Recognizing Poisonous Plants to Small Pets 04/06

In the wild, many small animals depend on plants for survival. The succulent leaves are often used for food, the sturdy branches to build nests, and the thin roots chewed to obtain water and nutrients. It is no wonder then that, once brought into our homes as pets, small animals may mistake our favorite houseplants for shelter or food. In some regards, a small pet brought into a home filled with beautiful foliage is like a child being given free reins in a candy store. There are a lot of new flavors to taste, scents to smell, and colors to explore. Unfortunately, many of the most popular plants, whether used for indoor decoration or outdoor landscaping, are potentially dangerous or deadly to small pets.

Though not all inclusive, the below list does contain many of the plants most frequently found in and around a person's home - whether native to the area or purchased from a retail store or greenhouse. Some of the following plants, such as oleander, are extremely toxic. Others may only cause a mild reaction. Regardless, it is best to remove any potentially dangerous plants from areas where your small pet could come into contact with them. If you have any doubt about the safety of plants you own, please contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

A - B

C - D

E - G

H - J

K - L

M - N

O - R

S - Y

A - B

A

Air plant Aloe Amanita Amaryllis

American yew Andromeda Arum lily Asiatic lily

Autumn crocus Australian flame tree Avocado Azalea

B

Balsam pear Baneberry Bird of paradise Bishop's weed

Black laurel Black locust Bloodroot Bluebonnet

Blue-green algae Boxwood Bracken fern Broad beans

Broomcorn grass Buckeye Buckthorn Bulb flowers

Burdock Buttercup

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C - D

C

Cacao Caladium Calla lily Camel bush

Candelabra tree Cardinal Castor bean Chalice vine

Cherry tree Chinaberry tree Christmas candle Clematis

Cocklebur Coffee Coffee bean Coral plant

Coriander Corn cockle Cotton bush Coyotillo

Cowslip Crown of thorns Cutleaf

D

Daffodil Daphne Datura Day lily

Deadly amanita Death camus Delphinium Devil's ivy

Dieffenbachia Dutchman's breeches

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E - G

E

Easter lily Eggplant Elderberry Elephant's ear

English ivy English yew Ergot Eucalyptus

Euonymus

F

False hellebore False henbane Flame tree Felt plant

Firethorn Four o'clock Foxglove

G

Ghostweed Gladiolas Glottidium Golden chain

Golden cherry Golden pothos

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H - J

H

Heliotrope Hemlock Henbane Holly

Honeysuckle Horse bean Horse chestnut Horsetail

Hyacinth Hydrangea

I

Indian licorice Indian turnip Inkberry Iris

J

Jack-in-the-pulpit Java bean Jasmine Jerusalem cherry

Jimsonweed Johnson grass Juniper

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K - L

K

Kentucky coffee tree Kalanchoe

L

Lantana Larkspur Laurel Leucotho

Lily-of-the-valley Lima bean Lobelia Locoweed

Lords and ladies Lupine

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M - N

M

Macadamia nut Malanga Mandrake Marijuana

Maternity plant Mayapple Meadow saffron Mescal bean

Mexican breadfruit Mexican poppy Milk vetch Milkweed

Mistletoe Mock orange Monkshood Moonseed

Morning glory Mountain laurel Mushrooms

N

Narcissus Navy bean Nettles Nightshade

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O - R

O

Oak Oleander

P

Panda plant Parsley Peires Pencil tree

Periwinkle Philodendrons Pigweed Pikeweed

Poinciana Poinsettia Poison ivy Poison oak
Pokeweed Potato Precatory Privet

Pyracantha

R

Rain tree Ranunculus Rape Rattlebox

Rattlebush Red maple Rhubarb Rhododendrons

Rosary peas

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S - Y

S

Sago palm Sandbox tree Scarlet runner Skunk cabbage

Snowdrop Snow on the mountain Sorghum grass Sorrel

Spindle tree Spurges Sudan grass Sweet pea

T

Tansy ragwort Tobacco Tomato plant Thornapple

Tulip

V

Vetch Virginia bower Virginia creeper

W

Wattle White cedar Wisteria

Y

Yam bean Yews Yello jasmine Yucca

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