Three Common Flowers that Are Poisonous to Children and Animals

"April showers bring May flowers" is an age old saying that we are taught as a child. We here it in songs, poems, and books. With the warmer months fast approaching flowers will once again be in full bloom. If you have children or animals you may be wondering what flowers are poisonous. Here are three typical flowers that we usually see in the spring/summer seasons. Each flower is indeed poisonous. If your child ingests any of these flowers it is important to immediately contact poison control or seek medical help.

Azaleas- There are numerous types of these flowers around. Some are classified as evergreen azaleas and others are deciduous azaleas. You can tell an evergreen azalea by its color. They range in color from purple to red to white. You will find very few shades of orange. The deciduous azaleas range in color from pink to white and from yellow and orange to red. With both, the evergreen and deciduous azaleas, you can expect to see a variation of design. All this means is some of the flowers are two-toned, some have specks of other colors on their leaves, and others are one solid color. Azaleas grow off of a green bush and when they bloom the flower is usually two to three inches wide.

These plants are toxic if ingested by children or animals. All parts of this plant are considered poisonous. Some complications resulting from the poison are abominable pains, low blood pressure, and irregular heart beat.

Daffodils- Daffodil flowers can be recognized by their trumpet-shaped structure which sits in front of a star-shaped background. Usually the background and the front of the flower vary in color (its not uncommon to see a daffodil that is both white and yellow). A different classification of daffodils are cluster-flowered ones. They look different than the traditional trumpet-shaped ones since they grow in clumps . We often see these flowers growing in the woods, backyards, and by the side of the road. Daffodils are a popular choice among many since they are hearty flowers that are easy to grow.

The bulb of the daffodil flower is the poisonous part. A little known fact is the daffodil is not just poisonous to children and animals but to other plants as well. If you add daffodils to a bouquet of flowers the other flowers will wilt. The most common problems associated with the poison of these plants are skin rashes and abdominal pains.

Hydrangeas- These beautiful flowers grow on bushes. When the perennial bush blooms these gigantic flower heads cover almost the entire plant. Hydrangeas range in color; shades of blue, pink, and green are common. An interesting thing about these flowers is they can start out one color and change into another color as they age. They can also change color due to the climate.

Both the bulb and leaves of these flowers are poisonous. Common aliments if this flower is ingested include vomiting, abominable pains, diarrhea, and skin rashes. More serious cases have been reported where a person becomes lethargic and ends up in a coma. Thankfully these occurrences are rare.