There's an array of toxic plants in the average yard or garden. Learn what plants are toxic and the symptoms of poisoning in livestock, pets and other animals.
In the average garden or yard, there are dozens of toxic plants that can pose dangers to pets. Understanding what plants are harmful and the symptoms of toxicity can help save your pet’s life if he or she ingests or encounters a poisonous plant.
“It’s important to monitor your dog when he or she is outside – toxic plants are big reason why, along with dangers associated with other animals, cars, or theft. If your pet eats a toxic plant and then falls ill, you won’t have a clue why he’s sick if you were indoors tending to something else. And by the time you figure out what’s going on, it may be too late. Properly monitoring your pet will enable you to quickly swing into action if he gets into trouble by eating a toxic substance,” explained Dr. Michael Levine, DVM.
Some of the most common signs of toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, panting and drooling, lethargy, weakness, disorientation, seizure, a loss of coordination, a rash, swelling (commonly in the face and paws), and difficulty breathing. Also remember that a pet can be intolerant of any plant, meaning that even if a plant is not considered toxic, an individual can still have a bad reaction if he has an allergy to that particular plant.
The following list includes some of the most common toxic plants:
Air plant
Aloe vera
Alocasia
Amanita
Amaryllis
American yew
Andromeda
Apple (seeds)
Arum lily
Autumn crocus
Australian flame tree
Apricot (pits)
Asparagus fern
Avocado
Azalea
Baby’s breath
Balsam pear
Baneberry
Bayonet
Beech
Belladonna
Bird of paradise
Bishop's weed
Black laurel
Black locust
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Blue-green algae
Boxwood
Bracken fern
Broad beans
Broomcorn grass
Buckeye
Buckthorn
Buddhist pine
Bulb flowers
Burdock
Burning bush
Buttercup
Cacao
Cactus
Caladium
Calla lily
Camel bush
Candelabra tree
Cardinal
Castor Bean
Ceriman
Chalice vine
Cherry
Chinaberry tree
Chinese evergreen
Christmas candle
Christmas rose
Chrysanthemum
Cineria
Clematis
Cocklebur
Coffee
Coffee bean
Coral plant
Cordatum
Coriaria
Coriander
Corncockle
Corn plant
Cornstalk plant
Corydalis
Cotton bush
Cowslip
Coyotillo
Crocus
Croton
Crown of thorns
Cutleaf
Cycads
Cyclamen
Daffodil
Daphne
Datura
Deadly amanita
Deadly nightshade
Death camus
Decentrea
Deiffenbachia
Delphinium
Devil's ivy
Dieffenbachia
Drachaena palm
Dragon tree
Dumb cane
Dutchman's breeches
Easter lily
Eggplant
Elaine
Elderberry
Elephant's ear
Emerald feather
English ivy
English yew
Ergot
Eucalyptus
Euonymus
Evergreen
Ferns
False hellebore
False henbane
Fiddle-leaf fig
Flame tree
Flax
Florida beauty
Felt plant
Firethorn
Four o'clock
Foxglove
Fruit salad plant
Geranium
German ivy
Giant dumb cane
Glacier Ivy
Ghostweed
Glottidium
Golden chain
Golden glow
Golden pothos
Gopher purge
Ground cherry
Heartland philodendron
Heliotrope
Hellebore
Hemlock
Henbane
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horse bean
Horse brush
Horse chestnut
Horsetail
Hurricane plant
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian licorice
Indian rubber plant
Indian tobacco
Indian turnip
Inkberry
Iris
Ivy
Jack in the pulpit
Janet Craig dracaena
Japanese show lily
Jasmine
Java beans
Jerusalem cherry
Jessamine
Jerusalem cherry
Jimsonweed
Jonquil
Jungle trumpets
Juniper
Kalanchoe
Kentucky coffee tree
Lacy tree philodendron
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Leucotho
Lily
Lily spider
Lily-of-the-valley
Lima bean
Lobelia
Locoweed
Lords and ladies
Lupine
Madagascar dragon tree
Malanga
Mandrake
Marble tree
Marigold
Marijuana
Maternity plant
Mayapple
Meadow saffron
Mescal bean
Mexican breadfruit
Mexican poppy
Milk vetch
Milkweed
Mistletoe
Mock orange
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning glory
Mother-in-law’s tongue
Mountain laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Navy bean
Needlepoint ivy
Nephytis
Nettles
Nightshade
Oak
Oleander
Onion
Oriental lily
Panda plant
Parsley
Peacy lily
Peach (pit)
Peires
Pencil tree
Peony
Periwinkle
Philodendron
Pimpernel
Pigweed
Pikeweed
Plumosa fern
Poinciana
Poinsettia
Poison hemlock
Poison ivy
Poison oak
Pokeweed
Poppy
Potato
Pothos
Precatory
Primrose
Privet
Pyracantha
Rain tree
Ranunculus
Rape
Rattlebox
Rattlebush
Red emerald
Red maple
Red princess
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Ribbon plant
Rosary peas
Rubber plant
Saddle leaf philodendron
Sago palm
Sandbox tree
Satin pothos
Scarlet runner
Schefflera
Scotch broom
Silver pothos
Skunk cabbage
Snowdrop
Snow on the mountain
Sorghum grass
Sorrel
Spindle tree
Spurges
Staggerweed
Star of Bethlehem
String of pearls
Striped dracaena
Sudan grass
Sweetheart ivy
Sweet pea
Swiss cheese plant
Tansy mustard
Tansy ragwort
Tiger lily
Tobacco
Tomato plant (green fruit, stem, leaves)
Thornapple
Tree philodendron
Tropic snow dieffenbachia
Tulip
Tung tree
Vetch
Virginia bower
Virginia creeper
Water hemlock
Weeping fig
Wattle
White cedar
Wild call
Wisteria
Yam bean
Yews (all types)
Yellow jasmine
Owners should be prepared to deal with a poisoning incident at any time. This means keeping a stocked first aid kit on hand, and understanding the signs of illness in your pet.
In addition to learning what plants pose a risk to pets, owners should keep a list of important phone numbers, including a number and address for a local 24-hour veterinary clinic and an animal poison control center. The ASPCA Poison Control Center is open 24-hours a day and can be contacted by calling 888-426-4435.
The copyright of the article Toxic Plants and Pets in Mammals is owned by Mia Carter. Permission to republish Toxic Plants and Pets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
