Add Photo to Journal
|
|
| Photo Credit: Sheri Ann Richerson |
| Dieffenbachia is commonly used in florist’s gift baskets and contains a number of toxins. |
It’s been a long nine months, and now you’re finally holding your newborn in your arms. Well-meaning family members have started sending flowers and lush houseplants in congrat- ulations for your tiny bundle of joy. Little do they realize that the plants they’re sending may endanger your child’s life if proper safety precautions aren’t taken.
Two of the plants florists commonly use in gift baskets are dieffenbachia and philodendron – and with good reason: They’re easy to care for and beautiful. (That’s why you can find them just about anywhere plants are sold.) But they can also be dangerous if your child eats any part of them! So what can parents do to protect their babies and still enjoy their beautiful houseplants? The first step is to identify each plant in your home – that means knowing the full botanical (or Latin) name. Many houseplants come with tags that include their Latin name, which makes the identification job easy. But if there’s no tag in sight, there are a couple of things you can do to figure out what you’ve got growing on: One option is to take the entire plant, a part of it or a good-quality photo to your local nursery, Extension agent or florist to find out the botanical name. You can also look online or in a houseplant reference book. And when you’re identifying your plants, try to learn a little more about them – especially if they’re toxic.
|