A recent national poll shows that half the population believes poinsettias are poisonous. Over the course of many holiday seasons, we’ve heard from friends, neighbors and “experts” that poisonous poinsettias can harm children and pets, but rest assured that they are perfectly safe.
According to research done by Ohio State University in 1971, while poinsettias may taste terrible and be difficult to digest, the colorful holiday flowers are not poisonous.
The university conducted this research on a group of 55 lab rats who were fed liquefied poinsettias. Even after consuming high doses of the poinsettia solution, the rats suffered no ill effects from the plants.
A child or pet would need to ingest more than 500 leaves to exceed the amount tested in the study, and there’s no proof that more than 500 poinsettia leaves could be poisonous. Since they don’t taste good and having enough poinsettias to produce 500 leaves is impractical for most homes, your family and pets have nothing to worry about.
With that myth debunked, let’s move on. Did you know you can save your holiday poinsettia for the next season?
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I heard they were poisonous my whole life, and the lab rat tests were done before I was even born! Funny how long a rumor lasts…
Most people still believe that poinsettias are very poisonous even today.
Most of the people believed that poinsettias is poisonous and that can harm children and pets. But, science has proved that it is not poisonous by conducting researches. So need not worry about it.
Wow – I have always thought that poinsettias were poisonous too!
I’ve always thought that poinsettias were poisonous too! Because we have young children and pets, I never bought them for our home, even though I think they are beautiful. Perhaps I’ll have to go out and buy some this year!
all most everyone still believe that poinsettias are very poisonous.
Quite amazing. Throughout, I was thinking they are poisonous.
Still I have a mind block towards poinsettias.
I’ve never heard that poinsettias are poisonous, but why risk it during the holiday? Grandmas food is bad enough