POINSETTIAS, POISONOUS?
In the year 1919 a story circulated that the son of an Army officer stationed in Hawaii died from eating a single leaf from the poinsettia plant. This single, undocumented story has scared people into believing that poinsettias are poisonous, and it is just not true. The Society of American Florist teamed up with Ohio State University to conduct a scientific investigation to determine whether or not poinsettias are poisonous. Their tests proved that after rats were given extremely high dosages of all parts of the poinsettia plant, there was no mortality, no symptoms of toxicity, and no changes in dietary intake or general behavioral patterns.
The American Medical Association’s Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants has determined that there is no reason to list the Christmas poinsettia as dangerous since all testing has found that there is no bad effects either orally or topically. The Poisondex Information Service, the main information resource center used by the majority of poison control centers around the country states that a 50-pound child would have to ingest one and one quarter pounds of poinsettia leaves (bracts), which would be 500 to 600 leaves, to surpass experimental doses and at that level, there is no toxicity.
In 1975, a citizen who demanded that all poinsettias carry caution labels when offered for sale to the public petitioned the Consumer Product Safety Commission. After reviewing all available information relating to the poinsettia, the Commission denied the petition. The Commission does point out though that the leaves of poinsettias, like many other plants may cause varying degrees of discomfort if eaten and should be placed out of the reach of small children. Remember that even foods such as peanuts, carrots or lettuce, etc., if eaten in large quantities can cause varying degrees of discomfort.
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