Is a Rubber Plant Poisonous to Children?

Rubber plant’s (Ficus elastica) common name does not imply that it’s pliable. Its milky white sap includes latex, which has been originally used to make rubber. Because this sap is poisonous to pets and people, rubber plant is best set out of reach of children.

Plant Debate

In its ongoing zone across U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12, rubber tree may grow to 25 feet. As a houseplant, nevertheless, rubber tree’s growth is more controlled, growing 2 to 10 feet tall. You might have purchased a houseplant that wasn’t labeled as “rubber tree” or “Ficus elastica,” so knowing how to recognize this plant is very important to determine its poisonous potential. Rubber plant’s main identifying characteristic is its thick, wide, dark-green, oval leaves. New leaves appear at the top of a plant usually with a reddish tinge and are coiled until they unfurl. If you nick the stem, then you will see a milky white sap ooze out.

Irritating Sap

Rubber plant’s sap produces a colloid that contains components including wax, albumin, enzymes and sugar. However, the ingredient in the sap known as caoutchouc is the primary culprit. Caoutchouc is the element that not only provides latex its elastic quality but is also capable of causing an irritating reaction to the skin, mouth and eyes of children. This latex, which is found in all Ficus species, is the same component in latex gloves that leads to skin dermatitis in some people.

Toxicity Class

Poisonous plants don’t have to cause death to be considered poisonous. Toxicity covers a spectrum of reactions such as allergies, asthma or internal poisoning. Poisonous plants include substances that cause these reactions. The University of California, Davis, places rubber plant at Toxicity Class 4, that’s the least-dangerous class of four classes. Plants in Toxicity Class 4 trigger dermatitis from their sap, which is as gentle as an irritation for as strong as a skin rash. The rashes may be serious, causing severe pain to some children.

Swift Action

If a young child is exposed to rubber plant’s sap, then first eliminate any plant parts that may be in the kid’s mouth and then rinse the mouth thoroughly. If the sap gets on the kid’s skin, wash the affected area with soap and then rinse with cool water. If the sap gets into the kid’s eyes, gently flush the eyes for 10 to 15 minutes with lukewarm water. If blisters or a rash develops, call your regional Poison Control Center as soon as possible.

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