by Stacy Tornio
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
If animals eat this plant, they might experience vomiting, diarrhea, depression, and even liver failure.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It’s probably fine if you can keep an eye on pets.
TOBACCO
POISONOUS PROFILE
If you’ve ever wanted to grow your own cigarettes, then you’ve probably looked into tobacco before. There are many different plant types in the nicotiana family, but the burley tobacco is the one used to make cigarettes. For those wanting to try it, you might have to grow it as an annual since it prefers warm weather. Of course, it’s important to point out that this plant contains nicotine, which can be poisonous whether eaten, handled, or smoked. So think about that.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Tobacco, burley tobacco
Botanical Name Nicotiana
Zone 8 to 11
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Flower Color Pink, purple, white
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
Years of smoking can cause death, but in its raw form, eating tobacco can cause convulsions and loss of motor control.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don’t encourage tobacco use or planting of any type. Skip this one.
BLEEDING HEART
POISONOUS PROFILE
Bleeding heart might be one of the cutest, most adorable flowers you can grow in the garden. In the spring, this plant produces tiny little flowers that are shaped like hearts. They’re truly one of the most unique blooms you can find in the plant world. Many gardeners like this one because it’s an early bloomer and it’s fairly easy to grow in shade.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Bleeding heart
Botanical Name Dicentra spectabilis
Zone 3 to 9
Height up to 6 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Flower Color Pink, white
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
It contains alkaloids, which can be toxic to both pets and people. All parts of the plant can cause skin irritation, so you might want to handle with gloves when planting or transplanting.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It’s almost too cute not to grow. Plus, if you have shade, it’s a great option. It’s probably fine to grow, but keep an eye on kids who might be curious about the blooms (and may put them in their mouths).
SNAKEROOT
POISONOUS PROFILE
This plant could also fit in the wildflowers chapter, and it’s also considered a weed by many gardeners, but it’s still one you might come across in backyards. It’s easy to grow, does well in shade, and easily comes back year after year. Don’t be tempted by this easy-to-grow plant, though. It’s not actually all that great.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Snakeroot, white snakeroot
Botanical Name Ageratina altissima
Zone 3 to 8
Height up to 5 feet
Spread up to 4 feet
Flower Color White
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts contain a toxin called tremetol, a type of poisonous and unsaturated alcohol.
BE AWARE
This plant is a big concern for farmers, if and when cows eat it. It can enter their system, contaminating both the meat and the milk, which can then cause poisoning in humans (also called milk sickness).
THE BOTTOM LINE
It’s pretty weedy overall, and not really a perennial you want in your garden year after year.
LARKSPUR
POISONOUS PROFILE
Many gardeners grow this as an annual, planting new seeds each year. However, it easily reseeds on its own, so it might not be necessary. Larkspur (pictured here) looks very similar to delphinium and was once included in the same genus, but it’s separate now. The flowers put on quite a show from early spring to the middle of summer. Gardeners love it for the blue blooms, but you can now find it available in many other shades.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Larkspur
Botanical Name Consolida
Zone 2 to 11
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Flower Color Purple, blue, pink, white
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts, especially the seeds
BE AWARE
This plant is mostly a problem in prairies and open areas where animals graze. If they eat a lot of it, it’ll cause weakness, nausea, muscle twitching, and even death.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It’s probably fine in backyards, but keep an eye out for it in pastures and other wild areas.
FOXGLOVE
POISONOUS PROFILE
This is a very popular garden plant with its tall and cascading bell-shaped flowers. It has some fun nicknames, including fairy bells and dead man’s bells. (This is your hint that it is, in fact, deadly.) While it’s rare that this plant can do a lot of harm, it is not one to mess around with because it can definitely lead to death. If you like the look of this plant and don’t mind the risk associated with it, it’s fairly easy to grow both in sun and part shade.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Foxglove, dead man’s bells, fairy bells
Botanical Name Digitalis purpurea
Zone 4 to 8
Height up to 5 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Flower Color Pink, white, purple
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
When a human or animal eats this plant, the digestion of it can produce a substance called digitalis that affects heart muscles, which can, in turn, lead to a heart attack. You will see vomiting first, so seek medical attention immediately!
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you don’t have pets that like to eat it, you should be okay growing this garden favorite.
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
POISONOUS PROFILE
This plant could also fit in the wildflower chapter. It’s a common plant to see out in the wild and the shade of the woods, especially in spring. This is one of the reason gardeners love it—it grows well in shady areas. The plant is definitely known for its unusual shape. It has this tall spike (in technical terms it’s called the spadix and in nontechnical terms it’s called the Jack) with a sort of hood on top. It looks a bit like a tropical plant, but you can easily grow one in the shady areas of your garden. If you do, don’t forget to water it a lot!
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Jack-in-the-pulpit
Botanical Name Arisaema triphyllum
Zone 4 to 9
Height up to 2 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Flower Color Tiny green and purple flowers
Light Needs Part to full shade
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
If you or an animal eat this raw, you’ll know it right away because it causes severe mouth pain. You might see swelling of lips, tongue, and throat.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don’t try to collect or eat parts of this plant. Grow it for a cool shade perennial, but keep pets and kids away.
FLOWERING TOBACCO
POISONOUS PROFILE
Love hummingbirds? The flowering tobacco is like a secret weapon when it comes to attracting them. Often overlooked, this annual with star-shaped, tubular blooms is like a magnet to them. If you like fragrant flowers, then you’ll reap some of the rewards, too. These are some of the best scented flowers you can buy, so take a deep breath
when you’re outside, and you’re sure to get a whiff of pure sweetness. On sunny days, the blooms actually close up. This might seem counterintuitive, but it’s guaranteed to make your garden more interesting!
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Flowering tobacco, ornamental tobacco
Botanical Name Nicotiana alata
Zone 10 to 11
Height up to 5 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Flower Color White, red, yellow, green, pink
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 2
Toxic Parts All parts, especially the seeds, contain the poison nicotine.
BE AWARE
If pets eat this, you might notice signs of staggering, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Grow it—it’s great for hummingbirds. Keep pets away, though!
BUTTERCUP
POISONOUS PROFILE
Love yellow flowers? This is one you might want to grow in your own backyard. This perennial is common in wildflower areas, and it especially loves wet or moist areas. So you might see this growing near a river, pond, or stream. While some gardeners consider this plant weedy, others love it because it’s easy to grow and has great color. You decide!
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Buttercup, tall buttercup, meadow buttercup
Botanical Name Ranunculus acris
Zone 4 to 8
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Flower Color Yellow
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts, but especially during the height of flowering season
BE AWARE
If you have an animal that eats this during the height of the flower season, they might experience mouth inflammation, abdominal pain, and digestion problems.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Grow it in your garden if you want, but know that it can be a bit weedy. Keep it away from growing in meadows or pastures where livestock will be.
ANGEL’S TRUMPET
POISONOUS PROFILE
How can a plant with such a sweet name be dangerous? These are popular (and beautiful) plants that gardeners have been growing for centuries, but they are also some of the most deadly backyard plants. Most know this plant for its unique trumpet-shaped blooms. However, all parts of this plant can cause serious problems. Even handling this plant can cause skin irritation. So this is a “look but don’t touch” plant. And unfortunately (spoiler alert!), it’s not really a recommended backyard plant.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Angel’s trumpet
Botanical Name Brugmansia × candida
Zone 8 to 10
Height up to 10 feet
Spread up to 5 feet
Flower Color White, yellow, pink, orange
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 3
Toxic Parts All parts, including leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots
BE AWARE
If the elements of this plant enter the bloodstream, they might bring on symptoms of muscle weakness, dry mouth, rapid pulse, fever, and hallucinations. Other serious symptoms could be paralysis, convulsions, and death. The seed pods (which can look like fruit) have the most concentrated toxicity and are most dangerous.
THE BOTTOM LINE
They might be tempting, but they’re best to avoid if you have kids or pets in your yard at all.
DAYLILY
POISONOUS PROFILE
Daylilies have the great grassy foliage of an ornamental grass while also producing beautiful and colorful blooms. While flowers only last for a day (hence the name), there almost always seems to be an endless supply of blooms because they really keep going all summer. It doesn’t need much care at all. Plus, many gardeners consider them drought tolerant. You can get them in a huge range of colors.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Daylily
Botanical Name Hemerocallis
Zone 3 to 9
Height up to 3 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Flower Color Nearly every color except blue
Light Needs Full sun to part shade
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts can irritate cats
BE AWARE
This plant is particularly harmful to cats—it’s been known to cause kidney problems. And it can give dogs an upset stomach.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Grow it! Daylilies are fantastic additions to backyards for the great foliage and blooms that last all summer.
HOSTA
POISONOUS PROFILE
Everyone seems to have areas in their yard that don’t see much sun, and hostas are some of the best plants that will survive and thrive in those conditions. Hallelujah! Don’t write off hostas as being boring or ordinary in any way. Sure, they’ve been around for years, but there are so many options available today. You can get all kinds of different leaf colors, shapes, patterns, and textures. Plus, many have a pretty great offshoot of flowers, too.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Hosta
Botanical Name Hosta
Zone 3 to 8
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 6 feet
Flower Color Grow for foliage with purple or white blooms
Light Needs Sun to shade, depending on cultivar
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts
BE AWARE
If pets eat hostas, they might experience vomiting, diarrhea, or even depression.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Hostas are still a staple in most backyards. Keep an eye on pets when planting new hostas, but they should leave the plant alone during most of the season.
OPIUM POPPY
POISONOUS PROFILE
All garden poppies can be poisonous, but these are a little more dangerous because they contain opium. Yes, the same opium found in codeine, which can be a beneficial medicine to many. However, opium is also found in heroin, making it deadly to many, as well. Let’s focus on the garden benefits for a moment, though. They are gorgeous plants with nectar-rich flowers that are attractive to bees. This is also the plant that gives us the poppy seeds we eat on many baked goods.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Poppy, opium poppy, breadseed poppy
Botanical Name Papaver somniferum
Zone 5 to 9
Height up to 4 feet
Spread up to 3 feet
Flower Color Red, white, coral, yellow, purple
Light Needs Full sun
Level of Toxicity 3
Toxic Parts All parts, but especially the stems, which when sliced open, produce a milky sap that opium is produced from
BE AWARE
Opium is used as pain suppressors and mood elevators. It might seem fun to grow your own opium poppies, but misuse can cause bloodroot poisoning and problems with the central nervous system, which can lead to death.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This isn’t one to mess around with. Don’t grow plants to harvest as your own drugs … ever.
SOLOMON’S SEAL
POISONOUS PROFILE
Once gardeners find out about Solomon’s seal, they usually love it and grow it yearly. This plant looks a lot like hostas at first glance because of its rich, beautiful foliage. Also keep an eye out for the little blooms and berries that develop on the underside. Don’t even think about eating those berries, though. You’ll definitely regret it.
DEADLY STATS
Common Name Solomon’s seal
Botanical Name Polygonatum biflorum
Zone 3 to 8
Height up to 3 feet
Spread up to 2 feet
Flower Color Greenish white
Light Needs Part to full shade
Level of Toxicity 1
Toxic Parts All parts, but especially keep an eye out for the berries
BE AWARE
You’d have to c
onsume quite a bit to cause serious problems, but the plant and the berries could cause vomiting, nausea, and more.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This is a great option for shady areas, so plant away. Just keep kids and pets away from eating.
