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The following information is partly provided by Poison Control (1-800-876-4766).   The complete brochure with scientific plant names is available at our clinic.

Plants and Poisoning    

With the increased popularity of indoor and outdoor plants, the number of accidental poisonings associated with plants has also increased. In fact, household plants recently edged out household products as the nation's number one cause of poisoning in children under five. Pets are also frequent victims of plant poisoning. We think everyone should be aware of potential danger from plants since nearly all of us sometimes have pets or children around our homes as residents or visitors.

Know Your Plants

You should remember that we cannot accurately identify your plants from a telephone description, so it is vitally important that you know the names of all plants in your home and yard. We suggest that you keep with your plants the name tabs that come with them when purchased.

Take unfamiliar plants to a reputable nursery or plant store and have them positively identified.

Any type of outdoor mushroom should be considered dangerous.  If you think your pet has ingested mushrooms from the yard, call Poison Control (1-800-876-4766) and a veterinarian for more information.

Seek treatment immediately.  Do not wait until symptoms appear!  They may not appear until many hours later.  Intense vomiting and diarrhea can lead to liver failure and death.
Walnuts that have been left on the ground in damp areas grow a mold that is extremely toxic if ingested.  To avoid "moldy walnut poisoning",  as well as the potential for intestinal obstruction caused by the ingestion of whole walnut shells, keep yards free of all fallen walnuts.  

Contact your veterinarian if you suspect your dog has eaten walnuts, or if your dog displays any signs of vomiting, tremors or seizures.
Easter lilies can cause acute renal failure in cats if they ingest even a small amount of the plant.  Keep these plants away from cats!

Contact your veterinarian if you suspect your cat has eaten any part of a lily plant.

The Toxicity of Plants

An alphabetical list of some of the more common plants follows. To see whether or not one of your plants is poisonous (toxic), look it up on this list and check to see what number follows its name. Then read the information below which corresponds to that number. If you have any questions or if your plant is not included on this list, please call Poison Control.

1. Major Toxicity

These plants may cause serious illness or death. If ingested, immediately call Poison Control or a doctor (veterinarian).

2. Minor Toxicity

Ingestion of these plants may cause minor illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea. If ingested, call Poison Control or a doctor (veterinarian).

3. Oxalates

The juice or sap of these plants contains oxalate crystals. These needle-shaped crystals can irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, resulting in throat swelling, breathing difficulties, burning pain, and stomach upset. Call Poison Control or a doctor (veterinarian) if any of these symptoms appear following ingestion of plants.

4. Dermatitis

The juice, sap, or thorns of these plants may cause a skin rash or irritation. Wash the affected area of skin with soap and water as soon as possible after contact. The rashes may be very serious and painful. Call Poison Control or your doctor (veterinarian) if symptoms appear following contact with the plants.

Toxic plants

Common Name/Toxicity Class

African boxwood 2

Agave  2,3,4

Amaryllis 2

Anemone 2,4

Angel's trumpet 1

Anthurium 3,4

Arborvitae 2,4

Arrowhead plant 3

Arum 3,4

Autumn crocus 1,4

Azalea 1

Barberry  2,4

Begonia 2,3

Belladonna 1

Belladonna lily 2,4

Birch tree 2,4

Bird-of-paradise shrub 2

Black henbane 1

Black locust (seeds) 1

Blood lily 2,4

Boston ivy 3,4

Boxwood 2,4

Broom 2

Buckthorn 2,4

Bushman's poison 1

Buttercup 2,4

Caladium 3,4

California buckeye 2

Calla lily 3,4

Camphor tree 2

Carnation 2,4

Carolina jessamine 1,4

Castor bean 1

Century plant 2,3,4

Cestrum 1

Chenille plant 2,4

Chinaberry 1

Chinese evergreen 3,4

Chinese lantern 1

Chokecherry 1

Chrysanthemum 2,4

Cineraria 2,4

Clematis 2,4

Coast redwood 2,4

Columbine 2

Copperleaf 2,4

Coral plant 2,4

Coral tree 1

Cotoneaster 2

Crinum lily 2,4

Croton 2,4

Crown of thorns 2,4

Cyclamen 2,4

Daffodil bulb 2,4

Daisy 2,4

Daphne 1

Death camas 1

Delphinium  1

Dumb cane 3

Dusty miller 2,4

Echium 1,4

Elderberry 1

   (ripe fruit nontoxic)

Elephant's ear 3,4

English laurel 1

Eucalyptus 2,4

Euonymus 2

Euphorbia 2,4

Fig, Weeping 4

   and Fiddle-leaf

Firethorn 2,4

Fishtail palm 3,4

Four-o'clock 2,4

Foxglove 1

Gladiolus 2,4

Glory lily 1

Goldenchain tree 2

Gopher plant 2,4

Groundcherry 1

Ground ivy 2

Heather 1

Heliotrope 1

Hellebore 1,4

Holly (berries) 2

Honey bush 1

Horsechestnut 2

Hyacinth 2,4

Hydrangea 1,4

Indian currant 2

Indian turnip 3,4

Iris 2,4

Ivy, English 2,4

Jack-in-the-pulpit 3,4

Japanese aucuba 2

Japanese pieris 1

Jatropha 2,4

Jequirity bean 1

Jerusalem cherry 1

 

 Common Name/Toxicity Class

Jessamine 1

Jimson weed 1

Juniper 2

Kaffir lily 2,4

Lantana 1

Larkspur 1

Laurel cherry 1

Lily 2,4

Lily-of-the-Nile 2,4

Lily-of-the-valley 1,4

Lobelia 1,4

Love-in-a-mist 2

Love-lies-bleeding 1

Lupine 1

Marsh marigold 2

May apple 1

Meadow saffron 1,4

Milkweed 2,4

Ming aralia 2,4

Mistletoe 2,4

Mistletoe, European 1

Monkshood 1

Morning glory (seeds) 1

Myoporum 1

Myrtle 2

Naked Lady 2,4

Natal plum 2

Nephthytis 3

Nerine 2,4

Nightshade, Deadly 1

Oak tree (acorns) 2,4

Oleander 1,4

Yellow oleander 1,4

Pampas grass 1

Periwinkle 1

Peruvian lily 2,4

Philodendron 3,4

Photinia 1

Pittosporum 1

Poinsettia 2,4

Poison hemlock 1

Poison oak 4

Pokeweed 2

Poppy 2,4

Potato plant 1

   (green parts)

Pothos 3,4

Pregnant onion 1

Primrose 4

Privet 2,4

Pyracantha 2,4

Rhododendron 1

Rhubarb (leaves) 3

Rosary bean 1

Rubber plant 4

Sago palm 1

Scarlet pimpernel 2,4

Schefflera 2,4

Skunk cabbage 2

Snake plant 2,4

Snow-on-the-mountain 2,4

Snowberry 2

Snowdrop 2,4

Snowflake 2,4

Spathiphyllum 3,4

Spider lily 2

Spider lily 2,4

Split-leaf philodendron 3,4

Squill 1

St. Johnswort 1,4

Star-of-Bethlehem 1

Stinging nettles 4

String of beads 2,4

Taro 3,4

Tomato (non-fruit parts) 1,4

Tree-of-heaven 2,4

Tree tobacco 1

Tuberose 2

Tulip 2,4

Umbrella plant 2

Umbrella tree 2,4

Virginia creeper 3,4

Water hemlock 1

Wild onion 2

Windflower 2,4

Wintersweet 1

Wisteria 2

Yarrow 2,4

Yew, English & 1

   Japanese (seeds)

Yew pine 2

Seeds of: 1

   Almond, Apple, Apricot,

   Black cherry, Cherry,

   Crabapple, Loquat,

   Nectarine, Peach, Pear,   

   Plum

 

 

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