Very dramatic! We had heard the bit about toppling trees.

-John

One thing that I would add is that English Ivy is actually an invasive species to N America so please keep it inside if you have to have it at all! It’s so popular because how easily it grows (uh, no predators) and it attracts a lot of nectar-loving animal. But it’s actually a lot like kudzu. If planted outside, it spreads to surrounding trees and other native plants, eventually out-competing them for sunlight and water sources (basically a long slow death). Trees can eventually fall over from the added weight of being covered. And that hurts the animals’ homes, of course. Even if someone was diligent about maintaining a patch in their yard, the stuff spreads so easily through the insects and birds that feed on them, the entire neighborhood could look different in just a few years. Dramatic plant, right?

I’m not sure- maybe try googling around? I think all plants purify the air to some extent- some are just super efficient like the NASA recommended ones.

xo,
s

So helpful! We’ll be sure to look into it more and keep the bad ones out of reach once Clara is a bit more mobile!

xo,
s

Peace Lily: contains calcium oxalate crystals and can bring on skin irritation, burning in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, and nausea.

English Ivy: berries can cause gastrointestinal problems, delirium, and respiratory problems. Sap from the leaves can cause serious blisters and skin irritation.

Rubber Tree: this plant contain latex and can provoke severe allergic reactions (including anaphylactic shock) in people sensitive to latex.

A few other common house plants that are toxic: philodendron, dieffenbachia/dumb cane, ficus tree, pencil cactus/milkbush, jerusalem cherry or christmas cherry.

We still keep tons of plants – just helpful to know which ones may be potential hazards to be kept out of reach of little hands.

Hmm, we haven’t had that issue but maybe you’re watering too much (don’t gnats like super moist soil?). Perhaps trying to snatch up succulents or other plants that only need a drop of water a week will help? We love Burro Tails for that reason and we get them at places like Home Depot on the cheap. Hope it helps!

xo,
s

Hey Vivianne,

We wish we could help! We are by no means experts in the area of botany so we would suggest taking a clipping of each plant to your local nursery for a quick (and free) evaluation. It sounds like they might just need different watering or sunlight conditions, and they don’t appear sound like they’re contaminating anything else, but hopefully you’ll learn how to save them at the nursery! Good luck.

xo,
s