Polite Dissent

Poinsettia

The persistent rumor that Poinsettias are poisonous comes from a single case report of a child dying after eating a Poinsettia leaf back in 1919. A review of the case in the ’70s cast doubt on whether the Poinsettia was involved at all. A more recent re-examination at the evidence suggests that it was the treatment rendered for the supposed poisoning that proved fatal, not whatever the child ate.

An extensive study at Ohio State University in the 1970s proved conclusively that Poinsettias are not poisonous. At very high doses, the leaves can cause some stomach upset, but are not fatal. But even to achieve this mild level of toxicity it would take the ingestion of several hundred leaves.

Like other members of the Euphorbiaceae family, the milky sap can be a skin irritant and cause a rash.

• Snopes information on the Poinsettia

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is a common semi-parasitic plant. While it can grow as a shrub on its own, it is most commonly found living parasitically on trees. There are two common varieties of mistletoe, European (Viscum album) and American (Phoradendron serotinum); both are from the family Loranthaceae.

The leaves — and particularly the berries — of mistletoe contain toxic amines and proteins. High doses can cause gastrointestinal upset including stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Very high doses can cause neurological symptoms (such as drowsiness or ataxia) or cardiovascular symptoms; there have been a few reported deaths due to mistletoe berry or mistletoe tea ingestion.

A comprehensive review of reported cases suggests that an ingestion 1-3 berries or 1-2 leaves is not enough to cause severe symptoms, though that dose will probably cause some stomach upset. It is recommended that mistletoe be placed well out of reach of children and pets.

It’s not all bad news: chemicals extracted from the mistletoe are being studied as a cancer treatment.