Every homeowner desires a beautiful garden or outdoor living space plants and flowers. A well-maintained garden with a variety of plants and colours brings a special sense of comfort to the property. Some garden plants also help purify and improve air quality at home.
It is good to have a variety of plants in your garden. However, there are certain plants that are not safe to have in your garden and around the house. Some of the plants are toxic and can harm other plants or pose serious health risks for you and your family. So, it is important to be careful with what you plant in your garden.
Poison Ivy
Poison ivy is a common plant in the wild. However, they may sometimes find their way into people’s gardens, bringing along a few health hazards. Despite the dangerous-sounding name, the plant is slightly poisonous. If it comes into contact with your skin, you might notice symptoms such as nasty rashes, itches and blisters on the skin.
The poison ivy plant is a perennial vine plant that reaches 30cm in length if it stays in the ground and 100ft if it climbs a tree or any other structure. It also has compound leaves with three leaflets, with the middle leaflet longer than the other two. The leaf surface can be glossy or dull, with its edges glossy or dull. That’s how to identify poison ivy plants.
Foxglove
Another plant you do not want in your garden is a foxglove plant. Also known as digitalis, the plant has found its way into modern gardens as a decorative plant due to how beautiful its blossoms are. Unfortunately, the plant poses dangerous health hazards when ingested directly.
Pets and children are the most vulnerable beings as far as foxglove plants are concerned. Some signs of foxglove poisoning include irregular pulse and heartbeat, mental confusion and an upset stomach.
Oleander
Oleanders are common decorative plants found in several parts of the world, particularly the Mediterranean and the subtropical regions of Asia. The plants have beautiful red, white, yellow and pink flowers, which are exceptional when blossoming. Unfortunately, the plant is deadly toxic.
If ingested, the victim might depict symptoms such as vomiting, arrhythmias, seizures, tremors and drowsiness.
Money Plant (Pothos)
Pothos is the other plant you do not want in your garden and near your home. The plant grows fast and is easy to propagate from cuttings. That’s, perhaps, the reason why you will find it in many gardens today.
The plant is beautiful, but ingestion by humans or pets can cause harmful effects. When ingested in small quantities, it is mildly harmful. However, large quantities can lead to skin irritation, swelling of lips and tongue, burning of mouth and diarrhoea.
In Nutshell
As a gardener, you can plant any plant variety you want. However, there are certain species you do not want near your family or pets. From fatal poisoning to mild effects, these plants have many harmful effects you wouldn’t wish to deal with.
The list above is not conclusive but consists of some of the top plants you shouldn’t have in your garden.
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