555 Common Poisonous or Irritating Plants | Star Nursery Garden and Rock Centers

List for Child and Pet Care Environment

How to prevent poisoning from plants?

Everyone should be aware of the potential danger of plants. Although most plants can be hazardous because they could cause some kind of harm, only a small number of plants are actually deadly. Usually a large quantity of berries, pods, leaves, flowers or seeds must be eaten to cause symptoms. Be aware of plants treated with pesticides or fertilizers. Non-toxic plants treated with toxic chemicals can become dangerous because of the chemicals.

Certain individuals may be allergic or sensitive to plants that others are not. Often it is only your physician that can determine whether certain plants will cause problems for you or your family. While the following list is by no means complete, it does represent the most common plants that may be irritating or poisonous. Some youngsters may be more prone to experimental ingestion than others, so your level of caution will be for you to determine. The risk may be due to high toxicity or some attractive feature of the plant. It is very difficult to eliminate every potential risk, but it is practical and wise to understand them and guard against them as appropriate.

Medium and low risk varieties are generally considered safe in a well-managed environment.

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME RISK; COMMENTS

AZALEA	Rhododendron species	MEDIUM; all parts
BIRD-OF-PARADISE	Caesalpinia species	LOW; seeds
BOSTON IVY	Parthenocissus tricuspidata	MEDIUM; berries, contact
BOXWOOD	Buxus japonica	HIGH; all parts
CALLA LILY ⁵	Zantedeschia aethiopica	MEDIUM; all parts
CAROLINA CHERRY	Prunus caroliniana	MEDIUM; all parts
CAROLINA JESSAMINE	Gelsemium sempervirens	HIGH; all parts
CASTOR BEAN	Ricinus Communis	HIGH; all parts
DAFFODILS	Narcissus hybrids	LOW; all parts
DELPHINIUM	Delphinium spp	MEDIUM; all parts
EGGPLANT	Solanum melongena	MEDIUM; green parts
ELEPHANT EARS	Caladium; Alocasia	MEDIUM; all parts
EUONYMUS	Euonymus japonica	LOW; berries
FOUR O’CLOCKS ⁶	Mirabilis jalapa	MEDIUM; seeds, roots
FOXGLOVES	Digitalis hybrids	HIGH; all parts
HELIOTROPE	Heliotropium arborescens	HIGH; all parts
HOLLY ³	Ilex species	HIGH; berries
HONEYSUCKLE	Lonicera species	LOW; berries
HYACINTHS	Hyacinthus hybrids	HIGH; all parts
HYDRANGEA	Hydrangea hortensis	LOW; flowers
IRIS	Iris hybrids	MEDIUM; flowers, contact
IVY, ALGERIAN	Hedera canariensis	LOW; all parts
IVY, ENGLISH	Hedera helix	LOW; all parts
JIMSON WEED ⁸	Datura meteloides	HIGH; all parts
JUNIPERS ²	Juniperus species	VARIES; seeds, leaves
LANTANA	Lantana species	HIGH; berries
LARKSPUR	Delphinium hybrids	HIGH; all parts
LOCOWEED ⁸	Astragalus species	HIGH; all parts
MOCK ORANGE	Pittosporum species	LOW; all parts
MORNING GLORY	Ipomoea species	LOW; seeds
NANDINA	Nandina domestica	LOW; berries
OLEANDER	Nerium oleander	HIGH; all parts
ORANGE MISTLETOE ⁹	Phoradendron species	HIGH; all parts
PERIWINKLE	Catharanthus; Vinca	HIGH; all parts
PHACELIA ⁸	Phacelia species	MEDIUM; contact
POTATOES	Solanum tuberosum	HIGH; green parts
PRIVET, GLOSSY	Ligustrum lucidum	MEDIUM; berries, leaves
PRIVET, TEXAS	Ligustrum japonicum	MEDIUM; berries, leaves
RHUBARB	Rhubarb	HIGH; leaves
SAGO PALM	Cycas revoluta	MEDIUM; leaves, seeds
STAR JASMINE	Trachelospermum jasminoides	LOW; leaves, sap
SWEET PEA	Lathyrus hybrids	LOW; seeds
TEXAS MOUNTAIN LAUREL ¹	Sophora secundiflora	LOW; seeds
TEXAS UMBRELLA ⁴	Melia azederach	HIGH; berries
TOMATOES	Lycopersicon esculenteus	LOW; leaves, contact
VIRGINIA CREEPER	Parthenocissus quinquefolia	MEDIUM; berries, contact
WILD NIGHTSHADE ⁸	Solanum elaeagnifolium	HIGH; all parts
WISTERIA	Wisteria sinensis	MEDIUM; seeds
YEW PINE ⁷	Podocarpus macrophyllum	HIGH; all parts

1. Prune off faded flowers to avoid seed set.

2. Most junipers are very low risk; in situations where children would be in constant contact, avoid varieties of Juniperus sabina such as “Tamariscifolia” (Tam Juniper.)

3. Most Holly plants need a male and female plant to produce berries; plant male varieties if safety is a concern.

4. Only a small percentage of children react badly, but can be toxic to those with sensitivity. Best avoided in environment with children.

5. Don’t confuse with Cannas, which are entirely safe.

6. Small children can mistake tuberous roots for potatoes.

7. Seldom sets fruit in Las Vegas; variety “Maki” essentially fruitless.

8. Native to Southern Nevada; can show up as a flowering weed in your landscape.

9. Parasite only on our native Mesquites. Prune off of any wild mesquite in your yard.

Can pets get poisoned from plants?

As a general rule, plants that are listed as toxic to humans should also be considered toxic to animals. There are a few cases of plants considered non-toxic or mildly toxic to humans causing problems to animals.

Dogs: Onion, Garlic, Heavenly bamboo, Schefflera, Dracaena, Grapes (raisins)
Cats: Calla Easter lily, Philodendron, Pothos, Scindapus
Birds: Avocado

Perspective: Of the combined total of approximately 65,000,000 dogs in the United States, in 1990 less than 1,000 fatalities were reported from poisonous plant ingestion. Pets in general are instinctively aware of the risks from plants. Some pets however, may not be so savvy, especially when young. Some breeds are much more susceptible than others. Check with your veterinarian!

On-line reference: http://www.calpoison.org open “Quick Find” to “Plant Guide” for human sensitivity

http://www.dog-first-aid-101.com/toxic-garden-plants.html for animal sensitivity