Okay, so maybe going shopping with my onlittle children wasn’t the best idea when I went shopping for plants this spring.
They grabbed hold of one of the spikes from the lavender plant and managed to break off a piece to taste it. Their hands smelled very fragrant afterwards.
I hope they didn’t eat any and I hope that isn’t poisonous, I thought.
Thankfully, lavender isn’t harmful to children, except when it’s concentrated, such as in lavender oil.
A few weeks later, my mom came over and commented how I should get some houseplants. Having always moved around a lot, I never purchased any. I responded by reminding her that if I did get some, I’d have to keep them out of reach of my toddler-turned-runner. I wouldn’t want her to knock over pots and spill soil all over my beige carpets.
But since I wasn’t planning on moving anymore, I knew my mom had a point. Houseplants are great for improving indoor air quality, not to mention good feng shui. Remembering what happened in Lowe’s with my daughter’s case of the lavender munchies, I knew that if I brought any plant into my home, it needed to be toddler-proof (err, a non-poisonous houseplant).
Below is a list of 5 beautiful non-poisonous houseplants that I’m considering using to decorate my home:
- Bromelaid
- Zebra Plant
- African Violet (pictured at the top)
- Christmas Cactus
- Spider Plant
(You can read the full list of Kid- and Pet- Friendly Houseplants at Mom.me or you can just click the links for each type of plant for more details.)
Also, be sure to check with your local Poison Control to learn about poisonous outdoor plants. Being a Florida resident, I found this list from Florida’s Poison Control Centers helpful in determining some of the more common plants in our area that are poisonous. Also, you can contact your local poison control center to ask them to check if a plant you own is poisonous or not – if you aren’t sure.
When it comes to kids, it’s better to err on the side of safety and find stuff like this out before an emergency occurs. That way, the next time you catch your little one chewing a leaf, you don’t flip out and worry if she’ll be okay.
Are you decorating your home with non-poisonous houseplants?
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