While plants add a touch of color and fragrance to our daily lives they also inject an element of danger into the lives of our pets. More than 700 plants have been identified as producing physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals. Poisonous plants produce a variety of toxic substances and cause reactions ranging from mild nausea to death. Certain animal species may have a peculiar vulnerability to a potentially poisonous plant.
Below is a list of some of the common plants which may produce a toxic reaction in animals. This list is intended only as a guide to plants which are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction.
PLANT | TOXIC PARTS | PLANT TYPE |
Aconite | roots, foliage, seeds | garden flower |
Apple | seeds | cultivated tree |
Arrowgrasses | leaves | marsh plants |
Atropa belladonna | entire plant esp. seeds, roots | garden herb |
Autumn Crocus | entire plant | garden flower |
Azaleas | entire plant | cultivated & wild shrub |
Baneberry | berries, roots | wildflower |
Bird-of-Paradise | pods | garden flower |
Black locust | entire plant esp. bark, shoots | tree |
Bloodroot | entire plant esp. stem, roots | wildflower, herb |
Box | entire plant esp. leaves | ornamental shrub |
Buckeye | sprouts, nuts, seeds | tree |
Buttercup | entire plant esp. leaves | wildflower, garden herb |
Caladium | entire plant | house plant |
Carolina jessamine | flowers, leaves | ornamental plant |
Castor bean | entire plant esp. beans | house plant |
Chinaberry tree | berries | tree |
Chockcherries | leaves, cherries, pit | wild shrub |
Christmas berry | leaves | shrub |
Christmas Rose | rootstock, leaves | garden flower |
Common privet | leaves, berries | ornamental shrub |
Corn cockle | seeds | wildflower, weed |
Cowbane | entire plant esp. roots | wildflower, herb |
Cow cockle | seeds | wildflower, weed |
Cowslip | entire plant esp. leaves, stem | wildflower, herb |
Daffodil | bulbs | garden flower |
Daphne | bark, berries, leaves | ornamental shrub |
Day lily | entire plant is toxic to cats | garden & wildflower |
Death Camas | leaves, stems, seeds, flowers | field herb |
Delphinium (Larkspur) | entire plant esp. sprouts | wildflower |
Dumbcane | entire plant | house plant |
Dutchman's breeches | roots, foliage | wild & garden flower |
Easter lily | entire plant is toxic to cats | flowering house plant |
Elderberry | leaves, bark, roots, buds | tree |
Elephant's ear | entire plant | house plant |
English Ivy | entire plant esp. leaves, berries | ornamental vine |
European Bittersweet | entire plant esp. berries | vine |
False Flax | seeds | wild herb |
False hellebore | roots, leaves, seeds | ornamental flower |
Fan weed | seeds | wildflower, herb |
Field peppergrass | seeds | wildflower, herb |
Flax | seedpods | wildflower, herb |
Foxglove | leaves | wild & garden flower |
Holly | berries | shrub |
Horsechestnut | nuts, sprouts | tree |
Horse nettle | entire plant esp. berries | wildflower, herb |
Hyacinth | bulbs | wild & house plant |
Iris | leaves, roots | wild & garden flower |
Jack-in-the-pulpit | entire plant esp. roots, leaves | wildflower |
Jatropha | seeds | tree, shrub |
Jerusalem Cherry | unripe fruit, foliage | ornamental plant |
Jimsonweed | entire plant esp. seeds | field plant |
Laburum | seeds, pods, flowers | ornamental plant |
Lantana | foliage | house plant |
Larkspur | young plants | wildflower |
Laurels | leaves | shrub |
Lily of the valley | leaves, flowers | garden & wildflower |
Lupines | seeds, pods | shrub |
Manchineel Tree | sap, fruit | tree |
Matrimony vine | leaves, shoots | ornamental vine |
Mayapple | unripe fruit, roots, foliage | wildflower |
Milk vetch | entire plant | wildflower |
Mistletoe | berries | house plant |
Monkshood | entire plant esp. roots, seeds | wildflower |
Moonseed | fruit, roots | vine |
Morning glory | seeds, roots | wildflower |
Mountain mahogany | leaves | shrub |
Mustards | seeds | wildflower |
Narcissus | bulbs | garden flower |
Nicotiana | leaves | garden flower |
Nightshade | leaves, berries | wildflower, vine |
Oaks | shoots, leaves | tree |
Oleander | leaves | ornamental shrub |
Philodendrons | entire plant | house plant |
Pokeweed | roots, seeds, berries | field plant |
Poinsettia | leaves, stem, flowers | house plant |
Poison hemlock | leaves, stem, fruit | field plant |
Potato | shoots, sprouts | garden plant |
Rattle box | entire plant | wildflower |
Rhododendron | leaves | ornamental shrub |
Rhubarb | leaves | garden plant |
Rosary pea | seeds | house plant |
Sago palm | entire plant esp seeds | ornamental plant |
Skunk cabbage | entire plant esp roots, leaves | marsh plant |
Smartweeds | sap | wildflower |
Snow-on-the-mountain | sap | field plant |
Sorghum | leaves | grass |
Star of Bethlehem | entire plant | wildflower |
Velvet grass | leaves | grass |
Wild black cherry | leaves, pits | tree |
Wild radish | seeds | wildflower |
Wisteria | pods, seeds | ornamental plant |
Woody aster | entire plant | wildflower |
Yellow jessamine | entire plant | ornamental vine |
Yellow oleander | entire plant esp. leaves | garden plant |
Yellow pine flax | entire plant esp. seedpods | wildflower |
Yew | bark, leaves, seeds | ornamental tree |
