Poisonous Plants                              OH 20

Leonard Perry, Extension Professor

Many native and exotic plants in our environment may cause either mild irritation or serious sickness when touched or eaten. The word "poison" may excite unnecessary fear. Poisonous plants include some that cause only mild irritation as well as those that are highly toxic. To say that a plant is poisonous does not imply that all parts of the plant are poisonous, nor does it imply that it is poisonous for all people. For example, the rhubarb plant has both edible parts (leaf stems) and poisonous parts (leaf blades). Reactions to poisonous plants maybe caused by contact, or by eating the toxic parts of these plants. Some people are more sensitive than others to poisonous plants.

The following list includes some of the common poisonous plants. There are other plants that are sometimes toxic which are not mentioned in this list. Some plants not on this list, like many manufactured products in the home, may under some conditions cause toxic reactions for certain people. The human body is highly variable. As a general rule, avoid eating plants not known to be useful as food. This list was compiled from several books on poisonous plants. Contact a poison control center through your medical doctor or hospital if unknown plant material has been ingested.

 

Plants Reportedly Poisonous to Eat

House, Ornamental and Christmas Plants
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Rosary pea, crabseye, jaquirity bean	Abrus precatorius	Seeds
Belladonna, deadly nightshade	Atropa belladonna	All parts, esp. black berries
Caladium	Caladium spp.	All parts
Elephant ear	Colocasia esculenta	All parts
Dumbcane	Dieffenbachia spp.	All parts
Carolina jessamine, yellow jessamine, evening trumpet flower	Gelsemium sempervirens	All parts
Hyacinth	Hyancinthus orientalis	Bulbs
English holly	Ilex aquifolium	Berries
American holly	Ilex opaca	Berries
Lantana	Lantana camara	Berries
Narcissus, daffodil, jonquil	Narcissus	Bulbs
Oleander	Nerium oleander	Leaves, twigs, flowers
Mistletoe	Phoradendron serotinum	Berries
Castor bean	Ricinus communis	All parts, especially beans
Jerusalem cherry	Solanum pseudocapsicum	Fruits
Wisteria	Wisteria spp.	Seeds and pods
Flower and Garden Plants
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Monkshood	Aconitum spp.	All parts, esp. roots, seeds
Autumn crocus	Colchicum autumnale	All parts
Lily-of-the-Valley	Convallaria majalis	All parts
Larkspur	Delphinium spp.	Seeds, young plants
Dutchmen's breeches, Bleeding heart	Dicentra spp.	All parts, esp. tubers, roots
Foxglove	Digitalis pupurea	Leaves, seeds, flowers
Iris	Iris versicolor	Roots, stalks, leaves
Vegetable Garden Plants
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Irish potato	Solanum tuberosum	Vines, green tubers, sprouts
Rhubarb	Rheum rhabarbarum	Leaf blade
Trees and Shrubs
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Horsechestnut	Aesculus hippocastanum	Nuts, leaves, dried fruits, sprouts
Privet	Liqustrum vulgare	Berries
Apple, Crabapple	Malus spp.	Seeds
Chokecherry	Prunus virginiana	All parts
Oaks	Quercus spp.	Acorns, young shoots
Laurels, Azaleas, Rhododendrons	Rhododendron spp.	Leaves, twigs, flowers
Black locust	Robinia pseudoacacia	Bark, seeds, twigs
Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis	Roots, stems, leaves, unripe fruit
Yews	Taxus spp.	All parts
Plants in Wooded Area
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Baneberry	Actaea spp.	All parts
Jack-in-the-Pulpit	Arisaema triphyllum	Roots, leaves
Water hemlock	Cicuta spp.	Roots
Mayapple, Mandrake	Podophyllum peltatum	Roots, foliage, unripe fruit
Skunk cabbage, False Hellebore	Veratrum viride	All parts, esp. roots
Plants in Fields, Pastures or Wild
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Poison hemlock	Conium maculatum	Seeds, roots
Jimsonweed	Datura stramonium	All parts
Pokeweed	Phytolacca americana	Roots, young shoots, berries
Buttercup	Ranunculus spp.	Seeds, young plants
Horse nettle	Solanum carolinense	Leaves, berries
European bittersweet	Solanum dulcamara	Leaves, berries
Nightshade	Solanum nicrum	Leaves, berries (esp. unripe)
Death camas	Zicadenus spp.	Bulbs
Plants Sometimes Poisonous to Touch
Common Name	Scientific Name	Toxic Parts
Nettles	Cridoscolus spp.	Contact with stinging hairs
Lady slipper	Cypripedilum spp.	Contact with leaves
Spurges	Euphorbia spp.	Contact with milk sap from leaves and stems
Iris	Iris spp.	Contact with rhizomes (roots)
Parsnip	Pastinaca sativa	Contact with all parts
Buttercup	Ranunculus spp.	Contact with leaves
Poison ivy, oak, sumac	Toxicodendron spp.	Contact with all parts

Sources:

• Hardin, James W. and Jay M. Arena, M.D. 1974. Human Poisoning from Native and Cultivated Plants. Duke University Press, Durham, North Carolina. 2nd ed.
• Kingsbury, John M. 1964. Poisonous Plants of the United States and Canada. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
• Muenscher W. C. 1961. Poisonous Plants of the United States. The MacMillan Co., New York, NY. Rev. ed.

Poison Information Centers:

800-222-1222 (in VT): Fletcher Allen, Burlington, VT 05401
603-650-8000 (800-222-1222 in NH): Dartmouth- Hitchcock Hospital, Hanover, NH 03756

(Appreciation is expressed to Susan Littlefield for assistance in preparing this publication.)

Last reviewed 2003