Are Hosta Plants Poisonous

Hosta plants are decorative plants that can enhance your garden's look. Gardeners love hostas because of their colors, sizes and since they are easy on maintenance. Hosta plant belongs to the family of Lily and just like Lily, it manages to grow even without much care and nourishment. Hostas are considered as shade garden plants but need adequate amount of sunlight as well. Gardening hostas in your front yard is not a tough a job at all.

Are Hosta Plant Poisonous?

The hosta plants commonly known as plaintain lily and flunkia, are herbaceous perennials. That is, they are especially grown for horticulture. They are generally intermingled with other flowering plants so as to give a better appearance to the garden. Originating from the oriental countries like China, Korea and Japan, hosta plants are scientifically cultivated too. In Japan, the hostas are savored and considered as a delicacy. So, one can be rest assured about the safety of children from hosta plants as they are not considered toxic to human beings.

Are Hosta Plants Poisonous to Animals?
According to ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), the hostas are poisonous to some animals like cats, dogs and horses. On the other hand, deer is the chief predator of hosta plants and they eat hostas leaves with delectable greed. It's thus necessary to make a proper fencing for your hostas to keep deers at bay. Humans, too, are not affected by the toxins in hosta plants. Insects like snails and slugs feed on the hosta leaves. If hosta leaves are eaten by any animal, it can get poisoned by the slug ingestion too.

Are Hosta Plants Poisonous to Dogs?
Hosta leaves contain a chemical called Saponin which attributes to the toxicity. The saponin in the leaves acts to repel the feeding animals and insects. It is one of the defense mechanisms which these plants have evolved over the time against external predators. Hosta leaves ingestion can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and growth retardation. Therefore, the pet owners should be extremely careful while planting poisonous ornamental plants like hostas, which are especially dangerous to animals. You can implement some careful measures to keep away your dogs and cats from the beautiful hostas of your garden. Even though dogs and cats don't eat hosta plants, still there are few steps which you might like to take to ensure their complete safety from ingesting saponin which makes hosta plants poisonous.

How To Keep Dogs Away From Hosta?

Buy dog repellent from market: There are many dog repellents available in the market which perform the task of keeping your dog away from the toxic hosta plants. Although odorless to humans, these repellents emit a strong smell that keeps the dog away from the restricted area of the garden. But if you don't want your hostas to be sprayed with chemicals, then the option of home-made repellents is also there.

Home-made Remedies

• Oranges and Lime Juice: The citric acid in orange and lemon is offensive to the dog's nose. By spraying juice of orange or lemon, you can create a invisible fence around the hosta plants.
• Vinegar: Vinegar contains a pungent smell which works wonders to keep the dog at distance from the hosta plants which are toxic.
• Chili Powder: Chili powder are generally used as dog and cat repellent. You can use this method in your garden by spraying on the shrubs which you want to protect.
• Cayenne Pepper: It is one of the oldest method of repelling a dog away. The cayenne pepper irritates the nose of the dog and would forbid him to go near the sprayed area.
• Rubbing (Isopropyl Alcohol) alcohol: Rubbing alcohol also makes a good natural dog repellent. Directly spraying rubbing alcohol on plants might harm it, therefore you can put anything soaked in rubbing alcohol near the hosta plants. Thus, the vexing smell of the rubbing alcohol would keep the dog at bay.

Be cautious when trying these methods as it can be allergic to your dog. First, check him for any adverse reactions to these repellent, then only proceed further. Hosta plants are one of the few plants which are a gardener's delight, both visually as it is aesthetically pleasing and physically as it is easily maintainable. Coming back to the question from we started,, that is, 'Are hosta plants poisonous?'; the answer is both; YES and NO. Hosta plants might be safe for the humans, but you would still want to keep your dogs and cats away from these herbaceous perennials.