Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Plants An Illustrated List

The Full Story

Some plants can be poisonous if you eat them. Others can hurt you if you get them on your skin. For some plants, all parts of the plant are poisonous. For others, only certain parts of the plant are harmful. The danger can range from mild irritation to severe illness or death.

Even non-poisonous plants can cause choking if someone tries to eat them. Every situation is different; these lists are just a guide.

• If someone eats a poisonous plant, call Poison Control for advice.
• Find out the names of your plants. If someone eats a plant, Poison Control needs to know what it is!
• Keep indoor plants where children can’t reach them.
• Watch young children carefully when they play outdoors.
• Teach children always to ask an adult before eating or drinking anything.
• When camping or picnicking - only eat wild plants if you know FOR CERTAIN what they are. People have died after mistaking hemlock for wild carrots.

The table below is an illustrated list of selected plants. The information divided into 3 sections: 

• poisonous plants, 
• non-poisonous plants, and 
• mushrooms. 

Call Poison Control if you have plants that aren't on the list. 

Poisonous Plants

Poisonous Plants
Common Name	Botanical Name	Photo
Apple (seeds, leaves)	Malus spp.
Apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines (seeds, leaves)	Prunus spp.
Autumn crocus	Colchicum autumnale
Azalea, rhododendron	Rhododendron
Caladium	Caladium
Castor bean	Ricinis communis
Daffodil	Narcissus
Deadly nightshade	Atropa belladonna
Dumbcane	Dieffenbachia
Elephant ear	Colocasia esculenta
Foxglove	Digitalis purpurea
Holly	Ilex
Iris	Iris
Jack-in-the-pulpit	Arisaema triphyllum
Jerusalem cherry	Solanum pseudocapsicum
Jimson weed	Datura stramonium
Lantana	Lantana camara
Lily-of-the-valley	Convallaria majalis
Mayapple	Podophyllum peltatum
Mistletoe	Viscum album
Monkshood	Aconitum napellus, other Aconitum spp.
Morning glory	Ipomoea
Mountain laurel	Kalmia latifolia
Nightshade	Solanum spp.
Oleander	Nerium oleander
Peace lily	Spathiphyllum
Pennyroyal	Mentha pulegium
Philodendron	Philodendron
Poison hemlock	Conium maculatum
Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac	Toxicodendron spp.
Pokeweed	Phytolacca americana
Pothos	Epipremnum aureum
Rhubarb (leaves)	Rheum spp.
Rosary pea	Abrus precatorius
Water hemlock	Cicuta maculata
Yew	Taxus

Non-Poisonous Plants

This table shows a few non-poisonous plants. Familiarize yourself with these, along with the poisonous plants above.

Non-Poisonous Plants
Common Name	Botanical Name	Photo
African violet	Saintpaulia ionantha
Begonia	Begonia
Christmas cactus	Schlumbergera bridgesii
Coleus	Coleus
Dandelion	Taraxacum officinale
Dracaena	Dracaena
Forsythia	Forsythia
Impatiens	Impatiens
Inch plant	Tradescantia fluminesis
Jade	Crassula argentea
Petunia	Petunia
Poinsettia (may cause irritation)	Euphorbia pulcherrima
Rose	Rosa
Spider plant	Chlorophytum comosum
Swedish ivy	Plectranthus spp.
Wild strawberry	Fragaria virginiensis

Mushrooms

Eating any amount of any wild mushroom could be very dangerous. Mushrooms may look alike but be very different. Call Poison Control right away if anyone eats any part of a mushroom picked from a yard or the woods.

There are bold mushroom hunters and here are old mushroom hunters, but there are no old bold mushroom hunter. -- A wise person.