well. English ivy can filter out formaldehyde that is found in some household cleaning products and reduce airborne mold by up to 2094%.
These plants should be grown in moist soil with four or more hours of direct sunlight each day During the winter, they prefer cooler temperatures between 45 and 50 F. Red spider mites can be a problem but misting both sides of the foliage daily helps to discourage them as well as increasing the humidity.
SnakePlant (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘laurentii’)
The Snake Plant is also known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue and Hemp Plant. The toxicity level is low in humans but can produce symptoms such as mouth pain, salivation, and some nausea as well as possible dermatological problems (although it is mainly toxic if ingested). It can cause excessive salivation, pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in cats and dogs.
The Sanseveria is one of the best plants for filtering out Formaldehyde, which is common in cleaning products, toilet paper, tissues, and personal care products.
It is a succulent plant that only needs dim daylight and not much watering. An occasional hour in the sun daily would be good for this plant.
These plants also absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night (the opposite of the process most plants follow). This slight oxygen boost may be beneficial to better sleep with these plants in your bedroom.
Is A Pothos Plant Poisonous? – The Plant Enthusiast
FAQ
Is a pothos plant toxic to humans?
Health Risks and Symptoms Golden Pothos, while a low-maintenance charmer, packs a punch with its toxic traits. Calcium oxalate crystals are the culprits, lurking in every leaf and stem. Ingesting this green fiend can lead to a nasty cocktail of oral irritation, swelling, and a sensation akin to chewing on a cactus.
Is pothos toxic for children?
Golden Pothos is a poisonous plant and should be kept away from small children and pets. In small amounts, Golden Pothos isn’t thought to be too dangerous, but it can have unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects on people and animals.
Is pothos toxic to skin?
Pothos are mildly toxic to pets and humans. This plant is TOXIC if ingested. It can cause a mild irritation to the mouth if chewed or swallowed and also a mild digestive reaction. It may also cause skin irritation. Keep the plant out of reach from animals and kiddos.
Is it bad to touch pothos?
Pothos is poisonous to children, toddlers and babies. It is not harmful for children to touch any part of the plant or the soil. Jun 29, 2023.
Is Pothos poisonous to humans?
Pothos plants are not poisonous enough to kill, but if you eat them, they can make you swell up, itch your skin and mucous membranes, and even make you throw up. You need to be especially attentive with pets and small children that might ingest the plant.
Is Pothos poisonous to cats?
However, in rare cases, consuming a large amount of the pothos plant can cause swelling in the upper airway and lead to breathing difficulties. It’s important to note that while the pothos plant is toxic, it’s not typically fatal to humans. However, keep it out of reach of children and pets to prevent accidents. Is Pothos Toxic to Cats?.
What happens if you eat a pothos plant?
In very rare cases, ingestion of part of a Pothos plant can also cause swelling of the upper airway, making it difficult to breathe. All parts of this plant are poisonous if eaten, so be very careful and keep it away from kids and pets. In case of accidental ingestion, you can immediately call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Are Pothos plants safe for pets?
Of course, if you are particularly concerned about the risk of growing a Pothos plant, then there are many beautiful alternative foliage plants that are non-toxic. Examples include Pinstripe Calathea, Prayer plant, Wandering Jew Plant and Peperomias. See this article for more houseplant options that are safe for pets.
What happens if a dog eats a pothos plant?
In rare cases, pothos plant poisoning can cause seizures and unconsciousness. Severe pothos plant poisoning, caused by ingesting large quantities of the plant, can sometimes lead to renal or liver failure in cats and dogs. Call animal poison control immediately if you believe your pet has ate some of the toxic plants.
Can dogs eat Pothos?
Proper disposal ensures that no one in your household is inadvertently exposed to the plant’s toxic components. While this guide focuses on human exposure, it’s worth noting that pothos is also toxic to pets, including cats and dogs. Pet owners should take extra precautions to prevent their furry friends from chewing on the plant.