Are Poinsettias Poisonous? Only if You Believe Urban Legends

The truth is that poinsettia leaves taste awful – but don’t kill. The assumed cause of the toddler’s death was never confirmed according to the well-respected myth debunking site snopes.com. In fact, after extensive testing by the American Society of Florists and the Ohio State University, researchers confirmed that no part of the Poinsettia plant is toxic. While the leaves may cause minor skin irritation, and consuming any part of the plant could result in a stomachache, there is no documented evidence that ingesting any part of a Poinsettia would be life-threatening or has actually killed anyone.