Is Guanyin Lotus poisonous?

Are all Alocasia odora from different families poisonous?

There are two completely different plants that are called Alocasia odora, they are the succulent plant Alocasia odora of the Crassulaceae family, and the herbaceous plant Alocasia odora of the Araceae family.

The Crassulaceae Guanyin Lotus is non-toxic

The Crassulaceae family's Alocasia odora is also known as: Sedum, Alocasia odora, and Buddha's seat lotus. It is a popular succulent plant. It is slightly effective in absorbing toxic gases in the room, can remove dust and sterilize, purify the air, and slightly increase indoor humidity. It is a very suitable succulent plant to grow at home.

Araceae Guanyin Lotus is poisonous

The Araceae plant is poisonous. If you keep it at home, you must prevent children and uninformed people from accidentally eating it. Poisoning can cause swelling of the tongue and throat, vomiting and diarrhea. Ingestion of a high level of toxin can cause suffocation or even cardiac paralysis. If you accidentally eat the Alocasia odora and get poisoned, you should immediately take egg white, batter, drink large amounts of sugar water, or inject glucose saline intravenously.

At the same time, the Araceae family's Guanyin Lotus can also be used as medicine, but it must first be fried with rice until it is browned, and then simmered for more than 2 hours to remove the poison before it can be taken orally. According to records, the herb is effective in treating malaria, acute vomiting and diarrhea, typhoid fever, rheumatism, hernia, leucorrhea, carbuncle, atrophic rhinitis, scrofula, furuncle, scabies, snake and dog bites, etc.

How to tell whether the Alocasia odora is poisonous?

Comparison of two different types of Guanyin Lotus

The succulent plant that we usually call Alocasia is not poisonous. This kind of "Guanyin Lotus" is generally called the immortal grass, Guanyin Seat Lotus, Buddha Lotus Seat, etc.

The poisonous Alocasia odora belongs to the Araceae family, also known as black-leaf taro and black-leaf Alocasia odora, and is a foliage plant.

It is actually very simple to distinguish these two types of plants. The leaves of Crassulaceae plants are thicker and feel finer, while the leaves of Araceae plants are thinner. In addition, Araceae plants usually have fleshy tubers in the underground part and are much taller than Crassulaceae plants.