Beware of beautiful poisonous plants

The plants listed below are some of the more common species that are toxic to humans. This is by no means all of the plants that are poisonous. Don't eat any plant or plant part that you do not know for sure is safe.

Plant	Poisonous Parts	Comments
Autumn crocus	Bulbs	Toxic...Cause vomiting and nervous excitement.
Azaleas	All parts	Fatal...Produces nausea and vomiting, depression, difficult breathing, prostration and coma.
Black locust	All parts	Toxic...Children have suffered nausea, weakness and depression after chewing the bark and seeds.
Bleeding heart	Foliage and roots	Toxic...Maybe in large amounts
Buttercup	All parts	Toxic...Irritant juices may severely injure the digestive system.
Castor bean	Seeds	Fatal...One or two castor bean seeds are near the lethal dose for adults.
Cherries, wild and cultivated	Twigs and foliage	Fatal...Contains a compound that releases cyanide when eaten. Gasping, excitement and prostration are common symptoms that often appear within minutes.
Daffodil	Bulbs	Possibly fatal...Cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Daphne	Berries	Fatal...A few berries can kill a child.
Datura	All Parts	Fatal
Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)	All parts	Possibly fatal...It contains small needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate that cause intense burning and irritation of the mouth and tongue. Death can occur if base of tongue swells enough to block air passage in throat.
Elderberry	All parts (green)	Toxic... Children have been poisoned by using pieces of the pithy stems for blowguns. Causes nausea and digestive upset.
Elephant's ear	All parts	Possibly fatal...Cause intense burning and irritation of the mouth and tongue. Death can occur if base of tongue swells enough to block air passage in throat.
Foxglove	Leaves	Possibly fatal...One of the sources for the drug digitalis used to stimulate the heart. Large amounts cause dangerously irregular heartbeat and pulse. Also causes digestive upset and mental confusion.
Golden chain	Beanlike capsules in which seeds are suspended	Possibly fatal...Cause severe poisoning, excitement, staggering, convulsions and coma.
Hyacinth	Bulbs	Possibly fatal...Cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Iris	Underground stems	Toxic...Cause severe but not usually serious digestive upset.
Jack-in-the-pulpit	All parts	Toxic...It contains small needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate that cause intense irritation and burning of the mouth and tongue.
Jassamine, Carolina	All parts	Fatal...Cause digestive disturbance and nervous symptoms.
Lantana camara (red sage)	Green berries	Fatal...Affects lungs, kidneys, heart and nervous system.
Larkspur	All parts	Possibly fatal...Cause digestive upset, nervous excitement and depression.
Laurels	All parts	Fatal... Produces nausea and vomiting, depression, difficult breathing, prostration and coma.
Lily-of-the-valley	All parts	Toxic...Cause irregular heartbeat and pulse, usually accompanied by digestive upset and confusion.
Mistletoe	All parts	Fatal...Both children and adults have died from eating the berries.
Narcissus	Bulbs	Possibly fatal...Cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Oaks	Foliage and acorns	Toxic...Affect kidneys gradually. Symptoms appear only after several days or weeks. Takes a large amount for poisoning. Do not allow children to chew on acorns.
Oleander	All parts	Fatal...Affects the heart, produces sever digestive upset. A single leaf can kill a child.
Rhododendron	All parts	Fatal... Produces nausea and vomiting, depression, difficult breathing, prostration and coma.
Rosary pea	Seeds	Fatal...A single rosary pea seed has caused death.
Star-of-Bethlehem	Bulbs	Toxic...Cause vomiting and nervous excitement.
Wisteria	Seeds and pods	Toxic...Cause mild to severe digestive upset. Many children are poisoned by this plant.
Yew (Taxus)	Berries and foliage	Fatal...The foliage is more toxic than berries. Death usually is sudden without warning symptoms.

Other poisonous plants found in the wild include moonseed, mayapple, water hemlock, nightshade, poison hemlock and jimsonweed (thorn apple). For a very extensive list of poisonous plants, click here to access "Poisonous Plants of North Carolina". But be advised, it even list plants that might make some people's hand itch for a few minutes as poisonous.

Some common plants are also poisonous to your pets.
The following is a list of some of them. If you suspect they have ingested them, call or visit your vet immediately.

For a more complete listing of plants poisonous to animals, contact the ASPCA or the National Animal Poison Control Center.