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10 Houseplants Poisonous To Dogs, Cats, or Children

Ask the Expert: what are the names of plants and flowers that are poisonous.
I work as a floral designer and I am asked all the time what plants and flowers are poison to animals and humans. Kelly

Reply:

Kelly,

First I want to clarify the difference between “poisonous as in deadly” and “poisonous as an irritant”. Many plants listed as poisonous are not deadly or really toxic, but rather cause an irritation to the mouth, stomach, skin or respiratory system. Why is this important? Because the classification of plants being poisonous is matter of interpretation and myths. For example, poinsettias are considered poisonous which is not all together true. There is no documented case where someone has died from ingesting a poinsettia. Secondly, the amount one a would have to ingest in order to accumulate the toxin level for death would be immense. However, poinsettias can cause great irritation to the skin or mouth.

When we discuss poisonous houseplants, we should take the approach that the American Animal Hospital Association takes on its Healthypet.com site with regards to its guide to toxic plants and foods. They state, “If you have these plants or foods, you need not dispose of them-just keep them away from pets and children.” Of course, plants that are deadly may not need to be in the home of small children or young pets. However, plants that can cause irritation or stomach upset may only need to be placed somewhere pets and children can’t reach them.

Here is a quick top 10 guide to plant toxicity for florists (note there may be plants that are carried by florists that are not listed. In these cases you will have to research that specific plant or email me and I will find out and add it to the list).

Houseplants with High Poison Plant Classification

Dwarf Schefflera

Dwarf Schefflera

Green Schefflera

Green Schefflera

Variegated Dwf Schefflera

Variegated Dwf Schefflera

Dumb Cane

Dumb Cane

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe

Cyclamen

Cyclamen

Heartleaf Philodendron

Heartleaf Philodendron

Tree Philodendron

Tree Philodendron

Red Princess Phildendron

Red Princess Phildendron

Hydrangea

Hydrangea

According to many sources these ten houseplants are highly toxic to dogs, cats or children. The toxicity resides in ingesting the plants. So it is important to keep these away from dogs, cats or children who might chew on them. They are all wonderful plants and should not be excluded from our lives as long as we keep them under appropriate supervision.

Flowers that are considered highly poisonous are: Foxglove (Digitalis), Amaryllis bulb, Bleeding heart, Lily-of-the-valley, Delphinium, Larkspur, Monkshood, Anthurium, lilies and Calla lily. Many times with flowers it is the bulb from which they come that is toxic if eaten by a dog or a cat.

There are other houseplants and flowers that are considered a mild or moderate risk. Although not a complete list by any means, this is a short break down of plants or flowers that cause a mild or moderate irritation or toxicity in dogs, cats or children:

Peace lily, Chinese evergreen, Benjamin fig, Corn Plant, Dracaenas, Nephthytis, rubber plant, Pothos,
English Ivy, Mother-in-law tongue, Azlaea, Croton, Easter Lily, Hyacinth, Daffodils, Chrysanthemum, Bird of Paradise, iris, lupine.

You can find more information on the Healthypet.com prevent poisonings page or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Page.

Hopefully this information will help you and your customers select the appropriate houseplants and flowers for their specific situation.

I have had many of these plants and flowers in my home. Fortunately for me my puppies found that these plants were not interesting and did not taste good. I don’t worry about having “poisonous” plants in my home or yard. I do make a mental note of plants that can be harmful in case my vet needs to know my dogs have been exposed to.

Click on the button below to find the right house plant for your home. Flowering house plants keep us smiling and cheery; green house plants ease our minds and provide comfort, while tropical house plants make us feel composed and sophisticated.

If you don’t see a particular plant on the lists above. Contact me for a more comprehensive list.


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Comments

  1. What are some first aid procedures that can be taken when these plants are consumed?

  2. It depends on the plant. In children I would call the poison hot line at 1-800-222-1222 or your local doctor. Tell them what type of plant the child has ingested and they will tell you what to do.

    With animals call your vet. They will be able to tell you what to do.

  3. Thank you so much for this article. My wife and I are expecting a baby in the near future; I now know that we need to temporarily house our Dwarf Schefflera with someone else until the baby is out of his “put everything he finds into his mouth” phase.

  4. Hi,

    My baby just had a Schefflera arboricola leaf in her mouth. She has two front teeth but was just gumming on them. She didn’t swallow anything. I called poison control and told them the plant and her age (12 and 1/2 months) and the lady there told me that they are only toxic to pets, not humans. BUT everything I have found on the internet says that it is extremely poisonous to small children. Can you give me any more info on this?

    Thanks

  5. Kalea,

    According to the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extenstion Service Schefflera is non-toxic to small children. See http://lancaster.unl.edu/factsheets/031.htm. However Schefflera can cause minor irritation in humans. I would call your pediatric and discuss what steps and signs to be aware of.

  6. Hi, I have a small dog 5.5 lbs. I just bought a schefflera and he had an issue with diarrhea. There was no other signs such as are described with his mouth or breathing. Should I remove the plant just to be on the safe side or should I just be sure no leaves drop etc? Can ingesting this plant kill him? how much does he have to eat to get sick? :-/

  7. Barbara,

    I would remove the plant from the reach of the dog and that he can not get to any leaves. You might consult with your veterinarian to see if it would be deadly to a dog so small.

  8. Hi
    I have a Shefflera that I dont think you mentioned. It is plainly Shefflera it has shiny dark green leaves
    and can grow 2-6ft tall 2-3ft wide It is hardy to 50 – 80 degrees.

    Will my cat die if he ingests?

    I am holding this beautiful plant hostage in the bedroom …..
    Thanks,
    Diane Gray

  9. Diane,
    According to the ASPCA, Schefflera is toxic to dogs and cats.

  10. Sue Harrop says:

    I was wondering if those umbrella plants are toxic to a dog in a small dose. We have one and the odd time a leaf will fall off. Our boxer is around 60 lbs and he has eaten one today. Are they toxic in a large dose or will a small amount like that cause problem.

    Thanks

  11. Schefflera (umbrella plant) can be considered toxic to dogs according to the ASPCA. (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/schefflera) A singular leaf for a boxer of that size probably will only cause a slightly upset stomach or irritation. However, large quantities are toxic because of the calcium oxalate crystals in the plant. I recommended discussing this with your vet to see what precautions need to be taken.

  12. After reading about & seeing these HIGH Poison Houseplants I am appalled that my local Kroger floral section has ALL of these plants where any & all children can get ahold of them!! They’re on low shelves & on the floor unattended so if a parent turns there back for a sec their child could ingest many of those plants!! Thank you for the info b/c I now know I have most of the plants listed & w/ 2 dogs, 2 cats & a 6yr old son that love to destroy my plants it’s time to rehome my plants!!

  13. My cat just passed away Monday, Feb. 8/2016 . He’s been eating the leaves of a chinese evergreen plant that was a “gift”. I am utterly devastated. People with pets need to know that chinese evergreen will kill their cat. Too late, but I took my pain out on this plant. I decimated and threw this horrible plant away.

  14. Crystal,

    I’m glad this information helped you make your house safer for your children and pets! Keep in mind though that these plants are only dangerous when large quantities are ingested. Most plants sold come from nature and do not cause a threat unless heavily consumed. We appreciate your concern for children and pets!

  15. Brenda,

    We are so sorry to hear about your loss! Pets are very special and it’s tough to lose them. We agree that people need to be informed of the dangers of some poisonous plants. Hopefully this information will help some individuals learn how to keep their house safe for children and pets!

  16. Thank you so much for this very informative article.

  17. My child had a field trip today he is 7. He was told to touch particular plants the one he recalls he touched being a Umbrella leaf which I learned after asking if he might have touched any strange plants since he is showing signs of an allergic reaction. I looked up images online for verification and had him point out what he touched, sure enough it was the umbrella leaf and states toxic to dogs cats and horses.

    My question is This typically just a irritant? I Just gave him benadryl waiting to see if that helps. He’s got a dry scratchy throat, stuffy nose and some sneezy. He’s a little guy not even 40lbs but from what I’m reading it seems only toxic in large amounts??

    I do think it’s odd they encouraged kids to touch this plant specially seeing as theseen are little kids who had a picnic there and are not known for washing hands to good…

  18. Jamie Woods says:

    Hi Jamie,
    The umbrella plant can cause some irritation, but I don’t think it should cause a severe reaction unless a large quantity was ingested. I would check with your pediatrician if the symptoms continue.

  19. I was given a kalanchoe as a house warming gift in June 2016.
    It’s flowers never grew back after that first season but it’s leaves I’ve propagated many times over.
    I know there are certain breeds of kalanchoe used by Indians a long time ago, but hopefully the one I have is safe.
    I wait till later my curious toddler is or should be asleep before doing my plant pruning. In the kitchen doing something else, turned around and saw the leaves I had removed were scattered on the countertop.
    The toddler was up and saw she was chewing b on something.
    I grabbed her up to manually get whatever she was chewing on our her mouth but she either must have swallowed or playing pretend???

  20. Hello, I wonder if dried, dead, fallen leaves can irritate my cat if she eat it. I really want to buy this plant and a zz because they are so beautiful. I would definitely keep it up high on a shelf but wonder what if a leave were to fall off. I heard philodendron’s are toxic too. She definitely has had her bite of that and I did not see any side effects. She was quiet for a day but nothing else. I definitely hid that one on a hanger, far away from her. She loves munching on plants. Advice please! thank you.

  21. Vicky,

    I am not sure what the dried leaves would do, but I would suppose the same thing as the live leaves. You might discuss it with your vet.

  22. I am so sorry Brenda to hear about your cat. I have this Chinese Evergreen plant because it is so easy to grow and maintain and so far my cats aren’t eating it but I did some research and it says that it is mild-moderate toxic. So I took the chance and kept my plant. Now I am scared because some sites say dangerous and some sites say somewhat toxic.

  23. Mark Berta says:

    Are aglaonemas harmful to cats?

  24. Jeffrey Balch says:

    Hi Mark,
    Yes, Aglaonemas are toxic to all animals and may cause oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.

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