Originally posted on the UC Master Gardener Program Statewide Blog

Poinsettia plants, Euphorbia pulcherrima, has toxic white sap.

During the holiday season many plants, cut flowers and flowering bulbs are used as decoration and given as gifts.  Many of these items can be poisonous to both humans and pets with long-term negative effects to one's health.  Plant poisoning can range from simple rashes and blisters all the way to organ damage and in severe cases death. Be safe this holiday season by being mindful of what plants and flowers you are either giving, receiving or decorating with.  Common holiday plants that pose a toxic risk are: Amaryllis (bulb portion), Chrysanthemums, Holly (berries), Mistletoe (berries and leaves) and Poinsettia.

The entire mistletoe plant, Viscum album, is considered toxic.

Simple steps can be taken to help minimize the risk that poisonous or toxic plants cause when brought into the home. 

• Know what plants you have in your home and the health risks they pose
• Place poisonous plants out of reach of children and pets
• Teach children not to put any part of a plant in their mouth
• Discard plant leaves and flowers in a safe way so that children and pets cannot get to them
• Use protective gloves and clothing when handling plants that may be irritating to the skin
• Wash your hands after handling plants
• Don't garnish food trays or tables with poisonous plants

Amaryllis plant, Hippeastrum sp., have toxin primarily in the bulb but also in the leaves and stems.

Signs of poisoning range from dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach cramps.  Some plants can cause irritation to the skin, mouth and tongue and immediate burning pain. The signs of poisoning may not appear immediately so if you suspect that someone has been poisoned by a plant, telephone your doctor or the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.  If you are advised to go to an emergency room, take the plant or a part of it with you (take more than a single leaf or berry). Take the label, too, if you have it. The correct name can result in the proper treatment if the plant is poisonous. If the plant is not dangerous, knowing the name can prevent needless treatment and worry.

Mum plants, Chrysanthemum sp., have toxic parts above ground.

Resources:

To view a list of safe and toxic plants for humans please visit:  http://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/

To view a list of safe and toxic plants for animals please visit: http://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Plant_Toxicity_Levels_523/

For houseplant pest problems visit: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74172.html

Pittenger, Dennis. California Master Gardener Handbook--2nd Ed, Davis, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2015.

While we continue to spend more time than usual indoors, you may have noticed a few unexpected (and perhaps unwanted) co-occupants like ants, cockroaches, or mice. Luckily, UC IPM has a series of fact sheets called Pest Notes to help you identify and manage hundreds of different pests in and around the home, only a portion of which might come indoors.

Any room in the home can attract and harbor indoor pests including kitchens, pantries, bathrooms, closets, storage areas, or other living spaces. Prevent and reduce indoor pest problems by cleaning and decluttering indoor spaces. This removes access to food, water, and shelter for pests such as ants, carpet beetles, rodents, and pantry insects. Find out where the pests are entering your home and prevent them from getting in. Keep reading for tips that will help limit potential infestations.

Kitchen and Pantries

Figure 1. Confused flour beetle (Credit: Clemson University)

Kitchens and pantries can provide abundant food and water for pests such as cockroaches, ants, meal moths, and pantry beetles (Figure 1). Be sure to wipe down countertops regularly, clean up grease deposits near cooking surfaces, clean off pantry shelves, and keep stored food in tightly sealed containers to reduce or eliminate these food sources for pests. Also, clean up spilled food and wash dirty dishes daily. Mop and vacuum floors to remove food and debris. Use sticky traps or pheromone traps to monitor and detect insects such as cockroaches and pantry pests and to help manage flying pests such as house flies and vinegar flies.

 

Living Spaces and Closets

Figure 2. Larva of furniture carpet beetle. (Credit: Jack Kelly Clark)

In living rooms, bedrooms, and closets, vacuum floors (especially along baseboards) and beneath furniture to reduce or prevent infestations of carpet beetles (Figure 2), clothes moths, fleas, bed bugs, and other pests. Reduce clutter to remove hiding places and make pest infestations easier to spot. Launder bedding, blankets, cushion covers and other washable articles to kill clothes moths, bed bugs, and carpet beetles. For bed bug or head lice infestations, be sure to wash and dry bedding and infested items at the hottest setting the fabric will permit. If items infested with head lice cannot be laundered, place them in a plastic bag and freeze for 48 hours.

Storage Areas

Garages, basements, attics, and other storage spaces can also attract unwanted pests. When possible, seal cracks and openings in foundations and around doors, windows, pipes, wires, and vents to reduce access to these areas by rats, mice, or raccoons. Use snap traps to control rats and mice indoors. Organize belongings in airtight containers such as plastic bins to keep out carpet beetles, mice, and silverfish. Store bins off the floor and away from walls to reduce clutter in storage areas.

Houseplants

Houseplants may be attacked by pests that are typically found outdoors including scale insects, mites, mealybugs, whiteflies, or fungus gnats. However, indoor management of these pests can differ from methods recommended for outdoor plants. Houseplant leaves and stems can be washed with water to remove soft bodied insects and mites. Use sticky traps to reduce fungus gnat populations by trapping adult gnats and adjust your watering. Pesticides such as insecticidal soap or horticultural oil may help control some of these pests but be sure products are labeled for indoor use on the houseplant species and against the pest you have identified. See the recently published Pest Notes: Houseplant Problems for more information.

Found a spider? Before you squish it, remember that spiders are predators which are beneficial and help control other pests around the home. If you are comfortable, let the spider be or capture and release it outside. See this video on how to do it.

Another visitor you might spot is a house centipede, but these invertebrates are also beneficial and do not damage plants or household items.

Wherever you may find pests in the home, use integrated pest management (IPM) to solve your specific pest problem. The combination of science-based methods suggested above will help exclude and manage pests so you can reduce any undesired co-occupants.

You can find much more information about all the pests mentioned in this article in the UC IPM Pest Notes publications located in the Household Pests section online.

[Original article published in the Winter 2020 issue of the Retail Newsletter.]

Examining an African violet plant for pests. (Credit: AJ Sikes)

Like outdoor plants, houseplants can also experience pest problems. Did you know that too much or too little watering is the most common way that houseplants die? They can also suffer from too much or too little light, incorrect fertilization, and a variety of pests and diseases. Knowing the proper growing conditions for your houseplant and checking regularly for signs of pests or disease are the best ways to keep your houseplants healthy.

If your houseplant is looking unhealthy, our newest publication Pest Notes: Houseplant Problems can help you find out what may be wrong. Authored by UCCE Environmental Horticulturalists Dennis Pittenger and Donald Hodel, this new resource can help you narrow down the cause of a plant problem and decide what actions to take.  If you find . You'll find sections on many common pests like aphids, mites, and mealybugs as well as leaf spots, wilting, or other disease symptoms. Once you've figured out the problem, you will also be able to find out how to manage to manage it use less toxic methods.

If you have feedback on this or other Pest Notes publications, let us know what you think by filling out this quick, anonymous survey.

If you have house or office plants and have ever seen small, dark-colored insect swarming around them, your plants could have fungus gnats.

Fungus gnats are tiny flies that as adults, resemble mosquitoes. Fungus gnats don't bite people, but their presence can be annoying. Their larval stage lives in wet, overly moist potting mix, where they feed on decaying matter.

The first step to managing fungus gnats is allowing the soil in your houseplants to dry out in between watering. To read more about how to manage this pest, visit the UC IPM publication Pest Notes: Fungus Gnats.