The flamingo flower, cultivated in many variations, is one of the most popular indoor plants and can be found in many apartments. Its white or red bracts with the conspicuous spadix make this plant particularly attractive. However, it is unfavorable if the plant attracts the attention of children or cats, because it is one of the poisonous plants.
Anthurium is poisonous
Which parts of the plant are poisonous?
The toxins are found throughout the plant, but mainly in the leaves. The poison is also contained in the colorful bracts, which many mistakenly believe to be part of the flower.
The toxins and their effects
The arum plant contains the pungent substance aroin and crystal-like needles (oxalate raphides). These shoot out when the anthurium is touched and lead to tiny skin injuries that resemble chemical burns. There may be signs of pure poisoning.
- Severely reddened skin.
- swelling in these places.
- blistering.
After eating parts of the flamingo flower, the tongue and mucous membranes in the mouth swell, causing difficulty in swallowing and, in some cases, speech disorders. Nausea, nausea and diarrhea are added.
First aid measures
Ample fluid intake is advisable. If there are no symptoms in the first half hour, no further medical therapy is required. Otherwise, consult a doctor as soon as possible, because sensitive people can experience bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
tips
If children or pets show signs such as diarrhoea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, increased salivation or skin rashes, poisoning should always be considered. To be on the safe side, also check your green plants, you can usually see whether the leaves have been nibbled on or whether some are missing. Give plants like the flamingo flower a location where they cannot be reached by two- and four-legged housemates.