Is the Elephant Ear (Alocasia) Poisonous? Learn About Its Toxicity Before Growing It for Peace of Mind

Alocasia (Elephant Ear) is a common household plant. The plant is beautiful and elegant, and when the air humidity is high, water droplets will even fall from the leaf tips, which is very lovely. But many people ask the editor: I heard that Alocasia is poisonous, is it really true?

Alocasia has many benefits, so there is absolutely no need to keep it at a distance. Whether Alocasia is poisonous is a question for many flower enthusiasts who are new to Alocasia. Below, the editor will explain in detail the issue of Alocasia's toxicity through cases and expert opinions.

We know that many plants are both medicine and poison. Alocasia has medicinal value, but at the same time it also has a certain toxicity. Alocasia belongs to the Araceae family, and most plants in this family are toxic, such as the common houseplants Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Swiss cheese plant (Monstera) and golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), but they can also purify the air. For these flowers that are commonly grown in winter, as long as they are not easily put into the mouth, you can safely coexist with them.

The white sap in the stem of Alocasia is toxic, and the water that drips down is also toxic. Accidental contact with or ingestion of its sap will cause discomfort in the throat and mouth, and in severe cases can cause suffocation, leading to death from cardiac paralysis. Skin contact with its sap will cause itching or strong irritation, and eye contact with the sap can cause severe conjunctivitis, or even blindness, so contact with Alocasia should be minimized.

Case: Ms. Guan Hong from Yuhong District said, “‘Alocasia’ is toxic: My 8-year-old son saw that the blocky stem of the ‘Alocasia’ was very white and juicy, and was curious about what the sap inside tasted like, so he could not resist licking it. A few seconds later, my son had unbearable throat pain, his lips were badly swollen, and his tongue was so numb that he could not control it!”

Expert opinion:

Professor Li Zuowen, head of the expert group of the Liaoning Provincial Society of Landscape Architecture, responded to these doubts. He believes that worrying about “Alocasia” is unnecessary, as it is not among the cancer-promoting plants. Although it is toxic, it can be grown with peace of mind. In fact, many flowers in residents' homes are toxic.

The Swiss cheese plant (Monstera) is a natural scavenger that can remove harmful substances from the air, but it is also a toxic flower;

Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) stays green all year round and can absorb toxic gases, but its sap is toxic. Contact with the skin will cause redness and itching, and ingestion will also cause throat pain;

Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) belongs to the Liliaceae family. Its toxic part is the rhizome. Ingestion of the rhizome will cause symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, cold limbs and even coma;

For the zebra Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), the sap of the leaves can actually make a person mute.

Professor Guo Xichang of the Department of Forestry at Shenyang Agricultural University believes that plants in the Euphorbiaceae and Thymelaeaceae families are also toxic. For example, the crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii), one of the 52 cancer-promoting plants, should not be grown at home. But for toxic flowers such as Alocasia and golden pothos that can purify household air, there is absolutely no need to smash them.

Experts believe that the proper attitude toward toxic plants is: keep an appropriate distance, do not casually play with or stroke them; do not hold the branches, leaves or fruits in the mouth.