5 Popular Garden Plants That Can Kill

Posted on March 2nd, 2016

It’s that time of the year when homeowners start putting the snowy season behind them, and begin thinking forward to the spring showers, may flowers, and sunny garden landscapes ahead. However, while the variety of beautiful blooms might be seemingly endless, some of them might not be as wonderful as they appear. As you start planning for your spring garden this year, make sure to keep five these dangerous garden plants in mind, especially if you’ve got pets or small children.

1. Lily-of-the-Valley: These unique and beautiful flowers can liven up any garden with their dainty bell-shaped blooms, but did you know they can also cause your heart rate to halt if ingested? Just one bite of this plant can cause headaches, hot flashes, hallucinations, rash and in severe cases, slowed heart rate.
2. Hydrangea – Don’t let these colorful, fluffy florals fool you! While hydrangea are commonly planted to bring color and fullness to a landscape, they can also have effects similar to cyanide when eaten. Shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, rapid pulse, and a drop in blood pressure are just some of its many deadly side effects.
3. Foxglove – It’s brightly colored flowers and impressive height make foxglove an excellent addition to amplify a dramatic appearance in any garden. However, it’s upper leaves and stem in particular, can cause severe digestive woes when ingested. It can also deregulate your heart beat.
4. Oleander – Their broad green leaves and fragrant white flowers make oleander a popular filler for many gardens nationwide, but this plant can pack a deadly punch if eaten. from their stem and buds all the way to their sap, the tiniest nibble of this plant can cause digestive issues and life-threatening circulatory problems.
5. Poinsettia – It’s bright, bold, red leaves are what distinguishes the poinsettia from many other garden plants and makes it a holiday season staple. That, and the fact that it’s milky sap can cause unpleasant digestive issues if eaten. Luckily, this plant has only caused two recorded human deaths that we know of, but it can still cause a mean belly ache.

Want to learn more about garden plants and flowers that can cause have dangerous consequences? Click here for a list of some other deadly garden additions.

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