For years, we have been warned that poinsettias were poisonous. Parents magazines, medical books, even doctors and veterinarians cautioned us to keep these beautiful plants out of the reach of children and pets for fear that they might nibble on the flowers or the leaves which were believed to be toxic. In fact, some books still indicate poinsettias are poisonous.

Thanks to more recent testing, however, it is no longer necessary to keep your beautiful poinsettiasout of reach. The long-standing belief that poinsettias were poisonous has finally been proven to be nothing more than an urban legend.

In fact, a research study conducted at Ohio State University in more recent years reveals that poinsettias are not truly poisonous at all. The study conclusively proved that all parts of the plant are non-toxic.

Today the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, DC and poison control centers across the country list the poinsettia as a non-poisonous plant.

According to the Poison Control Center, a 50-pound child would need to ingest 500-600 poinsettia leaves to suffer ill effects of any significance - which is highly unlikely to occur.

This was further confirmed when the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Melon University conducted a study of almost 23,000 poinsettia exposures reported to poison control centers across the country and found that none presented evidence of actual toxicity.

Playing with the leaves could cause local minor skin irritation in humans, and children who play with the leaves and then rub their eyes could experience redness and irritation of the eyes. To prevent further irritation, eyes should be rinsed with lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes, and hands or body parts irritated by the plant should be washed well with soap and water.

This holiday season, everyone can sit back and enjoy the beauty of poinsettia plants without a worry.