Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Monstera is worth its name. This is one of the largest ornamental plants seen in our homes. Due to its size, it is often placed in offices or living rooms in large houses. It is a beautiful plant and dangerous at the same time.
Monsterais an effective, easy-to-breed climber from South America. Monstera is now popular in Europe as an ornamental potted plant.
Monstera is a plant with green, heart-shaped leaves with characteristic indentations. It looks a bit like a huge cutout (hence its full name, Monstera with a hole).
When buying it for home, however, it is worth remembering that the leaves of a young monstera are whole - deep cuts appear with age, with the simultaneous change of the leaf texture from smooth to leathery.
This plant does not require too much effort and therefore lovers of potted plants, as long as the housing conditions allow, willingly undertake its cultivation.
Ambitious growers are not satisfied with the sight of huge green areas, because the monstera blooms with a beautiful inflorescence, and its fruits are not only edible, but even tasty. So what makes it part of the poisonous plants series?
Monstera: to eat or not to eat?
Not everyone is aware that when dealing with a popular home climber, also known for its edible fruit, we should be very careful.
Dangerous compounds, and more precisely calcium oxalate, are found in the green parts of the plant, so contact with them can cause irritation of the body and mucous membranes.
Under no circumstances should they be picked, let alone biting or chewing.
Toxic calcium oxalate is also found in monstera fruiting bodies, but only in young ones.
Let's remember a few rules that can save us the trouble: if the plant has grown fruit, we can eat them only when they are very ripe.
Young fruiting bodies contain juice with a high concentration of this harmful substance. If it enters the mouth, it can cause inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat accompanied by severe tissue swelling.
If this happens, rinse your mouth with water and then see a doctor.
Sometimes monstera also causes food poisoning, so vomiting and diarrhea.
Monstera:careful care
Monstera also contains irritating juice, the composition of which is not fully understood, and which is dangerous to he alth. Most of it is in the root.
In a situation where we undertake maintenance work, cut some leaves or transplant the plant to another pot, remember to wear gloves.
It is especially worth protecting your eyes, any spilling of juice can cause serious irritation, even conjunctivitis.
Monstera: watch out for pets
The plant is also dangerous to animals in the house.
If your cat bites it, your pet may develop mouth and throat irritation, resulting in drooling.
Eating monstera leaves can also cause stomach irritation and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Monstera juice is irritating, so if it gets into a cat's or dog's eye, it can cause conjunctivitis.
Read also:
- Poisonous houseplants
- Croton spotted - cute poisoner
- Dieffenbachia: a poisoner from Brazil
- Narcissi: all poisonous
- Tulips: edible petals, stems and leaves, poisonous
- Dracaena: dangerous to children, toxic to animals
- Spurgeons: poisonous beauties
- The star of Bethlehem, or the beautiful spurge
- Peaceflower: decorative but poisonous
- Passiflora - exotic passion flower
- Common ivy (hedera helix) - poisonous, although healing
- Cyclamen: poisonous beauty
- Anthurium: challenging and dangerous
- Kliwia - rich in poisonous alkaloids
- Hoja full of toxic juice
- Ficus - poisonous ficus
- Amaryllis: poisonous belladonna
- Common oleander - is oleander poisonous?