common poisonous plants

17 Common Poisonous Plants

Lilies
Members of the Lilium spp. are considered to be highly toxic to cats. While the poisonous component has not yet been identified, it is clear that with even ingestions of very small amounts of the plant, severe kidney damage could result.

Rubrum Lily

Common Name: Rubrum Lily
Scientific Name: Lilium spp
Family: Liliaceae
Toxic Principle: unknown
Clinical signs: vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and death is possible. Cats are only species known to be affected.

Lilium speciosum rubrum

Marijuana
Ingestion of Cannabis sativa by companion animals can result in depression of the central nervous system and incoordination, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate, and even seizures and coma.

Common Name: Marijuana
Scientific Name: Cannabis sativa
Family: Cannabinaceae
Toxic Principle: THCC- Tetrahydrocannabinal
Clinical signs: Prolonged CNS depression, respiratory depression, weakness, ataxia, sedation, sometimes hyperexcitation.

Sago Palm
All parts of Cycas Revoluta are poisonous, but the seeds or “nuts” contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result in very serious effects, which include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.

Common Name: Cycads
Scientific Name: Cycas and Zamia species
Family: Cycadaceae
Toxic Principle: cycasin
Clinical signs: vomiting, melena, icterus, increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure, death.

Cycas revoluta king sago

Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
The bulb portions of Tulipa/Narcissus spp. contain toxins that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, depression of the central nervous system, convulsions and cardiac abnormalities.

Common Name: Tulip
Scientific Name: Tulip sp
Family: Liliaceae
Toxic Principle: Unavailable
Clinical signs: intense vomiting, depression, diarrhea, hypersalivation, inappetence.

Tulip

Common Name: Narcissus
Scientific Name: Narcissus spp
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Toxic Principle: narcissine, narcipoeitin, lycorineh, other alkaloids
Clinical signs: severe gastrointestinal disorders, convulsions, shivering, hypotension, dermatitis, muscular tremors, and cardiac arrhythmias.

Daffodil narcissus

Azalea/Rhododendron
Members of the Rhododenron spp. contain substances known as grayantoxins, which can produce vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, weakness and depression of the central nervous system in animals. Severe azalea poisoning could ultimately lead to coma and death from cardiovascular collapse.

Common Name: Azalea
Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp
Family: Ericaceae
Toxic Principle: grayantoxin
Clinical signs: vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, CNS depression, cardiovascular collapse and death.

Common Name: Rhododendron
Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp
Family: Ericaceae
Toxic Principle: grayantoxin
Clinical signs: vomiting, diarrhea, hypersalivation, weakness, coma, hypotension, CNS depression, cardiovascular collapse and death.

Rhododendron jane grant

Rhododendron azalea

Oleander
All parts of Nerium oleander are considered to be toxic, as they contain cardiac glycosides that have the potential to cause serious effects—including gastrointestinal tract irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.

Common Name: Oleander
Scientific Name: Nerium oleander
Family: Apocynaceae
Toxic Principle: cardiac glycosides, nerioside, oleandroside, oleandrin
Clinical signs: vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac abnormalities, decreased body temperature, death.

Nerium oleander 1

Nerium oleander 2

Castor Bean
The poisonous principle in Ricinus communis is ricin, a highly toxic protein that can produce severe abdominal pain, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, weakness and loss of appetite. Severe cases of poisoning can result in dehydration, muscle twitching, tremors, seizures, coma and death.

Common Name: Castor Bean
Scientific Name: Ricinus communis
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Toxic Principle: Ricin
Clinical signs: Beans are very toxic: oral irritation, burning of mouth and throat, increase in thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, convulsions.

Cyclamen
Cylamen species contain cyclamine, but the highest concentration of this toxic component is typically located in the root portion of the plant. If consumed, Cylamen can produce significant gastrointestinal irritation, including intense vomiting. Fatalities have also been reported in some cases.

Common Name:
Cyclamen
Sowbread
Scientific Name: Cyclamen spp
Family: Primulaceae
Toxic Principle: Terpenoid saponins
Clinical signs: Salivation, vomiting, diarrhea

Large ingestions of tubers: heart rhythm abnormalities, seizures, death

Cyclamen marvel pink

Cyclamen mix

Kalanchoe
This plant contains components that can produce gastrointestinal irritation, as well as those that are toxic to the heart, and can seriously affect cardiac rhythm and rate.

Common Name: Kalanchoe
Scientific Name: Kalanchoe spp
Family: Crassulaceae
Toxic Principle: Bufodienalides
Clinical signs: may cause vomiting, diarrhea, bufodienalides are cardiotoxic.

Kalenchoe2

Yew
Taxus spp. contains a toxic component known as taxine, which causes central nervous system effects such as trembling, incoordination, and difficulty breathing. It can also cause significant gastrointestinal irritation and cardiac failure, which can result in death.

Common Name: Yew (aka Japanese Yew)
Scientific Name: Taxus sp.
Family: Taxaceae
Toxic Principle: taxine
Clinical signs: sudden death from acute cardiac failure, early signs- muscular tremors, dyspnea, seizures in dogs.

Japanese yew capitata

Amaryllis
Common garden plants popular around Easter, Amaryllis species contain toxins that can cause vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia and tremors.

Common Name: Amaryllis
Scientific Name: Amaryllis sp.
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Toxic Principle: Lycorine and others
Clinical signs: vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia, tremors.

Amaryllis

Autumn Crocus
Ingestion of Colchicum autumnale by pets can result in oral irritation, bloody vomiting, diarrhea, shock, multi-organ damage and bone marrow suppression.

Common Name: Autumn Crocus
Scientific Name: Colchicum autumnale
Family: Liliaceae
Toxic Principle: colchicine and other alkaloids
Clinical signs: oral irritation, bloody vomiting, diarrhea, shock, multi-organ damage, bone marrow suppression.

Autumn Crocus

Chrysanthemum
These popular blooms are part of the Compositae family, which contain pyrethrins that may produce gastrointestinal upset, including drooling, vomiting and diarrhea, if eaten. In certain cases depression and loss of coordination may also develop if enough of any part of the plant is consumed.

English Ivy
Also called branching ivy, glacier ivy, needlepoint ivy, sweetheart ivy and California ivy, Hedera helix contains triterpenoid saponins that, should pets ingest, can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea.

Common Name:
English Ivy
Branching Ivy
Glacier Ivy
Needlepoint Ivy
Sweetheart Ivy
California Ivy
Scientific Name: Hedera helix
Family: Araliaceae
Toxic Principle: Triterpenoid saponins (hederagenin)
Clinical signs: Vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, diarrhea

Foliage is more toxic than berries

English ivy hedera helix

English ivy hedera helix 2

Peace Lily (AKA Mauna Loa Peace Lily)
Spathiphyllum contains calcium oxalate crystals that can cause oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing and intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue in pets who ingest.

Common Name: Peace Lily (aka Mauna Loa Peace Lily)
Scientific Name: Spathiphyllum
Family: Araceae
Toxic Principle: calcium oxalate crystals
Clinical signs: oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing.

Spathiphyllum

Pothos
Pothos (both Scindapsus and Epipremnum) belongs to the Araceae family. If chewed or ingested, this popular household plant can cause significant mechanical irritation and swelling of the oral tissues and other parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

Schefflera
Schefflera and Brassaia actinophylla contain calcium oxalate crystals that can cause oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing and intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue in pets who ingest.

Common Name: Schefflera
Scientific Name: Schefflera or Brassaia actinophylla
Family: Araceae
Toxic Principle: calcium oxalate crystals
Clinical signs: oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing.

Schefflera actinophylla