The gorgeous Neon Pothos plant (Epipremnum Aureu) climbs trees and trellises alike and its vine produces such a compliment to your landscape that you might want to taste it.
Never let its heart-shaped leaves fool you because this toxic plant poisons both man and beast.
Neon pothos proves poisonous to humans, felines, and canines. That means you need to plant it in such a way that no animal or human can reach it.
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Is neon pothos poisonous?
Neon pothos will poison you or your pets if ingested. Common signs of ingestion include difficulty breathing and a swollen tongue plus drooling and a burning sensation in the mouth. Seek immediate medical attention.
Neon Pothos Is Poisonous
Some plants, like roses, you can eat. This is not the case with neon pothos which prove toxic to humans and animals due to their insoluble calcium oxalates.
As Neon Pothos is part of the Araceae family, it’s toxic considering all the members of this plant family are toxic. If you have the neon variety planted along with other varieties of pothos, make sure to keep pets away from them.
When a plant is described as insoluble, that means you cannot digest it.
If your small child, cat, or dog eats a bit of this plant, you should immediately take them to the emergency room or, in the case of your pet, the emergency vet.
The common symptoms of neon pothos poisoning include:
- breathing difficulties,
- swelling of the tongue and mouth,
- drooling,
- burning sensation in the mouth
- difficulty swallowing,
- vomiting.
What the Vet Might Suggest
After extricating the ingested materials, the vet will likely recommend either Pepcid AC or Prilosec to reduce the acid in the animal’s stomach. Sometimes, the animal will vomit up the plant naturally.
The veterinarian will thoroughly check the animal to ensure that the acid reducer is safe to use. You will need to watch your pet for at least 24 hours to ensure they do not experience complications from the plant.
When your pet experiences drooling or nausea after eating this plant and then throws up, the veterinarian might recommend one of the following:
- Pepcid ac is also known as famotidine in a dose of one-quarter of a 10mg tablet per 5 to 10 pounds of body weight of the pet every 12 hours
- Prilosec also known as omeprazole in a dose of one-quarter of a 20mg tablet per 10-20 lbs. of body weight every 24 hours.
The pet should be able to take these doses for a few days with no problem.
Since the poison causes swelling in the mouth and tongue, you should feed your pet soft foods for a few days. This might mean purchasing some baby foods or wet food.
You can mix high-quality pet foods, such as those you purchase at the veterinarian’s office, with water to make them easier for your pet to swallow.
If your pet turns up its nose at that food, try making some boiled, shredded chicken and white rice. Feed the animal two-thirds a cup of chicken with one-third a cup of rice in a low-sodium chicken broth.
Serving it warm will provide more aroma and the canine or feline will be more likely to eat the food.
Once your animal begins to behave normally, you can return to feeding it regular food. They should be able to digest it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Neon Pothos Being Poisonous
What is the safest way to plant neon pothos?
As pretty as it looks growing around a tree, you should only plant this in pots if you have pets or animals that wander into your yard. You can hang the pots out of reach of the pets. This also keeps them out of reach of toddlers and small children who do not know better than to behave and not eat just anything.
What’s the best way to pot a neon pothos?
These plants can easily thrive in pots indoors or outdoors. They are relatively indestructible, but they do need a few things to thrive. Start with a well-draining potting mix consisting of equal parts houseplant soil, peat moss, and perlite in a roomy planter. Add a little powdered bone marrow to make the soil more fertile. Aerate it, then place enough topsoil in the pot that you only have about two inches of the pot showing. Put a stick in the soil’s center, sticking up in the center of the pot. This provides the plant with something to climb while it grows. Plant the seeds a couple of inches down and water it every 2 weeks. Place your neon pothos in indirect sunlight in a hanging planting. If you have cats, place the plant in an area that the cat cannot possibly jump to, so you don’t have to worry the cat will eat it accidentally. Renew its fertilizer about once per month.
Can you really grow neon pothos in water?
If you have a pond or koi pond that you would like to dress up, you can plant this lovely vine in water. You should start it in a bowl though. Begin it in a bowl or vase of clean water. You need a cutting of the vine. You cover the nodes with water and place the water planter in bright, indirect sunlight. It will develop roots in the water. You can move it to your pond when it begins rooting. You need relatively clean water in the pond though, which probably won’t be an issue in a koi pond since you fill it yourself. You should not actually have koi in it if you need to add fertilizer to make the water healthy enough for the plant.
Conclusion
You should not eat neon pothos. Do not let pets eat it either. It is toxic and poisonous.
You need to immediately go to the emergency room if a human eats it or the emergency vet if an animal ingests it.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.