American Association of Poison Control Centers: Treat Poinsettias and Mistletoe with Respect Rather Than Fear This Holiday Season

/PRNewswire/ -- Poinsettias and mistletoe, while lovely symbols of the holiday season, have long been thought to be gravely poisonous.

But while ingesting these holiday plants can cause discomfort, data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers indicates they are not quite the deadly hazards they've long been believed to be.

"Treating a poinsettia exposure is a glass of milk for the child and a tincture of reassurance for the parent," said Dr. Ed Krenzelok, managing director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center. "That's it."

Krenzelok has authored studies on both mistletoe and poinsettias that found that both are less deadly than the lore about them would indicate. His 1996 study on poinsettias found that most patients exposed to poinsettias can be treated at home without going to a health care facility. That study examined 22,793 poinsettia exposures and found no fatalities among them.

In 2008, U.S. poison centers received 1,174 calls about human exposures to poinsettias. Of those calls, only one resulted in one moderate medical effect and 27 resulted in a minor effect. No deaths or major effects were reported. In 2007, meanwhile, poison centers received 1,373 calls about poinsettia exposures and only three resulted in a moderate medical effect and 36 resulted in a minor effect.

In 2008, poison centers took 277 calls regarding animal exposures to poinsettias and in 2007 took 326 calls regarding animal exposure to poinsettias. Again, no deaths or major medical outcomes were reported.

"Other than a little bit of vomiting, we don't expect any problems from poinsettias," said Tina Wismer, a veterinary toxicologist for the Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, Ill. She said poison centers field plenty of calls about animals eating poinsettias, but has never seen a serious effect. She advises callers not to panic about an animal nibbling at a poinsettia.

That said, Krenzelok cautions that taking anything in excess can be hazardous. Even drinking too much water, he said, can be dangerous.

Mistletoe, too, has suffered from a bad reputation, he said. In 2008, U.S. poison centers took 132 calls about human exposures to mistletoe and in 2007 131 calls about the plant. During both years, only one person saw a moderate medical outcome because of mistletoe exposure.

Those with questions about holiday plants or any other holiday-related product should call their poison center at 1 (800) 222-1222 for answers.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers supports the nation's poison control centers in their efforts to prevent poisoning. Poison centers offer free and confidential services 365 days a year and around the clock.

If you have questions or someone has eaten part of a mistletoe or poinsettia, please call 1 (800) 222-1222.

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Plants liven up the holidays

Flowers are University of Georgia horticulturist Paul Thomas’s specialty. And, for holiday plant suggestions, they’re his top pick. But when asked, “What was the best plant you’ve ever gotten for Christmas?” his answer is: “A ming aralia that I got from my mother-in-law. It’s strictly a foliage plant, and it looks like a bonsai. It’s really awesome.”

Ming aralias, specifically polyscias fruticosa ‘elegans’, have carrot-like foliage and woody stems as they get older. A ming aralia was “the plant for kings and queens to have,” he said. “It grows slowly and beautifully.”

While they are beautiful and do make good gifts, they’re also a challenge, he said. The biggest danger is overwatering and over-fertilizing. They only need a tiny bit of diluted fertilizer every few months.

When it comes to buying gift plants, the best place to purchase them is at a local florist’s shop. “They have the best quality, and they’re grown by specialists for the highest quality,” he said.

Thomas likes to give flowering plants as gifts. A deep basket filled with a few pots of colored calla lilies or a basket with a cluster of cyclamen topped with white or silver grass “makes a stunning gift,” he said.

For gift giving, Thomas suggests:

• Calceolaria. The flowers look like a pocketbook, which gives it its common name of ‘pocketbook plant.’ “It’s just cool and unusual,” he said. Flower colors range from yellow to bright red with polka dots. The flowers are delicate, so handle it carefully.

The plants must be kept moist but not flooded with water. They like sunny windowsills that are cool but not freezing. There, they’ll last about a month. They can’t be saved and planted outside in Georgia, because they will die of plant diseases.

• Cinerarias. These plants look like daisies, but their colors are more intense, or, as Thomas puts it, they have “five times the impact” of daisy flowers. The blossom colors range from purple to yellow.

Like calceolaria, they need sunlight and water. “Don’t let either of these plants dry out ever,” he said. “I put them on my coffee table during the day and on the windowsill at night.” They will live about six weeks.

• Cyclamen. These plants bloom white, pink or bright red. They can be found in grocery stores, aren’t expensive and are a great substitute for poinsettias if someone is allergic to latex, which is found in poinsettia plants. Kept cool and moist, cyclamen blooms will last three to four months. “Buy five or six plants and put them in a big basket with white or silver grass, like the kind they sell at Easter,” Thomas said. “It makes a really nice Christmas gift.”

They’re also a good gift plant if the holiday you celebrate isn’t Christmas. Because they are native in Israel, they are a good choice as a Hanukkah plant, he said.

• Miniature roses. These tiny blooming beauties can do double duty as both a holiday plant and a garden attraction come spring. They prefer cool spots inside until all chance of frost has passed. Then plant them near the foundation or in another protected area of the yard.

• Calla lilies. “Normally, people would buy bouquets of calla lilies, but sometimes florists will sell calla lily bulbs in pots,” Thomas said. When growing calla lilies, their bulbs should be kept moist and their flowers dry. The stems also need to be staked so they won’t fall over and break.

“Three to four pots in a deep basket are a really nice gift,” he said. “They’ll last a long time.”

Before visiting a local florist, give them a call, Thomas said, especially if you have one type of plant you might want to give to several different people. “Get your orders in now to get the best quality for the Christmas season,” he said.

By Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia

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How To Make Holiday Poinsettias Last Beyond The Season

(StatePoint) Choosing a healthy plant and taking good care will keep your flowers blooming until Valentine's Day.

"Poinsettias tend to be the most vigorous plants with proper care, lasting in some cases through the summer months," says Richard Cowhig, assistant professor of ornamental horticulture at Delaware Valley College in Pennsylvania.

Look for large, well expanded bracts -- the colorful blossom-like leaves of the plant. "The yellow centers are the true flowers," he says. "They should be showing a faint trace of pollen. Too much pollen is a sign of an old plant."

"Choose a plant with strong, sturdy branching of secondary shoots," adds Cowhig. "There should be leaves down to the soil line, with no leaf yellowing, which can be caused by diseases or poor nutrition."

Keep your poinsettia warm -- above 55 degrees Fahrenheit -- and in its sleeve until you get it home. Plants will be happiest in a home that's between 60 and 68 degrees, away from heat and drafts.

Give them as much light as possible, turning the plant around several times a week. Water uniformly so that a little water runs out the bottom of the pot.

"Plant breeders have worked on plant quality," says Cowhig. "Your poinsettia should hold leaves and bracts for a long time. With the right care, you can enjoy its festive foliage into the New Year."

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