Toxic Plant List

The amount of poison in a plant tends to vary with location, age of plant, season, weather conditions. In some plants, the toxin is confined only to certain parts. Additionally, plants normally considered non toxic may have been treated with an insecticide, making them toxic. The following plants may cause toxic symptoms when ingested. Included are plants which may cause dermatitis when handled.

Fourteen Ways to Avoid Plant Poisoning

1. Become familiar with the dangerous plants in your area, yard and home. Know them by sight and name.

2. Do not eat wild plants and mushrooms.

3. Keep plants, seeds, fruits, and bulbs away from children.

4. Teach children at an early age to keep plants and plant parts out of their mouths. Make them aware of the potential danger of poisonous plants.

5. Teach children to recognize poison ivy.

6. Be certain you know the plants used as skewers for meat or marshmallows.

7. Do not allow children to suck nectar from flowers or make “tea” from leaves.

8. Know the plant before eating its fruits, or berries.

9. Do not rely on pets, birds or squirrels to indicate non-poisonous plants.

10. Avoid smoke from burning plants.

11. Remember, heating and cooking do not always destroy the toxic substance.

12. Store labelled bulbs and seeds away safely away from children and pets.

13. Do not make homemade medicines from native or cultivated plants.

14. Remember, there are no safe “tests’ or “rules of thumb” for distinguishing edible from poisonous plants.

Tip: Relief for poison ivy – Bathe the infected area in some cider vinegar.

Toxic House Plant List

The amount of poison in a plant tends to vary with location, age of plant, season, weather conditions. In some plants, the toxin is confined only to certain parts. Additionally, plants normally considered non toxic may have been treated with an insecticide, making them toxic. The following plants may cause toxic symptoms when ingested. Included are plants which may cause dermatitis when handled.

* Asparagus Fern (asparagus plumosus) (sprengeri)
* Avocado (persea americana)
* Blue Gum (eucalyptus globulus)
* Buddist Pine (poddocarpus Macrophyllus)
* Cacti:
o Bunny Ears (opuntia microdasy’s alkispina)
o Column (cereus peruvianus)
o Rats Tail (aporocactus flagelliformis)
o Sunset (lokwia famatimensis)
* Caladium (Angel’s Wings)
* Century Plant
* Crown Of Thorns (euphorbia milii splendens)
* Cyclamen
* Dieffenbachia
* Holly
* Ivy:
o Cape (tenecio macroglossus)
o English (hedera helix)
o German (senecio mikanioides)
o Glacier (hedera helix glacier)
o Gloire de Marengo (hedera canariensis)
o Needlepoint (hedera helix sagittlae folica)
* Jerusalem Cherry (solanum pseudocapsicum)
* Mistletoe (phoradendron flavescens)
* Philodendron:
o Arrowhead (syngonium podophyllum)
o Black Gold (ph. melanochryson)
o Devil’s Ivy (Pothos) (scindapsus aureus)
* Elephant’s Ear (philodendron hastatum)
* Fiddle Leaf (ph. pandurae forme)
* Green Gold (syngonium podophyllum)
* Marble Queen (scindapsus aureus)
* Ornamental Pepper (capsicum annuum)
* Silver Vine (scindapsus pictus)
* Split Leaf (monstera colorata)
* Sweetheart Vine (philodendron scandens)
* Red (hemigraphis colorata)
* Umbrella Plant (cyperus)

Making Living Green, Organic, Non-toxic Easier For Mom, 14 Tips

Toxic Garden Plant List

The amount of poison in a plant tends to vary with location, age of plant, season, weather conditions. In some plants, the toxin is confined only to certain parts. Additionally, plants normally considered non toxic may have been treated with an insecticide, making them toxic. The following plants may cause toxic symptoms when ingested. Included are plants which may cause dermatitis when handled.

Toxic Garden Plants

* Azalea (azalea indica)
* Bleeding Heart (dicentra formosa)
* Calla Lily (zantedeschia aethiopica)
* Carnation (dianthus caryophyllus)
* Castor-Oil plant (ricinus communis)
* Chinese or Japanese Lantern (physalis)
* Chrysanthemum
* Clematis
* Crocus (colchicum autumnale)
* Daffodil (narcissus)
* Delphineum
* Foxglove (digitalis purpurea)
* Gladiola (bulb)
* Hyacinthe (hyacinthus orientalis)
* Iris
* Jonquil (narcissus)
* Lily of the Valley (convallaria)
* Morning Glory (ipomaea tricolour)
* Narcissus
* Oleander (nerium oleander)
* Pansy (seeds) (viola tricolour)
* Peony (root) (paeonia officinalis)
* Primrose (primula)
* Sweet Pea (lathyrus odoratus)
* Sweet William (dianthus barbatus)

Unidentified Wild Mushrooms

Should be considered toxic until identified by a mycologist.

Vegetables

* Potato (green patches found on tubers & above ground part)
* Rhubarb leaves
* Tomato greens

Hedges & Bushes

* Black Locust (robinia pseudoacacia)
* Buckthorn ( rhamnus cathartica)
* Cherry Laurel (laurocerasus officinalis)
* Daphne (daphne mezereum)
* Elderberry (not berries)
* Horse Chestnut ( aesculus hippocastanum)
* Hydrangea
* Laburnum (laburnum anagyroides)
* Privet ( ligustrum vulgare)
* Virginia Creeper (ampelopis brevipedunculata)

The Author:

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario