Plants That Don't Belong at Home

Our gardens signify beauty and life. They shouldn’t be, in any way, dangerous to other living things. Here are some plants we need to be wary of using.

Plants That Don't Belong at Home 

Mark is a renowned expert on property inspection. He’s currently the content lead of Safe and Sound Property Inspections. In this article, he’s going to talk about the different plants that don’t quite fit in your home.

Gardens are one of the most breathtaking views one can have from home. Adorning the garden is an enjoyable task that one can fully enjoy. However, there are also some considerations to make especially when picking out plants. This is because not all plants complement one another and some are simply dangerous. 

Non-Child Friendly Plants

There are groups of plants that are dangerous especially if there are children in the household. Here are a couple of them and some examples:

·         Bulbs, berries –plants in this category can be dangerous especially when eaten as they are poisonous. Kids have a tendency to be careless and accidentally do this. It is best to avoid the possibility by minimizing or avoiding these plants altogether.

·         Wildflowers –Deadly Nightshade is a plant one must avoid when children are around. Not only does it have hallucinogenic effects, it is also quite toxic. Kids who take anywhere from 1 to 5 berries are at risk of dying. Similarly, foxgloves are also dangerous as they can induce vomiting and palpitation.

·         Daphne – this ornamental plant can kill children with only a few berries swallowed

·         Elderberry – kids sometimes use the stems of these, which are poisonous, in blowguns.

Poisonous Plants 

If one isn’t careful, we could inadvertently bring in poisonous plants that are extremely lethal. Some are pretty common in households and could be mistaken as safe. Here are some of them:

·         Hyacinth, Daffodil – can cause nausea and diarrhoea

·         Oleander – can cause heart complications and an upset stomach

·         Rhubarb – leaves can cause coma and convulsions

·         Laurels – can cause difficulties in breathing, depression and prostration

·         Mistletoe –eating the berries is fatal

·         Larkspur – causes nervous excitement among other issues

It is also worth noting that all these plants can lead to death depending on the severity or dosage of contact and several other complications. Additionally, all plants will most likely attract insects and pests. It would help to have regular home inspections to be sure these are taken into account. One could also opt to install beneficial plants too. These are plants that perform the dual-roles of repelling insects and also beautifying the place. 

Invasive Plants 

Invasive plants cause harm to other living things and this includes humans and other plants. These plants spread so quickly that they sometimes take the habitat of other animals and plants. Likewise, they also increase soil erosion and steal the sunlight, moisture and nutrients that the native plants need.Air potato, golden bamboo, whitetop and johnsongrass are a few examples.

Home improvement endeavours and careful garden planning arecrucial if one wants to keep the home environment safe. Knowledge can really help and for this particular issue, any added knowledge would go a long way. If one is just starting out, it would be best to do it right. There are tons of resources out there that help out interested homeowners in going green.

Author: Mark Brandon

Mark Brandon leads the content team for Safe and Sound Property Inspections and is extremely career-focused and family-oriented. He is also a DIY builder with plenty of experience in home renovation and home inspection. Whenever he learns something new, he shares it online through blogs hoping to help some people. If you have any questions, you can reach him via Google+.