Is the begonia poisonous? An analysis of the effects of keeping one at home on pregnant women and babies
Begonia is also known as “xiangsi grass” (love-sickness grass), “bayue chun” (eighth-month spring), and so on. Not only is its name pleasant, but its appearance is beautiful too. Its flowers come in many colors - pink, red, white, yellow, and so on. So is the begonia poisonous? Is the begonia suitable for keeping at home? Does it have any effect when there are pregnant women and babies in the house?
1. Is the begonia poisonous?
1.Slightly toxic. The flower form of the crabapple is free and easy, and when it blooms it looks like brocade. Since ancient times it has been a famous flower enjoyed by both refined and popular tastes, long known as the “immortal among flowers”, the “imperial consort among flowers”, and the “noble among flowers”. In royal gardens it was often planted together with magnolia, peony and osmanthus to form the mood of “jade halls and riches”. Crabapple flowers are planted along both sides of walkways, around pavilions and terraces, at the edges of groves, and by the banks of ponds. Crabapple flowers are a material for making bonsai, and cut branches can be used for vase arrangements and other decorations. Crabapple flowers have strong resistance to sulfur dioxide and are suitable for urban street green spaces and mine-area greening. Even so, the crabapple flower is actually still poisonous.
2. The crabapple flower is slightly toxic and can cause symptoms such as skin itching, vomiting, diarrhea, sore and swollen throat, and difficulty breathing. Especially in the begonia group, it is best to move them outside at night. In fact, most of the crabapple flower's toxicity lies in the stem sap, roots, leaves and flowers, but as long as it is not eaten, the human body cannot take in the toxin. Even if the crabapple flower is poisonous, if it is only used for ornament, it will not cause any harm to the human body.
3. Growing flowers and plants can purify the air and regulate temperature. Of course, some poisonous plants produce certain toxic substances, especially allergenic pollen, and even harmful volatile gases. But this does not mean they are necessarily toxic, just as ultraviolet rays, in excess, can cause skin cancer, yet a moderate amount of ultraviolet exposure is beneficial to the human body. The same is true of flowers and plants: as long as the amount is moderate there is no problem, and the wax begonia does not release excessive harmful substances.
4. Points to note
First of all, of course, is preventing children and pet cats and dogs in the home from eating this plant by mistake, because children and small animals generally have a strong curiosity about brightly colored things. So, to prevent potential harm, this plant needs to be placed up high, or in other places that are hard for children to reach.
In addition, this plant is not suitable for placing in the bedroom, because it makes a person's nervous system stay in an excited state, so that it is impossible to achieve the purpose of resting in the bedroom, and insomnia and similar problems easily occur. Another point is that the light in a bedroom is relatively poor, so its growth and development will also be affected. Therefore, we can place it in a well-lit living room or on a balcony and similar places. Even if it is placed in the bedroom, it is best to move it out at night.
Also, if relatives and friends who come to visit do not know about this plant's toxicity, it is best to remind them in advance, to avoid a sudden accident.
2. Is the begonia suitable for keeping at home?
1. Beautifying the indoor environment
Begonia is a very well-known ornamental flower worldwide. Potted begonias are often used to accent living rooms, display windows, or to decorate home windowsills, balconies, tea tables and other places. If fitted with a quality artistic hanging pot and hung indoors, it has a great embellishing effect on the indoor environment and can add a touch of nature to the home.
2. Purifying indoor air
Many plants have a certain air-purifying effect, and begonia is no exception. It is a natural air purifier that can absorb harmful substances from the air and make the surrounding air fresher. If a begonia is grown at home, it can make people's living environment healthier.
3. Improving sleep quality
People spend one third of each day asleep, and the quality of sleep directly affects people's state of life. If a begonia is placed in the bedroom, it can improve people's sleep quality, because it can absorb harmful substances from the air and also give off a gas that makes people feel relaxed and happy, allowing people to fall into a deeper sleep.
4. Auspicious symbolism
Begonia is a very high-grade feng shui plant. It has the effect of calming the heart and settling the home, and it also symbolizes wealth. In ancient times this flower could generally only be seen in the homes of the imperial family and nobles, and only people of exalted status would grow this flower.
3. Can a family with a pregnant woman keep crabapple flowers?
Keep them with caution.
Crabapple flowers are planted along both sides of walkways, around pavilions and terraces, at the edges of groves, and by the banks of ponds. Crabapple flowers are a material for making bonsai, and cut branches can be used for vase arrangements and other decorations. Crabapple flowers have strong resistance to sulfur dioxide and are suitable for urban street green spaces and mine-area greening. In addition, some crabapple fruits can be eaten and used medicinally. The flowers contain nectar and are a very good nectar-source plant.
The crabapple tree has a graceful form, with flowers in full splendor in spring, and after autumn arrives the tree is full of golden fruit with an assailing fragrance. It is suitable for planting alone in the front or back of a courtyard, planted in pairs at the entrance of a hall, planted in clumps at the corners of a lawn, or planted together with other flowers and trees. It can also be dwarfed for potting. The fruit, after being steamed, boiled and candied, can be made into food and can also be used medicinally.
Xifu crabapple, pendulous crabapple, Chaenomeles speciosa and Chaenomeles sinensis all belong to the Rosaceae family, are all non-toxic, and can be planted with peace of mind in a pregnant woman's home. However, it should be noted that there is a plant called iron crabapple, also known as crown-of-thorns, which is a vine-like thorny plant of the Euphorbiaceae family. This flower is a horticultural hybrid of the crown-of-thorns and the whole plant is toxic, with the white milky sap being strongly toxic. Eating it by mistake will cause vomiting and diarrhea. Therefore, this flower is not suitable for growing indoors.
Because there are many varieties of crabapple flowers, as long as a non-toxic, harmless crabapple flower is chosen for growing, the effect on pregnant women is not great, and it can even promote the pregnant woman's physical and mental health.
4. Can a family with a baby keep crabapple flowers?
Keep them with caution.
Although crabapple flowers are slightly toxic, those who like crabapple flowers can still grow them even with a baby at home.
Crabapple contains sugars, multiple vitamins and organic acids, which can help replenish the body's intracellular fluid, thereby having the effect of promoting salivation and quenching thirst; strengthening the spleen and opening the appetite: crabapple fruit is relatively rich in vitamins, organic acids and amino acids, and can help the stomach and intestines digest food and drink, so it can be used to treat indigestion and food stagnation with abdominal distension; crabapple is sweet with a slight sourness - sweet can moderate the middle, sour can astringe - and has the effects of astringing to stop diarrhea and harmonizing the middle to stop dysentery, and can treat conditions such as diarrhea and dysentery and loose stools; crabapple contains a large amount of nutrients essential to the human body, such as sugars, multiple vitamins, organic acids and so on, which can supply the human body with nutrients and improve the body's immunity. So even though the crabapple flower is poisonous, its effects and benefits still cannot be ignored.
Growing flowers and plants can purify the air and regulate temperature. In fact, the vast majority of plants in nature are harmless to the human body as long as they are not eaten, and crabapple flowers do not release excessive harmful substances. But when growing crabapple flowers, it is best to move them outside at night and not keep them indoors.
5. How to grow crabapple flowers and points to note:
1. Watering and fertilizing. For watering, it is best to keep the potting soil moist. In dry and midsummer weather, the leaves and the ground also need to be sprayed with water, as raising the air humidity is good for growth. Avoid waterlogging in the pot and being rained on, otherwise the roots easily rot. In winter, the potting soil is best kept slightly on the dry side, and every 7 days spray the leaves and the surroundings with clean water, which both increases humidity and keeps the leaves clean. During the growth period, apply a dilute cake fertilizer water about once every 10 days; during the bud stage, apply a top dressing of quick-acting phosphorus fertilizer. When fertilizing, note that the fertilizer liquid must not splash onto the leaves; do not fertilize during the flowering period or in winter and summer.
2. Light and temperature. The suitable temperature for the growth of the bamboo-joint begonia is 18~20°C, in an environment with good ventilation and scattered light. In the high-temperature season, measures such as shading, ventilation and spraying water need to be taken; in winter it is best to keep the room temperature above 10°C, and it can be placed in a place with ample sunlight. When growing it at home, during the growing season it should be placed outdoors in scattered light 1~2 times a week, and in winter it should be placed in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot.
3. Tying up and repotting. Because the bamboo-joint begonia plant is relatively tall, thin bamboo or similar objects need to be used to set up a support to hold up the branches, to prevent lodging. At the same time, every spring it needs repotting, soil changing and branch pruning, cutting off weak branches, overlapping branches and residual roots. For plants that have already flowered for 2~3 years and are too tall, they should be cut back, leaving only 6~10 cm of the stem, to let them sprout new branches again.
4. Points to note
(1) Fertilizer. During the growth period, the spring-and-autumn begonia requires following the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently, mainly applying decomposed odorless organic thin fertilizer water or an inorganic fertilizer soaking solution. During the seedling tillering stage, apply more nitrogen fertilizer to promote the growth of branches and leaves; during the budding and flowering stage, apply more phosphorus fertilizer to promote the formation of more flower buds, with more and brighter flowers. If fertilizer is lacking, the wax begonia plant will wither and may even die.
(2) Water. During the vigorous growth period, the spring-and-autumn wax begonia's soil needs to contain more water, so water in good time and keep it moist.
(3) Management for getting through summer and overwintering. In summer and winter, affected by temperature, growth is slow, and fertilizer and water management need to be strengthened. In the midsummer high-temperature season, measures to avoid strong direct light and to lower the temperature should be taken, creating a small environment below 30°C for care, keeping the potting soil neither too wet nor too dry - too wet easily rots the roots, too dry makes the leaves wilt, and slightly moist is enough; if too much fertilizer is applied during this period, it will cause the stems and leaves to become tender or cause rot disease. In winter, as long as the temperature is kept above 10°C, it can overwinter safely. In summer and winter management, if the temperature can be controlled below 30°C and above 10°C, with watering at appropriate wet-dry levels and moderate fertilizing, the plant is certain to be robust and can achieve continuous flowering in all four seasons.