Readers Respond: Do Poinsettia Plants Make You Sick?

Poinsettia plants don't make you as sick upon ingestion as the myth claims, but some who have an allergic reaction to latex get sick just being around poinsettia plants. Do you experience this allergic reaction to poinsettia plants (or know somebody who does)? Symptoms include itchy throat and trouble breathing.

It's bad enough to learn you suffer from an allergic reaction to poinsettia plants upon receiving one as a gift. It's worse to discover that you have this health problem through exposure to displays of poinsettia plants at work or in apartment hallways -- where you may not have control over the matter.

Christmas killer - Poinsettias

YES! I definitely have reactions to poinsettias. I refer to them as the unknown Christmas Killer (jokingly, but with tongue in cheek). AND...inevitably my office will get several plants to give away at Christmas events in addition to them being in every store that you see! My eyes water/itch, I get a scratchy throat, and usually end up with a sinus infection just after Christmas that I attribute to the exposure to the plant. I take Singulair daily anyway, and will take an over the counter medication in addition to that (usually Claritin) to help with the symptoms. I also have to use eye drops (pataday) to help with the eye issues caused by them.

—Guest Guest KKlioness

More Reasons Poinsettias Can Sicken You

With poinsettia allergies, it is especially tough to pinpoint the culprit. Poinsettias grown closely together in greenhouses can be a breeding ground for fungus and/or mold and their spores on both the plant leaves and in the soil. Being allergic to one mold doesn't mean being allergic to all molds. Secondly, all flowering plants produce pollen which can cause problems for some. Then there is the sap that has a chemical in it found in latex -- another source of a possible allergen for some people. It's a tough plant to avoid during the holiday season!

—kaleister

Allergy to Poinsettia - Thank You!

I have been short of breath, my lungs itch, and now my throat and chest feel tight. I thought I had a cross-contamination of a food allergy, but this felt completely different from my normal reactions. I was standing at my sink doing dishes and noticed the poinsettia that my dad decided to buy me for Christmas. The petals are falling and it's dropping pollen, so I thought maybe this is my issue. You all have describe my symptoms! Thank you for sharing. I'm going to throw it out now!

—Guest Shannan

I Had No Idea

I had poinsettias in the house for Christmas and couldn't figure out why I was feeling dizzy and nauseous with migraines. I thought I was just stressed from Christmas, but realized I had only felt sick since bringing poinsettias into the house. I threw them in the garbage and the next day I felt way better -- no more migraines or dizziness! I didn't think just being near something could cause such severe symptoms!

—Guest Brandy

Poinsettias and Sleeping Problems?

After reading several items on poinsettia plants I now think they might cause my sleeping problems each December and January. Every Christmastime my husband, daughters and I have several sleeping problems. Till now we never connected them to poinsettia plants. Does anybody know if these plants can be connected to sleeping problems?

—Guest joanna1961

Allergic to Poinsettias

I have 6 poinsettias around for the holidays and my allergies are bad. Runny nose and cold symptoms but clear drainage.

—Guest Sandra

Hives and Closed Windpipe

These weeds were originally imported from Mexican dumps. They give me hives and close my windpipe -- yes, they can kill me. So, I take the month of December off and hide at home. I buy canned goods a month in advance.

—Guest Daniel

Head to Toe Itch Fest

Recently I began having allergic reactions, but couldn't figure out what was causing them. I'm allergic to quite a few things, but most are food allergies and I'm really careful. So, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what was causing me to itch all over. The worst is my face and scalp...feel like I want to jump out of my skin. Finally I thought about my environment and the only thing different was a poinsettia that my boss brought into the office and sat upon my desk. I did an internet search and came across this site. Thank goodness I'm not losing my mind and the poinsettia has been removed from the room and will be removed from the premises. I feel a little better, but hopefully when it is totally removed it will fix my itch fest.

—Guest Fiona

Poinsettia Allergy

When I worked at Wal-Mart over the holidays, they always sold poinsettias for christmas. I bought two of them (one pink, one white). Someone, who shall remain nameless, bought a red poinsettia for the yuletide season.... She brought it in to the house, my mother put it on the stereo. Later that day, after I walked into the living room, I smelled the aroma from the poinsettia, and that's when it happened! I started to become short of breath, my face blew up to two sizes larger than normal, and my throat swelled up from the inside.... After that happened, I walked into the kitchen and told my mother, "Get that plant out of here A.S.A.P.!" Which she did; she threw it out the same day. All she had to do was take one look at me and she knew what had happened.

—Guest Andraste

Poinsettias Make Me Sick!!

This is the first year I have worked in an assisted living building which last week brought in at least 50 Poinsettia plants. after 3 days of breaking out in a rash, feeling dizzy and feeling my throat become scratchy and slightly swollen, I went to urgent care and they agreed I was allergic to the plants. My job however will not remove them and the doctors have me on Prednisone but will not release me back to work until the plants are gone. So much for my christmas this year! Never ignore any allergic reaction!!

—missy520

Poinsettias Cause Scratchy Eyes, Throat

It has been many years, but I have figured out I also have allergy-related symptoms similar to others in these comments: scratchy eyes, tickle in my throat. Our church has about 25 of them. I sing in the choir and this is a real problem for me. I have used eye drops, nasal spary, and zyrtec.

—Guest Cliff

OMG I am NOT Crazy!

I have been dealing with this for over 15 years. Started when I worked in the mall and would get sick daily. My ex-inlaws think it is funny and my ex-husband has them in his house. I had a really bad reaction to my kids clothes when they came home from 1 1/2 days with him... Most people I meet think I am nuts and making it up. It is nice to know I am not the only one. There HAS to be something we can do to get these plants banished from public places. I feel like a prisoner from Halloween until January (The plant was in stores the week before Halloween this year).. I am miserable and nothing seems to make it go away except to sit in my house... The frustration and lack of respect for this allergy has made me hate Christmas... :( I too thank places that have fake ones and when I tell them about my allergy they are in disbelief and have never heard of it before... I have had doctors tell me to "Deal with it for 2 months".. going to have to start carrying an epi pen myself.

—Guest Tracy