If you have landed on this page because you are concerned about a child or pet who has eaten a plant, seek emergency medical help.
In the U.S., you can call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (for children), the ASPCA at 1-888-426-4435 (for pets; $60 consultation fee applies), or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680 (pets; $35 fee applies).
Second appendix to the seven-part-and-two-appendix houseplant toxicity series. (
Part 1) (
Part 2) (
Part 3) (
Part 4) (
Part 5) (
Part 6) (
Part 7) (
Appendix 1)
This is the index for the
Houseplant Toxicity Series of posts. If you have reached this page first in a Google search or whatever, I recommend that you find the plant on this list and then follow the link to get more specific information about that plant. If the plant's botanical name is highlighted, that means that it was the subject of a plant profile here at PATSP, in which case you can also click the plant's name and find out care information, trivia, and so forth.
Toxicity ratings are more or less decided as follows:
Crazy super dangerous: is highly toxic, and has either resulted in repeated human or pet fatalities, or is for whatever reason thought to be very likely to do so.
Dangerous : Fatalities are rare or nonexistent, but the plant is still capable of causing serious and possibly permanent injury requiring hospitalization, extreme pain, temporary disability, or something along those lines. Dangerous plants may make you
want to die, but you probably won't
actually die. Though the possibility is theoretically there.
Potentially dangerous: This designation is for plants which are probably capable of causing harm and maybe even death, but you'd have to eat your body weight in the plant for that to happen, or it's impossible to find any actual case reports, or etc. Potentially dangerous plants will probably be more risky for pets than people.
Unpleasant : The plant is not likely to kill you, or even to result in serious injury, but it may be capable of causing vomiting, bad skin or eye irritation, diarrhea, burning, itching, or other bad things, and you don't want to eat it on purpose. This is also the designation for plants which are otherwise safe but bear thorns or spines that could puncture the mouth or digestive tract.
Safe : Should be safe in most quantities and for most people/animals, though exceptions may exist.
Unknown : I couldn't find enough good information to decide one way or the other, or I found the information but it conflicted with other information. I did make a guess as to the level of risk on the page for unknown-toxicity plants, but this is only a (semi-educated) guess and I am almost certainly really wrong on one or more of the plants therein.
I know the formatting on this page needs some work (
EDIT: Some of the problem is that Google changed how Blogger pages are formatted in the spring of 2012.), and that it's hard to read as it stands. I did the best I could. Putting together a draft of this index took me a good three hours to begin with; I didn't really have the patience to spend time fiddling with the formatting too.
Abutilon hybridum (flowering maple) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Acalypha hispida (chenille plant) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Acalypha reptans (dwarf chenille plant) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Adenium obesum (desert rose, mock azalea) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Adiantum spp. (maidenhair fern) [
Unknown –
link]
Adromischus spp. [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Aechmea fasciata (silver vase plant) [
Safe –
link]
Aeschynanthus lobbianus (lipstick plant) [
Safe –
link]
Aeschynanthus speciosus (goldfish plant) [
Safe –
link]
Agapanthus orientalis (blue African lily) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Agave spp. (century plant) (
A. victoriae-reginae) [
Dangerous –
link]
Aglaonema spp. (Chinese evergreen) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Albuca bracteata (pregnant onion) [
Dangerous –
link]
Allamanda cathartica [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Aloe spp. including
A. vera (medicinal aloe)
Alworthia 'Black Gem' [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Alpinia zerumbet (shell ginger, variegated ginger) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Alternanthera spp. (
A. dentata 'Purple Knight') [
Safe –
link]
Amaryllis spp. (amaryllis) [
Dangerous –
link]
Ananas comosus (pineapple) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Anthurium spp. including
A. andraeanum (flamingo flower, oilcloth flower, tailflower) and the various hybrids (bird's-nest anthurium, e.g.) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Aphelandra squarrosa (zebra plant, saffron spike) [
Safe –
link]
Araucaria bidwillii (bunya-bunya) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Ardisia crenata (coral berry) [
Unknown –
link]
Ardisia elliptica (shoebutton tree) [
Unknown –
link]
Asparagus spp. (asparagus ferns) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Aspidistra lurida, A. elatior (cast-iron plant) [
Unknown –
link]
Asplenium nidus, A. antiquum (birdsnest fern, Japanese birdsnest fern) [
Unknown –
link]
Asplundia 'Jungle Drum' [
Unknown –
link]
Aucuba japonica (Japanese laurel, spotted laurel) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm) [
Safe –
link]
Begonia spp. (wax begonia, tuberous begonia,
rex begonia) [
Safe –
link]
Bougainvillea spp. (bougainvillea) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Bowiea volubilis (climbing onion) [
Dangerous –
link]
Brassolaeliocattleya cvv. [
Safe –
link]
Brugmansia spp. (angel's trumpets, tree datura) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Caladium cvv. (angel wings, heart of Jesus, elephant's ear) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Calathea spp. including
Calathea ornata [
Safe –
link]
Capsicum annuum (chili pepper, bell pepper, etc.) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Caryota mitis and other
Caryota spp. (fishtail palm) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Cattleya spp. [
Safe –
link]
Cereus peruvianus [
Unknown –
link]
Ceropegia woodii (rosary vine, string of hearts) [
Unknown –
link]
Cestrum diurnum (day-blooming jessamine, day-blooming cestrum) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Cestrum nocturnum (night-blooming jasmine, night-blooming jessamine) [
Dangerous –
link]
Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm) [
Safe –
link]
Chamaedorea metallica (metallica palm, miniature fishtail palm) [
Safe –
link]
Chamedorea seifrizii (bamboo palm) [
Safe –
link]
Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant, airplane plant, mala madre) [
Unknown –
link]
Chlorophytum x 'Fire Flash' (Fire Flash, mandarin plant, green orange) [
Unknown –
link]
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (areca palm) [
Safe –
link]
Chrysanthemum spp. (mum) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Cissus quadrangularis [
Unpleasant –
link]
Cissus rhombifolia (grape ivy, oakleaf ivy) [
Safe –
link]
Citrus spp. (lemon, lime, orange) [
Safe –
link]
Clivia miniata (kaffir lily) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Codiaeum variegatum (croton) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Coffea arabica (coffee tree) [
Safe –
link]
Colocasia spp. (elephant ear, taro) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Columnea spp. [
Safe –
link]
Cordyline fruticosa (ti plant) [
Safe –
link]
Cotelydon spp. [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Crassula ovata (jade plant) [
Dangerous –
link]
Cryptanthus spp. (earth star) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Cryptostegia madagascariensis (Madagascar rubber vine) [
Dangerous –
link]
Ctenanthe spp. (never-never plant) [
Safe –
link]
Cuphea ignea (cigar flower) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Cycas revoluta and other
Cycas spp. (sago palm) [
Dangerous –
link]
Cyclamen persicum (cyclamen) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Cyrtomium falcatum (holly fern) [
Unknown –
link]
Dahlia spp. [
Unpleasant –
link]
Datura spp. (devil's trumpet, jimson weed, sacred thorn apple) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Davallia spp. (rabbit's-foot fern) [
Unknown –
link]
Dendrobium spp. [
Safe –
link]
Dieffenbachia spp. (dumb cane) [
Dangerous –
link]
Dionaea muscipula (venus flytrap) [
Unknown –
link]
Dizygotheca elegantissima (false aralia) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Dracaena deremensis cvv. (
'Janet Craig') (
'Warneckei') [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Dracaena fragrans (
'Massangeana') (corn plant) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Dracaena surculosa (sometimes
D. godseffiana; gold-dust dracaena) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Dracaena marginata (Madagascar dragon tree) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Dracaena sanderiana (ribbon plant, lucky bamboo) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Echeveria spp. [
Unknown –
link]
Ensete spp. (ornamental? banana) [
Safe –
link]
Epipremnum aureum (pothos, devil's ivy) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Episcia spp. (flame violet) [
Safe –
link]
Eucharis grandiflora (amazon lily) [
Unknown –
link]
Euphorbia bougheyi variegata [
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia cooperi [
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia drupifera (giraffe tree)
[
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia grandicornis (cow horns) [
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia lactea (candelabra cactus, dragon bones, hat-rack cactus) [
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia milii (crown of thorns) [
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia pseudocactus [
Dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia pulcherrima (poinsettia) [
Unpleasant – details in
appendix 1]
Euphorbia tirucalli (pencil cactus) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Euphorbia trigona (African milk bush, African milk tree) [
Dangerous –
link]
Exacum affine (persian violet) [
Unknown –
link]
Fatshedera lizei (tree ivy) [
Unknown –
link]
Fatsia japonica [
Unknown –
link]
Fenestraria rhopalophylla [
Unknown –
link]
Ficus benjamina (weeping fig, "ficus tree") [
Unpleasant –
link]
Ficus elastica (rubber plant) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Ficus lyrata (fiddle-leaf fig) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Ficus maclellandii (long-leaf fig, alii fig, 'Alii,' 'Alli,' 'Amstel King') [
Unpleasant –
link]
Ficus microcarpa /
nitida /
retusa (Indian laurel) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Ficus pumila (creeping fig) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Fittonia albivenis (nerve plant, mosaic plant) [
Safe –
link]
Fuchsia spp. [
Safe –
link]
Gardenia jasminoides (gardenia, cape jasmine) [
Safe –
link]
Gasteria spp. [
Unknown –
link]
Gibasis geniculata (Tahitian bridal veil) [
Safe –
link]
Gloriosa superba (glory lily, climbing lily, gloriosa lily) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Grevillea robusta (silk oak) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Guzmania lingulata (scarlet star bromeliad) [
Safe –
link]
Gynura aurantiaca (purple passion vine, purple velvet plant) [
Safe –
link]
Ludisia discolor (jewel orchid) [
Safe –
link]
Hatiora salicornioides (drunkard's dream) [
Unknown –
link]
Haworthia spp. [
Safe –
link]
Hedera canariensis (Algerian ivy) [
Dangerous –
link]
Hedera helix (English ivy) [
Dangerous –
link]
Hemigraphis exotica (waffle plant) [
Unknown –
link]
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (tropical hibiscus) [
Safe –
link]
Hippeastrum spp. (amaryllis) [
Dangerous –
link]
Homalomena cvv. (
'Emerald Gem') [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Hoya spp. (
H. carnosa) (wax flower) [
Safe –
link]
Hyacinthus orientalis (hyacinth) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Hydrangea macrophylla (hydrangea) [
Dangerous –
link]
Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit cactus) [
Unknown –
link]
Hypoestes phyllostachya (pink polka-dot plant) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Jatropha spp. (jicamilla, physic nut, bellyache bush, coral plant, etc.) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Kalanchoe spp. (including
K. beharensis, K. luciae, K. tomentosa, K. blossfeldiana, etc., as well as the former
Kalanchoe now called
Bryophyllum daigremontianum) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Lantana camara (lantana) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Laurus nobilis (bay leaf, laurel) [
Safe –
link]
Ledebouria socialis (silver squill) [
Dangerous –
link]
Lilium longiflorum (Easter lily) [
Dangerous –
link]
Lithops spp. (living stones) [
Safe –
link]
Mandevilla spp. (
Dipladenia) [
Dangerous –
link]
Maranta leuconeura erythroneura (prayer plant) [
Safe –
link]
Maranta leuconeura kerchoviana (prayer plant, rabbit tracks, ten commandments plant) [
Safe –
link]
Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Monadenium ellenbeckii (and probably other Monadenium spp.) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Monstera deliciosa (split-leaf philodendron, swiss cheese plant) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Murraya paniculata (mock orange, orange jasmine) [
Unknown –
link]
Musa spp. (banana) [
Safe –
link]
Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) [
Dangerous –
link]
Narcissus spp. (daffodil, narcissus, paper-white) [
Dangerous –
link]
Nematanthus spp. (guppy plant) [
Safe –
link]
Neoregelia cvv. in general (by association) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Neoregelia 'Fireball' specifically (by association) [
Safe –
link]
Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston fern) [
Safe –
link]
Nerium oleander (oleander) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Oncidium cvv. (by association) [
Safe –
link]
Ophiopogon spp. (lilyturf, Liriope) [
Unknown –
link]
Opuntia spp. (bunny ears cactus, prickly pear) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Ornithogalum spp. (pregnant onion, star of Bethlehem) [
Dangerous –
link]
Oxalis spp. (shamrock) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Pachypodium geayi / lamerei (Madagascar palm) [
Dangerous –
link]
Pandanus spp. (screw pine) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Paphiopedilum spp. (lady-slipper orchid) [
Safe –
link]
Pedilanthus tithymaloides (redbird cactus, devil's backbone) [
Dangerous –
link]
Pelargonium x hortorum (geranium) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Pellionia spp. including
Pellionia pulchra [
Safe –
link]
Peperomia argyreia (watermelon plant) [
Safe –
link]
Peperomia caperata / P. griseoargentea (Emerald Ripple) [
Safe –
link]
Peperomia obtusifolia (baby rubber plant) [
Safe –
link]
Persea americana (avocado) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Phalaenopsis spp. (moth orchid) [
Safe –
link]
Philodendron 'Autumn' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron bipennifolium (also P. panduraeforme; (fiddle-leaf philodendron, horse head philodendron) [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Imperial Red' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Congo Green' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Congo Red' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron gloriosum [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron hastatum [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron hederaceum (also
P. oxycardium, P. cordatum, P. scandens, P. micans; velvet philodendron, heart-leaf philodendron, 'Brasil') [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Moonlight' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Pink Princess' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Prince of Orange' [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron selloum (
P. bipinnatifidum; tree philodendron) [
Dangerous –
link]
Philodendron 'Xanadu' [
Dangerous –
link]
Pilea cadierei (aluminum plant) [
Safe –
link]
Pilea depressa (baby toes) [
Safe –
link]
Pilea nummulariifolia (creeping Charlie) [
Safe –
link]
Platycerium bifurcatum and other
Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern) [
Unknown –
link]
Plectranthus verticillatus (Swedish ivy) [
Safe –
link]
Plumeria spp. (frangipani) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Podocarpus macrophyllus (buddhist pine) [
Unknown –
link]
Polyscias balfouriana (balfour aralia), P. crispata, P. fruticosa (ming aralia) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Primula spp. (primrose, oxlip) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Radermachera sinica (China doll) [
Unknown –
link]
Rhapis excelsa (lady palm) (by association) [
Safe –
link]
Rhododendron spp. (azalea) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Ricinus communis (castor bean) [
Crazy super dangerous –
link]
Saintpaulia ionantha cvv. (African violet) [
Safe –
link]
Sansevieria cylindrica, other
Sansevieria spp. [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Sansevieria trifasciata (snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Saxifraga stolonifera (strawberry begonia) [
Safe –
link]
Schefflera actinophylla (umbrella tree, octopus tree) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Schefflera arboricola (umbrella tree, octopus tree, arboricola) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Schlumbergera truncata cvv. (Christmas / Easter / Thanksgiving / holiday cactus) [
Safe –
link]
Scilla spp. (squill, star hyacinth) [
Dangerous –
link]
Scindapsus pictus (satin pothos) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Sedum morganianum (burro's tail) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Sedum rubrotinctum (jellybean plant) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Other
Sedum spp. (stonecrop) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Selaginella spp. (spikemoss, resurrection plant, rainbow fern) [
Unknown –
link]
Sempervivum spp. (hen and chicks, houseleek, stonecrop) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Senecio cineraria (dusty miller) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Senecio macroglossus (cape ivy) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Senecio mikanioides (German ivy) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Senecio radicans (string of bananas) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Senecio rowleyanus (string of beads) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Senecio x hybridus (cineraria) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Sinningia speciosa (gloxinia) [
Safe –
link]
Solanum pseudocapsicum (Jerusalem cherry) [
Dangerous –
link]
Soleirolia soleirolii (baby tears) [
Safe –
link]
Solenostemon scutellarioides (coleus, flame nettle) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Spathiphyllum spp. (peace lily) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Strelitzia reginae / nicolai (bird of paradise) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Streptocarpus spp. (cape primrose) [
Safe –
link]
Stromanthe spp. (by association) [
Safe –
link]
Synadenium grantii (African milk bush, African milk tree) [
Dangerous –
link]
Syngonium podophyllum [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Tagetes spp. (French marigold, African marigold) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Tillandsia cyanea (pink quill) [
Safe –
link]
Tillandsia spp. (air plants) [
Safe –
link]
Tolmiea menziesii (piggyback plant) [
Safe –
link]
Tradescantia pallida (
Setcreasea purpurea; purple heart, purple queen) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Tradescantia spathacea (Moses in the cradle, oyster plant) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Tradescantia zebrina (
Zebrina pendula; wandering Jew) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium) [
Safe –
link]
Tulipa spp. (tulip) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Tylecodon spp. [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Vriesea spp. including
Vriesea splendens (flaming sword bromeliad) [
Safe –
link]
Yucca guatemalensis (spineless yucca) [
Unpleasant –
link]
Zamia spp. including
Z. furfuracea, Z. integrifolia, Z. pumila (coontie palm, cardboard palm) [
Dangerous – link]
Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant, fat boy, eternity plant) [
Potentially dangerous –
link]
Zantedeschia aethiopica (calla lily) [
Dangerous –
link]
Zygocactus spp. (Christmas / Easter / Thanksgiving / holiday cactus) [
Safe –
link]
(Partial) Bibliography (for the whole series of posts):
Nelson, Lewis S., Richard D. Shih, and Michael J. Balick.
Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, 2nd ed., Springer Science + Business Media, New York, NY, 2007.
Spoerke, David G., Jr., and Susan Smolinske.
Toxicity of Houseplants, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, 1990.
http://www.theamateursdigest.com/epoisons.htm