by Stacy Tornio
Toxic Parts Leaves and acorns
BE AWARE
If grazing animals like sheep, horses, and goats eat a lot of leaves or acorns from oaks, they could absorb toxins that might cause kidney damage.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Plant it but probably keep your horses and goats away from eating the dropped leaves and acorns.
STRYCHNINE TREE
POISONOUS PROFILE
Be grateful that this tree isn’t native to North America; it’s one of the most deadly trees in the world, so it’s good that you can’t easily get your hands on it. This tree contains one of the most famous and age-old forms of poisoning: strychnine. In fact, its history is rich with people using it for that purpose, especially in the nineteenth century. The deadliness comes from the seeds, found in the large ball-sized fruit.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Strychnine tree, poison nut
Botanical Name Strychnos nux-vomica
Zone Native to India and Southeast Asia
Height up to 30 feet
Spread up to 20 feet
Foliate Green leaves and small white flowers
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 3
Toxic Parts Seeds contain strychnine, which can be deadly to all.
BE AWARE
You pretty much need to stay away from this one. There’s a reason people used it to poison others.
THE BOTTOM LINE
No. Just no.
BLACK WALNUT
POISONOUS PROFILE
The black walnut can be a beautiful tree, and it doesn’t really harm humans. However, it’s not really popular among gardeners because it contains something called juglone, which can harm nearby plants. Sounds odd, right? A lot of people don’t even realize this about black walnuts, but then sometimes they have trouble getting plants to grow under it.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Black walnut
Botanical Name Juglans nigra
Zone 4 to 9
Height up to 100 feet
Spread up to 100 feet
Foliage Green with yellowish-green flowers
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts Roots and the nuts (but only to some)
BE AWARE
Researchers say that the only livestock affected by the shavings of this tree are horses. However, the roots can also contain something called juglone, which can harm nearby plants.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There are better backyard tree options out there, so skip this one.
HORSECHESTNUT
POISONOUS PROFILE
This can grow to be a huge tree, which is relatively harmless. However, the nuts of these plants, which are green and spiky, can actually do a lot of harm in the right circumstance. Beneath those spikes lies a form of poison. You might have to work pretty hard to get to the poison of this plant, but you should probably still keep away as much as possible.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Horsechestnut, horse chestnut
Botanical Name Aesculus hippocastanum
Zone 3 to 8
Height up to 75 feet
Spread up to 65 feet
Foliage Green with white blooms in spring
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts The nuts in raw form contain a type of poison called esculin.
BE AWARE
If you make it past the nuts and consume them raw, side effects can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, convulsions, and even respiratory failure. It could even lead to death.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There are other (and better) trees to grow instead.
MANCHINEEL
POISONOUS PROFILE
This is definitely one of the most poisonous plants in the world, and you can’t really get your hands on it, which is a good thing. However, there could be a chance you’d come across it in Florida or other tropical areas, so it’s good to be aware of it. The entire tree contains toxins that can lead to death. Even just touching the tree (where you could come into contact with the sap) or breathing the air close to it could cause irritation to your skin or lungs. The fruit can look tasty, but remember there’s a reason that it also has the nickname “apple of death.”
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Manchineel, little apple of death
Botanical Name Hippomane mancinella
Zone Native in parts of Florida, Central America, and South America
Height up to 50 feet
Spread up to 50 feet
Foliage Green with fruit that look a lot like green apples
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 3
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
If you eat this fruit, there’s a good chance you won’t see another day. Even coming in contact with it can cause irritation, so stay as far away as possible.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Run in the other direction.
BUCKEYE
POISONOUS PROFILE
If you happen to pay attention to botanical names, you’ll notice that this one shares part of its name with the horsechestnut. They are closely related, even though the common names are quite different. This plant is very popular in certain parts of the country (like Ohio for the Ohio Buckeyes).
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Buckeye, Ohio buckeye
Botanical Name Aesculus glabra
Zone 3 to 7
Height up to 40 feet
Spread up to 40 feet
Foliage Green leaves, light yellowish white flowers in spring, and orange, red, and yellow leaves in fall
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts, including seeds, leaves, and bark
BE AWARE
If ingested, you might see signs of depression, twitching, inflammation, and vomiting. Especially keep an eye on pets that might be in an area where the seeds might have dropped onto the ground.
THE BOTTOM LINE
You might want to reconsider it if you have pets that like to graze in the backyard.
BLACK LOCUST
POISONOUS PROFILE
You might be tempted to grow this tree when you see the beautiful flowers it produces in the spring, but just say no. While it’s not the most toxic tree available, it does have some annoying habits that gardeners don’t like. It produces lots of suckers, or little roots and offshoots from the main tree. These can be a pretty big pain to deal with in your landscape.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Black locust
Botanical Name Robinia pseudoacacia
Zone 3 to 8
Height up to 50 feet
Spread up to 35 feet
Foliage Green leaves with gorgeous white spring flowers
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
Any animal that eats parts of this tree could experience vomiting, nausea, and other problems. Kids could be harmed if they get hold of the bark and chew on it. Otherwise, most cases involve livestock eating the bark or the seeds.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Pick a different tree to grow in your backyard.
RUBBER TREE
POISONOUS PROFILE
Did you know rubber is a natural substance that comes from trees in the wild? It is! This plant is native to Asia, where rubber tree plantations are common. Trees in the wild can reach more than 100 feet, but on plantations, they usually only get to 20 or 30 feet. The way you extract the liquid, called latex, from this tree is similar to the way they tap maple trees for syrup here in the United States. They drill into the trunk of the tree and then collect the liquid that drips out. After twenty or thirty years, rubber trees don’t really produce anymore, and they’ll likely get cut down. But knowing about this tree is pretty cool, right? While it’s only mildly toxic, thi
nk about all the things that have rubber in them!
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Rubber tree, which is different than the houseplant of a similar name
Botanical Name Hevea brasiliensis
Zone Mostly found in Southeast Asia
Height up to 100 feet in the wild
Spread 30 to 50 feet
Foliage Green with tree seeds that are a mottled brown
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts have toxic elements.
BE AWARE
You likely won’t come in contact with this plant, but you might want to make sure you don’t have an allergy to latex because it could cause irritation.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you can find it (you probably can’t), then sure. Go ahead and grow it.
HOUSEPLANTS
She cracked a smile. “So what’s your poison?"
He sighed dramatically, and let the truth tumble off his tongue. “Life.”
“Ah,” she said ruefully. “That’ll kill you.”
—Victoria Schwab, This Savage Song
38. ZZ plant
39. Poinsettia
40. Pothos
41. Peace lily
42. Snake plant
43. Dumb cane
44. English ivy
45. Jerusalem cherry
46. Rosary pea
47. Philodendron
48. Aloe
49. Bird-of-paradise
50. Jade plant
51. Sago palm
52. Ficus tree
ZZ PLANT
POISONOUS PROFILE
As far as houseplants go, this one is kind of a newcomer. Yep, it’s only been around since the 1990s and is becoming fairly easy to find because it’s been really popular among gardeners. It gets its name because of the double Zs in the botanical name. If you come across this plant, you might think it looks fake at first because the leaves are waxy and look so perfect. You don’t need a lot of light to grow this one, either.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name ZZ plant, eternity plant
Botanical Name Zamioculcas zamifolia
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Foliage Rich green, waxy leaves
Light Needs Low light
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts are poisonous, and the leaves can even cause irritation.
BE AWARE
Pets and kids who nibble on the leaves of this plant will experience an upset stomach and vomiting. The leaves can also irritate hands by causing a rash.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Not a good plant for a home with kids or pets. It could make a good option for offices, though, especially since it doesn’t require a lot of water or light to keep alive.
POINSETTIA
POISONOUS PROFILE
This one’s potential poisonousness might come as a shock, but don’t get too worked up. Rumors in the past have said that kids have eaten and died from poinsettias, but you might want to check the source. This plant is just mildly toxic to pets, but it’s not going to cause serious problems for the most part. It can cause contact dermatitis to sensitive individuals, though.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Poinsettia
Botanical Name Euphorbia pulcherrima
Height up to 2 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Foliage Green, red, and now many other colors because greenhouses and growers will paint them!
Light Needs Low
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts, but especially the bracts (which many people refer to as leaves)
BE AWARE
If your pets consumed a large amount of poinsettias, they might be affected with vomiting or nausea, but they would have to have eaten quite a lot!
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don’t stop your tradition of having a poinsettia during the holidays. This plant is probably fine for most homes.
POTHOS
POISONOUS PROFILE
This is a vining plant that truly grows anywhere. It’s been around forever and often gets overlooked, but it’s so versatile. Plus, you don’t have to worry about it getting diseases or having to repot it often. This plant does really well in offices because it doesn’t mind (even thrives) on fluorescent light. Keep in mind that devil’s ivy is one of the common names for this plant, so proceed with a little bit of caution.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Pothos, golden pothos, devil’s ivy
Botanical Name Epipremnum aureum
Height trails up to 8 feet
Spread trails up to 8 feet
Foliage Green, heart-shaped leaves
Light Needs Medium
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
Consuming a little bit of this plant probably won’t cause many problems, but in larger quantities, you could see issues like swelling, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. It could make humans quite sick and, in pets, it could lead to death.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you have pets or small kids, pick a different houseplant.
PEACE LILY
POISONOUS PROFILE
This is one of the most popular plants to give as a gift, and it’s also one of the easiest houseplants to grow. It is known for the white “blooms.” (They look like flowers but aren’t technically flowers at all. Instead, they are called spathes.) The most common mistake with this plant is watering it too much, so take it easy. Remember that it’s easy to add water, but it’s a lot harder to take it away.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Peace lily
Botanical Name Spathiphyllum wallisii
Height up to 2 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Foliage Shiny green with white spathes
Light Needs Low to moderate
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts, but especially the roots
BE AWARE
Mostly a problem for dogs and cats. You might see vomiting, increased salivation, and diarrhea if ingested.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This one is a spring tradition for many, and it’s pretty safe to have in your home unless you have an animal that really likes to munch houseplants.
SNAKE PLANT
POISONOUS PROFILE
The name alone is reason enough to grow this classic houseplant—you’ll have something to talk about with your friends when they come over! The most important thing to remember with a snake plant is make sure you grow it in the right sized pot. Don’t put it in a giant container or confine it in something too small. You want it to be just right, giving it a little space to grow. Once it fills the pot, move one size up.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Snake plant, mother-in-law’s tongue
Botanical Name Sansevieria trifasciata
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Foliage Green with stripes and patterns that resemble a snake’s skin
Light Needs Low
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
If your pet eats enough of it, this could cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you’re really looking for an easy-to-grow houseplant, this is a good one. Try it!
DUMB CANE
POISONOUS PROFILE
A lot of people think dumb cane and snake plant are the same thing, but they’re not. Notice the botanical names are different even if they look similar. This houseplant is native to the West Indies, and if it grows in the right conditions or in the wild, you might even get lucky and see it flower. It can get pretty big, so this is another one that you want to make sure you have growing in the right sized pot.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Dumb cane
Botanical Name Dieffenbachia amoena
&
nbsp; Height up to 6 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Foliage Large leaves with interesting patterns of green and yellow
Light Needs Medium
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts, and the sap from the leaves can be irritating if you touch it
BE AWARE
