Watch out for Poisonous Plants!
Posted:23 April 2013
Gardeners often ask us which plants are poisonous, and you’ll find that many quite common garden plants are toxic to some degree (see our list below) however the important thing to know is that serious poisoning by plants is very uncommon in the UK – so fear not!
Some plants can be hazardous but the risk of severe poisoning, a skin reaction or allergy is generally very unlikely. That said it is useful to know which plants require a more cautious approach, or the simple precaution of wearing gloves when handling.
Children are mostly at risk, so if children use your garden be aware of the following:
- Some plants may cause digestive upset or discomfort if eaten
- Some are hazardous if touched or rubbed
- Irritant sap may cause a burning sensation and sometimes blistering of the skin; anyone can be affected if exposure is sufficient
- A very small number of plants have sap which renders the skin excessively sensitive to strong sunlight. Contact with the plant followed by exposure to sunlight results in very severe, localised sunburn with blistering and long-lasting skin discoloration
- Some plants contain chemicals called allergens. These do not affect everyone, but some individuals may acquire sensitivity to them, resulting in an allergic reaction
What to do if theres a problem
Human ingestion or skin contact
- If you think a child or adult has eaten part of a doubtful plant, seek medical advice immediately from a hospital Accident & Emergency department
- Take a sample of the plant with you
- Do not panic and DO NOT try to make the person sick
Animal ingestion
- Seek veterinary advice if you think an animal has eaten a poisonous plant
For information about particular risks presented by potentially harmful plants, try the following contacts:
RHS Wisley – tel: (0845) 260 8000 Plant Poisons Information is available from the Botany department from 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm. A Botanist may not always be available to take the call.
Kew Gardens – tel: (020) 8332 5792 Plant Poisons Information is available from the Centre for Economic Botany between 9am and 5pm. A Botanist may not always be available to take the call.
General non-urgent enquiries about poisonous plants can be sent by email to ceb-enq@kew.org
Quick tips:
- If it is not a food plant, do not eat it
- Teach children not to play with or eat growing plants
- Use gloves when pruning or weeding and keep skin covered
- Do not leave prunings or uprooted plants in reach of farm animals or pets
- Check plant labels for toxicity warnings (sometimes stated on label)
Plants potentially harmful to people:
Aconitum (Monkshood) poisonous; irritant to and via the skin
Aesculus (Horse chestnut) somewhat poisonous
Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) poisonous; skin irritant
Agrostemma githago (Corncockle) somewhat poisonous
Aloe poisonous
Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) skin irritant
Amaryllis see Hippeastrum
Amaryllis belladona (Belladonna lily) poisonous
Anthurium (Flamingo flower) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Arisaema (Cobra-lily) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Arrowhead vine see Syngonium
Arum (Cuckoo-pint, lords-and-ladies) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Asparagus (Asparagus fern) may cause skin allergy, fruits are poisonous
Atropa (Deadly nightshade) poisonous; skin irritant
Brugmansia (Angel’s trumpet) poisonous
Buckthorn See Rhamnus
Calla palustris (Water arum) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Capsicum annum (Ornamental pepper cultivars)- poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Chelidonium majus (Greater celandine) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Chrysanthemum skin irritant
Colchicum (Autumn crocus) poisonous
Colocasia esculenta (Dasheen, eddo, taro) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-valley) poisonous
Coriaria poisonous
Corncockle see Agrostemma githago
x Cuprocyparis leylandii (Leyland cypress) skin irritant
Daphne (Mezereon, Spurge laurel) poisonous; skin irritant
Datura (thornapple) poisonous; skin irritant
Delphinium including Consolida (Larkspur) poisonous
Dictamnus (burning bush) skin irritant
Dieffenbachia (Dumb cane, Leopard lily) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Digitalis (foxglove) poisonous
Dracunculus (Dragon arum) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Echium skin irritant
Epipremnum (Devil’s ivy) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Euonymus (Spindle tree) somewhat poisonous
Euphorbia (Spurge, poinsettia) poisonous; skin & eye irritant NB: poinsettia, E. pulcherrima, is not harmful
Ficus benjamina (Weeping fig) may cause skin allergy
Ficus carica (fig) skin & eye irritant
Fremontodendron skin & eye irritant
Gaultheria section Pernettya somewhat poisonous
Gelsemium (False jasmine) poisonous
German primula see Primula obconica
Gloriosa superba (Glory lily) poisonous
Glory lily see Gloriosa superba
Hedera (ivy) somewhat poisonous; skin irritant
Helleborus (Christmas rose, Lenten rose) somewhat poisonous; skin irritant
Heracleum mantegazzianum (Giant hogweed) severe skin irritant in bright sunlight
Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) poisonous
Hyacinthoides (Bluebell) poisonous
Hyacinthus (Hyacinth) skin irritant
Hyoscyamus (Henbane) poisonous
Hypericum perforatum (perforate St John’s wort) poisonous
Ipomoea (Morning glory) poisonous
Iris somewhat poisonous; skin irritant
Laburnum poisonous
Lagenaria (Bottle gourd) poisonous
Lantana poisonous; skin irritant
Leyland cypress see x Cupressocyparis leylandii
Ligustrum (privet) somewhat poisonous
Lily-of-the-valley see Convallaria majalis
Lobelia (except bedding lobelia, L. erinus) somewhat poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Locust tree see Robinia pseudoacacia
Lupinus (Lupin) somewhat poisonous
Lysichiton (Skunk cabbage) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Mandragora (Mandrake) poisonous
Mirabilis (Marvel of Peru, Four o’clock plant) poisonous; skin irritant
Monstera deliciosa (Swiss cheese plant) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Narcissus (Daffodil) somewhat poisonous; skin irritant
Nerium oleander (Oleander) poisonous
Nicotiana (Tobacco) poisonous
Oenanthe crocata, O. aquatica, O. phellandrium (Hemlock water-Dropwort, Water dropwort) poisonous
Opuntia microdasys (Bunny ears cactus) skin irritant
Ornithogalum (Chincherinchee, Star-of-Bethlehem) somewhat poisonous; skin irritant
Papaver somniferum (Opium poppy) poisonous
Passiflora caerulea (Hardy passion flower) somewhat poisonous
Pedilanthus – poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Pepper, ornamental see Capsicum annum
Philodendron poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Phytolacca (Pokeweed) poisonous; skin irritant
Podophyllum (May apple) poisonous
Polygonatum (Solomon’s seal) somewhat poisonous
Polyscias poisonous; skin irritant
Portugal laurel see Prunus lusitanica
Primula obconica (German primula) skin irritant
Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry laurel, laurel) poisonous
Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) seed kernels are poisonous
Rhamnus including Frangula (Alder buckthorn, Buckthorn) – poisonous; skin irritant
Rhaphidophora poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Rhus verniciflua,R. radicans, R. succedanea, R. diversiloba,
Ricinus communis (Castor oil plant) poisonous
Robinia pseudoacacia (Locust tree) poisonous
Ruta (rue) severe skin irritant in bright sunlight
St John’s wort see Hypericum perforatum
Sambucus except S. nigra (elder) poisonous
Schefflera (Umbrella tree) skin irritant
Scilla somewhat poisonous
Scopolia poisonous
Solandra (Chalice vine) poisonous
Solanum poisonous
Solanum pseudocapsicum (Christmas cherry, Winter cherry) poisonous
Spartium junceum (Spanish broom) poisonous
Spathiphyllum (Peace lily) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Symphoricarpos (Snowberry) poisonous
Symphytum (Comfrey, Russian comfrey) poisonous
Syngonium (Arrowhead vine, Goosefoot vine) poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Tabernaemontana (Crepe jasmine) poisonous
Taxus (yew) poisonous
Thevetia (Yellow oleander) poisonous; skin irritant
Tulipa (tulip) skin irritant
Vitex (Chaste tree) skin irritant
Wisteria somewhat poisonous
Xanthosoma poisonous; skin & eye irritant
Yew See Taxus
Zantedeschia (Calla lily) poisonous; skin & eye irritant