are poinsettias poisonous

Good Earth Plants Holiday Myth Busting

Many myths circulate at Christmastime, and several of them deal with our favorite holiday theme plants. The Good Earth Plants Eco-Warrior is here with his Myth Busters hat on to help you out by spreading the true dirt. Myth 1: Poinsettias are poisonous. NO, poinsettias are NOT poisonous! It has been a real battle to bust this myth. Some sources attribute the rumor to a 1919 poisoning case in Hawaii that led to the death of a two year-old child. At the time, the cause of the poisoning was incorrectly determined to be a poinsettia leaf. Poison control centers nationwide say a child or pet weighing 50 pounds would have to eat 500 poinsettia leaves to even start being affected, and that might be due to plant overload versus outright poisoning.… Read More

Holiday Plants: Poinsettias, Mistletoe, Holly – History & Traditions

Have you ever wondered why we kiss under the mistletoe, or why you see poinsettias everywhere during the winter holidays? Not only do these plants fit the color scheme of the holidays but they have traditional meanings you might not know about. Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly (oh my!) all have symbolic significance behind their holiday appearances. Poinsettias The association between poinsettias and Christmas is said to come from a Mexican legend. A child who had little to bring to the church for Christmas picked some weeds from the side of the road. He placed the weeds on the church altar on Christmas Eve.… Read More

Poinsettia Pointers: Tips, Myths, and Facts

Pointsettia Tips
It seems like every holiday season, I find myself once again defending the honor of the famous Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly known as the poinsettia. Urban legends and myths abound regarding this hearty holiday bloom, falsely accusing it as being toxic or poisonous to humans and animals. Lies! All lies and deception! To be less dramatic and completely factual, a 1996 study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine found that out of 22,793 reported cases of poinsettia exposure in children, not only were there no fatalities, but 92.4% of the subjects experienced no toxic effects at all. These unique plants are of interesting heritage.… Read More