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Dieffenbachia Poisoning – How Toxic is this Houseplant?

Dieffenbachia poisoning is talked about all the time when the plant is reviewed on line, but how toxic is the plant to your cats, dogs and children, really?

Dieffenbachia one of the most common indoor plants, is easy to care and great as an office plant. However the plant can be poisonous so there are some situations where it might not be a good fit.

Sadly, there are many popular houseplants that are toxic to both humans and pets so care must be taken when growing them.

Chinese lantern plants is an attractive perennial that is poisonous if consumed in large quantities so outdoor plants are also affected by toxicity..

Dieffenbachia is an attractive house plant. It is native to the tropics. It is grown worldwide as an ornamental house plant. It is very attractive, with large white flecked leaves growing on a straight stem.

Home owners love the plant because it grows easily in low light conditions and fills a corner of a room to give a natural look.

Dieffenbachia plant and first aid box with words How poisonous is dieffenbachia?

This is not the only plant that is toxic to humans and pets. Many other commonly grown plants are. Some others to find out about are these:

  • Angel trumpet –  brugmansia
  • Sago palm is another plant where all parts of the plant is toxic to humans.
  • Calla lily poisoning is similar to dieffenbachia but milder.
  • Gloriosa lily, although gorgeous is a highly toxic plant.
  • Caladiums are poisonous if chewed or swallowed, similarly to dieffenbachia.
  • While not considered highly toxic, mandevilla is from the dogbane family, so caution is noted in growing it.

dieffenbachia leaves

The common name for dieffenbachia is dumbcane.  The name refers to its poisonous effect, mainly when ingested.  The poison can temporarily cause an inability to speak. Another common name for it is “mother in law’s tongue.”

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Is dumb cane poisonous? There is a reason that dieffenbachia has the common name dumb cane. Find out about the toxicity of this plant on The Gardening Cook.  Click To Tweet

Dieffenbachia Poisoning – Is it a real problem?dieffenbachia plant

The poisonous effect of the dieffenbachia plant happens because the plant contains needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals, (oxalic acid) as well as asparagines, a protein found in the plant.

When the leaf is chewed, these crystals will cause a burning sensation.

This can make it a problem if the plant is grown around children or pets.  Generally the condition is mild and temporary.

The poison is transmitted through the juice in the plant, found in the stems, leaves and more rarely, the roots.Stem and leaves of dieffenbachia

For children and pets, the problems are more severe than for adults.  The effects are rarely life threatening.

The most common patients attended to for dieffenbachia toxicity are children younger than 5.

The toxicity of the plant is considered in the medium range.

Symptoms of dieffenbachia toxicityYoung girl near a dieffenbachia plant.

Most of the symptoms of dieffenbachia poisoning are mouth related. Ingesting the leaf poison can result in any of these symptoms:

Mouth symptoms

  • swelling and blistering in the mouth or on the tongue
  • a burning sensation in the mouth or throat
  • nausea and vomiting
  • hoarseness
  • difficulty swallowing

Eye Symptoms

If the poison is transferred to the eyes from the hands, these symptoms could occur:

  • damage to the cornea
  • eye pain.

Skin symptoms

  • general redness
  • burning
  • itching

Ingestion symptoms

If the juice of the plant has been swallowed, one can expect

  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • difficulty breathing (if enough is consumed)

Since the juice of the leaves produces a burning sensation, it is unlikely that large amounts would be consumed, so the last symptoms are “worst case” scenarios.

Is dieffenbachia toxic to cats and other pets?
puppy and ktten

Since dogs and cats are most likely to be random chewers, the toxicity of the plant can be more severe. There have been reported instances of death with dogs, cats, rabbits and pet birds.

If you have young puppies or kittens, dieffenbachia is probably not a good plant to grow indoors since they love to chew on anything nearby.

In addition to the symptoms above for humans, dieffenbachia poisoning in animals might also include:

  • pawing at the face
  • restlessness
  • drooling
  • difficulty eating
  • loss of appetite
  • unconsciousness

Since the symptoms in animals can be life threatening, a vet should be called if you suspect dieffenbachia poisoning.

Treatment for dieffenbachia poisoningFirst Aid Care

:If you or your child is affected, first wipe out the mouth with a cold, wet cloth.  Drink milk to ease the symptoms. For eye symptoms, rinse them well with cool water.

The most common additional medical treatments for dieffenbachia poisoning are antihistamines, medical charcoal or analgesic agents.

As long as the plant’s contact with the mouth or eyes is not severe, the symptoms will usually resolve in a few days.  You can also call poison control for more information.

Cautions with dieffenbachiaDieffenbachia office plant

Dieffenbachia is a common office plant and should pose no problems when uses this way. However, since this plant is also common in many homes, some care should be exercised.

If the plant needs to be cut, it is wise to wear gloves.

If you have children or pets, it should be kept out of reach. If you do grow the plant be aware that it does have poisonous effects.  

Be sure to seek urgent medical attention for your child or pets if the lips or tongue become swollen or there is any difficulty breathing or swallowing.

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Would you like a reminder of this these dumb cane poisonous facts? Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

Dieffenbachia is a very popular houseplant. It is also poisonous to children and pets. See how toxic the plant , symptoms and remedies.

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Jen Perez

Saturday 14th of January 2023

Thank you so much for this information. Our 6 month old son got ahold of our plant last night and your site had more information than the pediatrician could give us. It was very helpful and he is okay. Truly, thank you so much from a frantic parent.

Carol Speake

Saturday 14th of January 2023

Glad my info was useful. Hope your son is okay!

Karthicrajan

Saturday 27th of August 2022

I have been affected for 7 years. 10 I went to the hospital but did not get better. If doctors say it comes from a plant, they don't believe it. I am worried πŸ₯ΊπŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™πŸ™

Elodia

Monday 7th of November 2022

@Karthicrajan, You might try good quality CBD oil. I get the itching and blisters with this plant if I handle it without gloves. CBD helps me with the itching and inflammation till it finally heals. Maybe it will provide some relief for you. It causes eczema on my hands. It took me a while to figure out because I have periodic eczema outbreaks anyway. The CBD is the only thing I have found that helps as I don't want to get on the steroid merry-go-round. Seems to help with the healing too.

Yau Mohammed Bosuwa

Tuesday 18th of January 2022

Good morning sir pls my child test Dump cane and he is crying alot what should I do

Carol Speake

Wednesday 19th of January 2022

Take your child to a doctor.

Karthicrajan

Saturday 24th of July 2021

Those who know medicine for this please tell problem

Pattama McDougall

Friday 9th of April 2021

Thank you for your information I just have bought it and I keep a few cats young and old. I may be bring back to shop

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