African Violets are Poisonous to Human?

When you decide to take home a houseplant, you may need to find out whether the houseplant is poisonous to humans, pets, etc or not. In fact, there are so many houseplants which are poisonous to humans, causing any unwanted thing at home.

How about African Violet? Is the plant poisonous to humans? When you are at a florist, you may fall in love with African Violets, seeing their beautiful leaves and tiny trees and they are suitable as your houseplant. However, it’s important for you to check if African Violets are poisonous to humans through our explanation below!

Are African Violets Poisonous to Humans?

Fortunately, African Violets are nontoxic plants, so they are not poisonous to humans. Of course, it will not harm you or your pets when you are touching them. African Violets will remain non-toxic to humans, as long as the planters do not make them toxic by over-fertilizing and adding insecticides.

Furthermore, African Violets are not poisonous when touching and are non-toxic if eaten by humans and the majority of pets. However, African Violets may be poisonous to goats and rabbits if ingested.

For most people, the main concern about growing the houseplants which are potentially poisonous is the negative effects caused through indigestion. As a houseplant lover, you may be aware that growing poisonous plants at home will have a bad effect for your children or your pets. So, you may decide to not keep it at home.

But you don’t have to worry about keeping African Violet at your home. With non-toxic traits, you can really grow African Violet at home or your garden without worrying. However, you need to ensure that you grow them in the correct climate.

How Safe Are African Violets?

Even though African Violets are not poisonous, they can be harmful mainly because of the high content of saponins contained in the roots and stems of the plants. It is known that Saponins are natural plant toxins that are found in African Violet in great concentration. This toxic substance will cause vomiting, diarrhea, cramping and pain to pets and people sensitive to saponins.

Aside from that, African Violets also contain salicylates in small quantities, so there will be a risk of causing Reye syndrome if small kids end up ingesting it. Of course, you will need to keep the African Violets away from your children and pets to protect them from the toxicity of the plant.

It’s important to note, African Violets are not supposed to be edible, since it causes indigestion. Of course, the adults will not eat African Violet, but the children and pets may accidentally eat the plants due to their curiosity. African Violets are not included in the regular diet, so they can influence the health of your children or pets.

For children, if they ingest African Violet, it will lead to choking on ingested leaves or plant parts. As we know, a lot of fuzz-covered plants are skin irritants, but African Violet is not reported to cause rashes or other harm. In fact, the classroom often uses African Violets for hands-on demonstrations of plant propagation.

Which Pets Are Vulnerable to African Violets Poisoning?

Generally, African Violets do not harm all kinds of pets. However, there are some pets that are vulnerable to African Violet poisonings such as rabbits, domestic animals and sometimes cats and dogs.

Almost all pets will love to snuffle and touch up anything they come across. Sometimes, your pets will get too excited as they see any new plant and want to taste it badly. It does not wonder if they will always be curious to discover the different kinds of plants and flowers at home.

The pets like rabbits and domestic animals like goats probably encounter some health problems if they ingest African Violets. For pets like dogs and cats, they may face health problems because of high consumption.

Reportedly, there are a variety of insects and bugs that are attracted to African Violets. When they feed on African Violets, they will secrete a clear sticky liquid called honeydew which makes African Violets sticky.

If your pets ingest African Violet, the sticky material can irritate your pet’s mouth and cause indigestion. Of course, you may need to take some precautions before your pets can get to the plant.

How to Keep Your Pets Away from African Violets?

However, it must be the responsibility of owners to take care of their pets’ needs and eating habits. Of course, your pets will not know which food is good for them and which food can harm them a lot. Accidentally, they ate such things that were not supposed to be eaten.

If you think that your pets have consumed African Violets, you need to take them to a pet clinic. You should tell the vet for every symptom and problem which your pet is experiencing once having African Violets.

You also need to ensure your pet is behaving normally and breathing correctly. You may need to immediately contact your nearest animal clinic if you find any strange charge or behaviour. The vet will advise you what you should do and shouldn’t do to treat them at home.

Here’s how to keep your pets away from African Violets!

For Cats

• Make sure to spray or drop cat repellents near your African Violets, so your cats will not go there.
• Put aluminium foil around your African Violets, as cats will hate the taste and sound of aluminium foil.
• Use tea leaves by dropping them around African Violets leaves to keep your cats away

For Dogs

• Make sure to keep African Violet in a place in which your dog cannot reach.
• Spray your plants with white or bitter apple vinegar to keep dogs away.
• Sprinkle red powdered mustard or pepper flakes around African Violet.

For Rabbits

• You can try to sprinkle dried sulfur around African Violets to keep your rabbit away.
• Place onions around African Violets since rabbits dislike the smell of them.
• Make sure to spray African Violets with a mixture of 1 teaspoon Lysol and 1 gallon of water.