Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

Beware of poisonous plants

May 10, 2008

Generally, when we think of plants, we have good thoughts about them. They provide food, fragrance and beauty to our world. Then, there are those plants that are poisonous and can cause illness or even death.

The good news is that with a little knowledge, no one, including our pets, needs to suffer from poisonous plants.

Below is a list of some of the common poisonous plants that we either plant in our landscapes as ornamentals or that the birds bring to our yards as volunteers, commonly called weeds.

  • Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera): Invasive weed, the tubers can cause gastrointestinal bleeding when eaten.
  • Allamanda (Allamanda cathartica): Ornamental, all parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the seeds. Angel's trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens): Ornamental, all parts, but especially the seeds can cause hallucinations and even death.
  • Balsam pear (Momardica charantia var. abbreviata): Herbaceous vine weed, the orange fruits and seeds cause vomiting and purging.
  • Barbados nut (Jatropha curcas): Has been sold as "Florida pistachio." All plants in the Jatropha genus are considered to have poisonous seeds. When eaten, the seeds cause violent purging.
  • Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius): Invasive weed, the red berries and leaves can cause vomiting and the sap can cause a rash on sensitive people.
  • Carolina yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens): Ornamental, eating the flowers, leaves or roots can cause respiratory arrest.
  • Castor bean (Ricinus communis): Weed, eating the seeds can cause death.
  • Coontie (Zamia floridana): Native ornamental, eating the seeds can cause death for dogs, too. Because this plant is so low-growing and the seeds are at ground level and brightly colored, they pose a special hazard, because both young children and small pets (like miniature dachshunds ) can get to the seeds.
  • Devil's trumpet (Datura stramonium): Ornamental, all parts of the plant (especially the seeds) can cause hallucinations, convulsions and even death.
  • Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia sequine): House plant, the sap and plant material can cause swelling of the throat.
  • Elderberry (Sambucus candensis): Native plant brought by birds, all parts of the plant, if eaten, can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The ripe fruit is OK when cooked.
  • Fairy ring (Chlorophyllum molybdites): Mushroom in the lawn, No. 1 cause of mushroom poisoning deaths in both the state of Florida and the United States. Keep away from dogs, also.
  • King sago (Cycas revoluta): Ornamental , all parts of the plants are toxic, but especially the seeds. Two seeds are enough to kill a dog, as well as the ingestion of any of the plant parts.
  • Lantana (Lantana camara): Invasive shrub, all parts are poisonous, but especially the leaves and green berries. This plant can be fatal to children and also to horses and dogs.
  • Oleander (Nerium oleander): Ornamental, all parts are poisonous, even the smoke when burned.
  • Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana): Weed, all parts are poisonous, but especially the berries and roots. Ingestion can cause vomiting, spasms, severe convulsions which can result in death.
  • Queen sago (Cycas circinalis): Ornamental, all parts of the plant, but especially the seeds are poisonous. Ingestion of the plant or seed is also poisonous to dogs.
  • Rosary pea (Abrus precatorius): Woody vine weed, the seeds are extremely poisonous if the seed coat is crushed or broken. Can cause death to both children and adults.
  • Yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana): Ornamental, all parts are poisonous if eaten. Ingestion can cause severe gastroenteritis, diarrhea, abdominal pain, sweating and weakness.

If you would like more information on the plants listed above, you can go to www.Google.com and enter the scientific name.If you would like to see pictures of the plants, go to Google and click on Images above the search window. Next, type in the scientific name in the search window and then click on the search button. That search will give you photos of the plant.

Our family almost lost our miniature dachshund puppy to sago poisoning almost two years ago. Though I was aware that the seeds were very toxic, I did not realize that the entire plant was. Luckily, when I saw what he was eating (a sago pup that had fallen off the plant when we dug it up) I searched Google for Cycas revoluta to see if the entire plant was poisonous.

I found out it was, so I induced vomiting with hydrogen peroxide and we got him right to the emergency veterinarian hospital. Had I known then what I know now I would have made sure that I had cleaned up all of the sago pups and leaves.

So, do you have small children or pets? Or do you have family or friends who have small children or pets? Share this article with them, just in case they haven't read it.