Decorating with festive plants is the perfect way to add holiday magic to your home and create a relaxing atmosphere. However, it’s not very relaxing if you’re constantly anxious about your kiddos or pets getting into toxic plants! Well, worry not: our thorough guide will help you figure out which of your favourite holiday plants are toxic and which are safe to have within reach of curious hands and noses.
With vibrant winter blooms in the perfect holiday colours, poinsettias are essential holiday decorations. However, these gorgeous flowers have an undeserved bad reputation. Over 100 years ago, a young girl fell seriously ill, and poinsettias were incorrectly held to blame—they’ve been misunderstood ever since!
Poinsettia Safety Summary: Poinsettias are safe to have around children and pets. Their sap is a bit irritating to the skin, but a small child would have to eat over 500 leaves before experiencing any serious health effects. Enjoy your poinsettias worry-free!
Another winter-blooming beauty with gorgeous colours and unique, flat-leaved foliage—the Christmas cactus is a must for intriguing holiday decorating! It’s a member of the Schlumbergera genus but is commonly called a Christmas cactus because of the timing of its blooms.
Christmas Cactus Safety Summary: A cactus without needles is a safe cactus, indeed! A few inches of Christmas cactus stem might cause an upset tummy, but it has a very low-risk rating and is not considered toxic to humans or pets.
Holly has been a part of holiday celebrations since ancient times, primarily in Rome. It spread throughout Europe as a symbol of the new year and was thought to protect against evil winter spirits. It’s also a significant component of Celtic holiday traditions, such as in the myth of the Holly King. Whatever your beliefs, holly is an iconic holiday plant that we love to decorate with! However, if you choose to decorate with holly this year, make sure you do so safely.
Note: We do not carry holly in-store.
Holly Safety Summary: Holly is extremely poisonous—eating less than five berries can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and drowsiness. Keep your fresh holly well out of reach of children and pets, and keep an eye out for any berries that might fall.
Because mistletoe blossoms in the heart of winter, it’s seen as a symbol of tenacity and fertility, especially in Celtic practices. Today, we love to hang mistletoe from doorways to spark romance and love during the holiday season.
Note: We do not carry mistletoe in-store.
Mistletoe Safety Summary: If you have American mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum), you’ll only have to worry about gastrointestinal upset. It takes about 20 berries to cause serious harm, but you might have a sore tummy for a bit!
On the other hand, European mistletoe (Viscum album) is extremely harmful, causing vomiting, diarrhea, or even death with less than five berries. While this variety isn’t typically sold in North America, it doesn’t hurt to double-check for peace of mind!
Evergreens are the foundation of all classic holiday decorations, from wreaths to garlands to Christmas trees. There’s a diverse history associated with Christmas trees, from pagan practices to simply relying on them for protection from the winter elements. These days, we’re fortunate enough to enjoy the magic of evergreen trees, complete with ornaments and lights, from inside the warmth and safety of our homes!
Evergreen Safety Summary: While evergreen trees aren’t toxic, the needles can do some serious damage if you have dogs who like to munch on whatever they find on the floor. We recommend keeping your floors clean from dried needles to prevent any injuries from ingesting the sharp needles.
While amaryllis does not flower naturally in the winter, you can force it to bloom for pops of stunning red that elevate your holiday decor! Amaryllis has biblical ties to the holiday season, but we love it for its adaptability to winter blooming and low-maintenance care. Again though, be sure to keep them safe from inadvertent munching.
Amaryllis Safety Summary: Keep this lovely bloom out of reach of pets and children—it is toxic to cats, dogs, and humans and can cause severe gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting, pain, hypersalivation, and tremors.
Note: While we are plant experts, we are not medical professionals; if one of your kids or pets consumes a houseplant, please contact a local health line or veterinarian for advice on monitoring any reactions that may arise.
Enjoy the holidays with peace of mind by decorating with safe plants and keeping the toxic ones out of reach. Visit Royal City Nursery to buy your holiday plants today! Our poinsettias, trees, and holiday greenery are here and ready for you to start decorating.
