Keep Your Pets Safe From Poisonous Plants
A list of outdoor and indoor plants that can cause adverse reactions in dogs or cats.
In Episode 143, Warren Roberts, Superintendent Emeritus of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, told us about the Plant of the Week, the Goldenrod (Solidago), a plant that is nothing to sneeze at, literally. Warren pointed out, as do most well-considered garden books, that the goldenrod deserves a place in more gardens, especially since studies have shown that their pollen does not cause hay fever, as is widely (mistakenly) believed.
But is goldenrod poisonous to household animals? To use one of my favorite garden answers, “it depends.” One variety that uses the common name goldenrod, Rayless Goldenrod (Haplopappus heterophyllus) can be toxic to horses. According to the ASPCA publication, Popular Fall Plants: Which Ones Are Pet-Friendly?:
“Rayless Goldenrod is a yellow beauty that isn’t considered toxic to dogs and cats, but it is considered toxic to horses. Horses eating one to ten percent of their body weight in the plant can develop lethal clinical effects.”
Note that this particular “goldenrod” is not even part of the genus that gives us most varieties of goldenrod, Solidago. Generally, members of the Solidago genus are considered to be of less toxic impact to small animals. Horses, of course, can eat you out of house and home. They are at a greater risk because of a healthier appetite.
According to the California Poison Control System, know the names of your plants, especially their botanical names, in case of accidental ingestion by your dog, cat or horse. They say:
The common names of plants can refer to several different species. Some may be safe and some may be dangerous. It is important to know which species you have and to check both the non-toxic plant list as well as the toxic plant list to make sure the plant you have is safe.
Each situation is unique. Reactions to plants can depend on factors such as the age and size of the patient, health factors such as allergies and the amount of the exposure.
Always call the poison center for up-to-the-minute treatment advice.
It is essential to know the names of the plants in your house and in your yard. Keep the name tags that come with new plants attached for future identification. If your child is being cared for at a relative’s house or daycare, it is important to know if they have dangerous plants to which your child could be exposed.
However, you must have a name of the plant (either the common name or the Latin name) to get the most reliable specific information. Poison center staff cannot identify plants over the phone from the description of the plant. There are over 1,000,000 species of plants. A call to the poison center about an unknown plant described as having big, shiny green leaves is not enough information to know what the plant is. If you do not know the name of the plant, take the plant or a part of the plant with leaves, berries or flowers to a reputable plant nursery for a positive identification. Try to get the common name and the Latin scientific name. Then call the California Poison Control System at 1-800-222-1222 for more help.
By the way, that phone number can be used to get poison plant information in any state. They will connect you with your local poison control center.
Safe Plants For You, Poisonous For Your Pets
According to the California Poison Control Center, some plants that are not a problem for humans can be a problem for dogs and cats. The plants in this list are considered to be safe to humans, but can cause toxic reactions in your pets. However, even non-toxic plants can cause vomiting. Also children can choke on a plant piece, causing gagging or choking.
Notice that this list contains many pet-unfriendly plants that are houseplants or cut flowers, including the Corn Plant (and most other Dracaena species, including Lucky Bamboo), Cordyline (including the Good Luck Plant), Lilies and Schefflera.
Because dogs, especially, will eat large amounts, it is important to keep pets and these plants apart:
• Cordyline Cordyline spp (spp = multiple species)
• Cornplant Dracaena fragrans
• Daylily Hermocallis spp (poisonous to cats)
• Dracaena Dracaena spp
• Dwarf schefflera Schefflera arboricola
• Easter lily Lilium longiflorum
• European grape Vitus vinifera
• Good luck plant Cordyline or Dracaena terminalis
• Grape, wild Vitus californica
• Janet Craig plant Dracaena deremensis
• Lily (most), Lilium spp
• Lucky bamboo Dracaena sanderiana
• Macadamia nut Macadamia spp
• Ribbon plant Dracaena sanderiana
• Ti plant Cordyline or Dracaena terminalis
• Tiger lily Lilium spp
• Wine grape Vitus vinifera
The Central California SPCA lists 17 outdoor plants for that area which are poisonous to dogs: Sago palm, tomato plants, aloe vera, ivy, amaryllis, gladiola, American holly, daffodil, baby’s breath, milkweed, castor bean, azaleas, rhododendrons, tulips, chrysanthemums, begonias, and oleander.
For a more complete list of poisonous and non-poisonous plants, click here.
Call your state's poison center if a person or an animal has eaten a plant.
The California Poison Control System is available 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-222-1222.
If you are not in California, call 1-800-222-1222 to be connected to your nearest poison control center.
WHAT TO DO FOR A PLANT POISONING, KIDS OR PETS:
• Do NOT induce vomiting.
• Remove any plant parts from the mouth or hands.
• Wash around the mouth and hands and give a few sips of water.
• Check for any irritation of the skin, mouth or tongue.
• Call the California Poison Control System at 1-800-222-1222
• Even if you are not sure, call the poison center for help. It will not be a waste of time.
• Do not wait for symptoms to appear. Treatment will be more difficult once
symptoms have developed.
• If you are advised to go to the hospital, take the plant or part of the plant with you.
Thanks for Subscribing and Spreading the Word About the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred newsletter, I appreciate your support.
And thank you for listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from some of the underlined links in the newsletter. This is how I am trying to keep this a free newsletter. And as long as you buy whatever you want from Amazon using any of those links to get into the Amazon site, I get a few pennies. Thank you.