Despite all the benefits of houseplants, there is a fatal drawback of them i.e. they can be poisonous. Especially if you have little kids or pets at your place, you should either avoid having these plants or keep them out of the range of children and pets. If highly toxic plants are ingested, they can cause serious illness and death also. If a family member or pet puts any of these poisonous plants in their mouth, call help immediately.

Here is a list of toxic plants, most of these are commonly kept in houses, indoors or outdoors.

Aloe Vera(only a few varieties of Aloe Vera can be poisonous, otherwise its gel has numerous health benefits. The poisonous part is basically the yellow juice which is next to the rubbery outer portion of the leaf.)

English Ivy(contains didehydrofalcarinol, falcarinol and hederasaponins which can cause vomiting, convulsions,

paralysis and possibly coma in ingested.)

Azalea

Elephant Ear(Caladium)

Peace Lily

Amaryllis

Sago Palm(highly toxic to both pets and humans. A poisonous chemical known as cycasin can cause permanent liver damage and can cause neurological damage if more amount of it is absorbed by the body. Seeds of this plant are extremely poisonous and can cause coma and death if ingested.)

Dumb Cane(all parts of this plants are poisonous and they contain Calcium oxalate component which can cause immediate swelling, burning and pain in mouth and throat. Difficulty in swallowing also occurs.)

Anthurium

Philodendron(ingestion of any part of philodendron plants can cause difficulty in swallowing, burning, itching and vomiting because it contains calcium oxalates.)

Chinese Evergreen(Toxic due to presence of Calcium Oxalates. You must have read about the damages this chemical can cause.)

Crown of Throwns

Alocasia

Hydrangea

Pothos(Contains Calcium Oxalate.)

Mistletoe

Bird of Paradise(Their seeds are poisonous. If ingested can cause nausea, diarrhea, drowsiness and vomiting.)

Clivia

There must be some areas in your house where bright sunlight won’t reach. There are certain plants that can survive in such areas. Here are a few plants that are best suitable for the low light areas of your house

Snake Plant
This plant is commonly known as Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. It doesn’t require much care, just make sure you don’t over-water it. It consumes less water. So in order to avoid over watering, water it once or twice a week depending on temperature, humidity, amount of light received by the plant and other factors that affect the water-consumption of a plant. It is always a good idea to let a plant dry before watering it again. Don’t let the water sit on the leaves, this will form a rot, in order to avoid it extra care should be taken while watering the plant. Allow them to root bound before repotting, they grow best this way. This plant can be poisonous, so avoid keeping it at your place if you have pets or little children around.

Lucky Bamboo
This plant is a symbol of luck and success because of its rapid growth, strength and fortitude. It is also famous for needing a very low-maintenance. Don’t place it near the heating or A/C vent. It does not like Sun and should be placed in shade. It is kept in water, rather than the soil. It does not like the chemicals like chlorine present in  your water. Place it in tap water that is kept in a pot for some time so that the chemicals will settle down. Rain water is also a good option to keep them. If you want to grow it in soil then the soil should be kept slightly moist and should not be allowed to dry.

Spider Plant
Spider plant is a beautiful looking house plant. This plant is fit for most locations; as it will survive the low-light areas, it will also do good near the window if you keep it away from the midday sun. An easy to grow plant for the low light areas of your house.

Chinese Evergreen
It is a tropical plant native to the Southeast Asia. Don’t over water the plant. Let the soil dry before watering the plant again. The plant will grow best in warm temperatures. Water the plant with room temperature or warm water. It is known to flourish well even in extremely low-light areas of the house.

Kentia Palm
The Kentia Palm will grow well in low-light areas of your house. But if you really want your Kentia Palm to have more fronds then place it in medium light levels. Yellow tips indicate over watering while brown tips occur when this palm is not watered properly.

Cast Iron Plants
They are really very tough plants that will tolerate extreme temperatures, wet soil, droughts, neglecting and light levels as low as 10 foot candles. Good for those who are too busy or too lazy to look after their plants.

Peace Lily
Another plant for the low light areas of your home or office. The Peace Lily plants require heavy watering. Applying too much fertilizer to this plant can damage its roots.

Bamboo Palm
Bamboo palm is native to dense rain forests of Central and Southern America and where it stays under the shade of taller trees. It requires moist soil and shade. Keep its soil slightly moist but don’t over water it as over watering can kill the plant.