The popular houseplant ficus turned out to be not so harmless both from the point of view of biology and according to popular beliefs.
Ficus is considered an unpretentious plant, so many housewives find a place for it on the windowsill.
What biology says
Scientists have studied the ficus well and have indicated that its white juice is poisonous to humans. If a small child or animal eats a leaf, it can cause poisoning.
If the juice gets on your skin, it can leave a burn. In some cases, it takes a long time to heal or does not go away at all.
But scientists have found that ficus absorbs harmful substances: benzene, formaldehyde, phenol. The plant is consistently among the top air filters for the home.
What do popular beliefs say?
Here, too, not everything is simple. The people's opinion about ficus is twofold. If we talk about the positive characteristics, then the plant attracts prosperity to the house and contributes to the replenishment of the family.
For most people, the ficus is a symbol of well-being and positive energy. However, the Slavs have formed the opinion that this plant is a "husband killer". Allegedly, the ficus destroys peace in the house, brings trouble and other troubles.