20 Most Common Plants Poisonous to Dogs

These 20 common indoor and outdoor plants can be toxic to dogs, according to ASPCA Poison Control. 

• Begonia 
• Chrysanthemum 
• Cyclamen 
• Daffodils 
• Dieffenbachia 
• Geranium 
• Gladiolus 
• Hosta 
• Hydrangea 
• Japanese Yew 
• Lantana 
• Lily of the Valley 
• Oleander 
• Peace Lily 
• Peony 
• Philodendron 
• Pothos 
• Rhododendron 
• Sago Palm 
• Tulip 

If your dog chews or ingests a poisonous plant, immediately call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661, a fee applies). 

Found both indoors and out, the begonia is famed for its bright colors and interestingly shaped leaves.  

All parts of the begonia are toxic to dogs, says Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, director of veterinary medicine and senior veterinary toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline.  

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Kidney damage (if the bulb is ingested) 

Seen frequently during the fall months, you can’t miss colorful, pom-pom-like mums seen in landscaping and in planters.  

“Mums contain pyrethrins, which can also be found in insecticides,” says Jennifer Kendall, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior toxicologist at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.  

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Decreased appetite 

With intensely colored blooms (think every shade of pink) that last a long time, cyclamen is a popular houseplant, especially in the winter. 

Symptoms include: 

• Drooling 
• Vomiting  
• Diarrhea 

If they dig up the plant and gobble up the roots (or tubers as they’re known), it can affect their heart rate and may even cause death if left untreated, says Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM, a veterinarian at Animal Medical Center in New York City.  

In cheerful shades of yellow and dotting springtime landscapes, daffodils are mood boosters—for you.  

For dogs, eating the foliage of a daffodil can be very dangerous. 

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Decreased appetite 
• Possible seizures and changes in blood pressure from ingesting bulbs 

These mostly indoor plants have lush green leaves with white spots or stripes. If your dog nibbles on the leaves, they’re likely to feel as if their mouth, tongue, and lips are burning. 

Symptoms include: 

• Drooling 
• Vomiting 
• Difficulty breathing 

Popular in outdoor planters and hanging baskets, geraniums come in lots of colors—but no matter the hue, they are toxic to dogs.  

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Depression 
• Lack of appetite 
• Skin irritation 

Easy to spot in a garden, gladiolas, which come in several different colors, are very tall, and can bear upwards of 20 blooms on a single “spike.”  

All parts of the plant are toxic, with the bulb being the most dangerous. 

Symptoms include: 

• Severe vomiting that may contain blood 
• Drooling 
• Diarrhea 
• Lethargy 
• Painful abdomen 

As perennial plants that live in shaded areas, hosta plants, with their lush, vibrant leaves, are toxic to dogs. 

Dr. Kendall says that all parts of the plant contain saponins, which can irritate the intestinal tract. 

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Depression 
• No appetite  

In varying shades of blue, pink, and purple, hydrangeas are pretty from afar. But this plant is toxic to dogs. 

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Decreased appetite 

These plants look like small evergreen trees or shrubs with needle-like leaves and small red berries. You can find them throughout the United States. 

While the berries aren’t toxic to dogs, the leaves, seeds, and bark are. 

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Lethargy 
• Wobbly gait 
• Heart and blood pressure changes, which can be life-threatening  
• Seizures  
• Muscle tremors 

A lantana plant is a shrub that brims with colorful, cluster-like flowers, but it’s toxic to dogs.  

Your pet’s reaction may depend, in part, on the ripeness of the berries they’ve eaten. Unripe berries can have particularly severe effects, including coma and death, Dr. Schmid warns. Ripe berries, however, are dangerous too.  

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Dilated pupils 
• Difficulty walking 
• Lethargy 
• Coma 
• Death 

Lily of the valley is sweet-smelling with adorable, little white bell-shaped flowers. But though they may be pretty, lilies of the valley are poisonous to dogs. 

Even a small exposure to any part of the plant is dangerous, Dr. Stern warns. 

Symptoms include: 

• Diarrhea 
• Vomiting 
• Low blood pressure 
• Disorientation 
• Seizures 
• Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) 
• Coma 

Oleander is a bushy shrub that can grow as high as 12 feet, and it’s prized for its cluster of flowers in shades of yellow, white, pink, and red. 

Every inch of this plant is poisonous to dogs—from the flower petals to the pointy, long leaves. 

Symptoms include: 

• Changes in heart rate and heart rhythm 
• Diarrhea 
• Abdominal pain 
• Drooling 
• Death 

Known for its white blooms and natural beauty, a peace lily isn’t quite so peaceful for dogs.  

They contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause severe pain to the mouth, tongue, esophagus, and stomach. 

Symptoms include: 

• Drooling 
• Pawing at the face 
• Vomiting 
• Retching 
• Redness and swelling of the lips, mouth, and tongue 
• Diarrhea 
• Difficulty breathing  

Peonies are gorgeous summertime additions to outdoor landscaping, with their vibrant, fragrant blooms, but they are toxic to dogs. 

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Lethargy 
• Depression 

Philodendrons have heart-shaped leaves and long vines. Beware, though: These plants contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate your dog’s mouth and lips. 

Symptoms include: 

• Pawing the mouth 
• Drooling 
• Vomiting  

Pothos plants, also known as Devil’s Ivy, are houseplants popular for their bright green hue and trailing vines. But you’ll want to keep them away from your pets. 

Symptoms include: 

• Drooling 
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Poor appetite 
• Redness and swelling of the lips, mouth, and tongue 
• Difficulty breathing  

Rhododendron, often called azaleas, are flowering shrubs seen in yards across the country. 

However, all parts of these flowers contain grayanotoxin, which is toxic to dogs. 

Symptoms include: 

• Weakness 
• Tremors 
• Low blood pressure 
• Irregular heart rate and rhythm 

With its stiff fronds, the sago palm looks like a tiny palm tree and can live indoors or outdoors. It’s toxic to all pets, says Laura Stern, DVM, DABVT, director of client programs for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.  

Dr. Stern notes that all parts are dangerous but the seeds contain the most toxins. 

Symptoms include: 

• Vomiting  
• Diarrhea 
• Seizures  
• Liver failure 
• Death 

Tulips are spring-blooming flowers that many people love to have in their home. Dog parents should skip these brightly colored flowers, though. 

All parts are dangerous, but especially the bulbs.  

Symptoms include: 

• Stomach upset 
• Depression 
• Loss of appetite 
• Increased heart rate 
• Difficulty breathing 

This list from the ASPCA has more plants known to be harmful to dogs.  

Here are toxic plants to be aware of:  

• Adam-and-Eve (also known as Arum, lord-and-ladies, wake robin, starch root, bobbins, cuckoo plant) 
• African wonder tree 
• Aloe 
• Amaryllis (also known as belladonna lily, Saint Joseph lily, Cape belladonna, naked lady, Barbados lily) 
• Ambrosia mexicana (also known as Jerusalem oak, feather geranium) 
• American mandrake (also known as mayapple, Indian apple root, umbrella leaf, wild lemon, hog apple, duck’s foot, and raccoonberry) 
• American mistletoe 
• American yew (also known as Canada yew, Canadian yew) 
• Apple (including crabapples; stem, leaves, and seeds contain cyanide, but the fruit is OK for dogs) 
• Apricot (stems, leaves, and pit contain cyanide) 
• Arrowhead vine (also known as Nephthytis, green gold naphthysis, African evergreen, trileaf wonder) 
• Australian ivy palm (also known as Schefflera, umbrella tree, octopus tree, starleaf) 
• Autumn crocus (also known as naked ladies) 
• Azalea 
• Baby doll ti plant (also known as ti-plant, good-luck plant, Hawaiian ti plant) 
• Barbados pride (also known as peacock flower, dwarf poinciana) 
• Barbados pride 2 (also known as bird of paradise, Poinciana, brazilwood) 
• Begonia 
• Bergamot orange 
• Bird of paradise flower (also known as crane flower, bird’s tongue flower) 
• Bishop’s weed (also known as false Queen Anne’s lace, greater ammi) 
• Bitterroot (also known as dogbane hemp, Indian hemp) 
• Bittersweet (also known as American bittersweet, waxwork, shrubby bittersweet, false bittersweet, climbing bittersweet) 
• Black calla (also known as Solomon’s lily, wild calla, wild arum) 
• Black laurel (also known as dog hobble, dog laurel, fetter bush, sierra laurel) 
• Black walnut 
• Bog laurel (also known as pale laurel) 
• Borage (also known as starflower) 
• Boxwood 
• Branching ivy (also known as English ivy, sweetheart ivy, California ivy) 
• Brunfelsia (also known as lady-of-the-night, kiss-me-quick, Franciscan rain tree) 
• Buckwheat 
• Burning bush (also known as spindle tree) 
• Buttercup (also known as figwort) 
• Butterfly iris 
• Calamondin orange 
• Calla lily (also known as trumpet lily, arum lily, pig lily, white arum, florist’s calla, garden calla) 
• Caraway 
• Cardboard palm (also known as cardboard cycad) 
• Carnation 
• Castor bean plant 
• Chamomile 
• Chandelier plant (also known as devil’s backbone) 
• Cherry (stem, leaves, and pit) 
• Chinaberry tree (also known as bead tree, China ball tree, paradise tree, Persian lilac, white cedar, Japanese bead tree, Texas umbrella tree, pride-of-India) 
• Chinese evergreen 
• Chinese jade (also known as silver jade plant, silver dollar) 
• Chives 
• Chrysanthemum (also known as mums) 
• Clematis (also known as virgin’s bower) 
• Clivia lily 
• Coffee tree 
• Coleus (also known as bread-and-butter plant, Spanish thyme, East Indian thyme) 
• Corn plant (also known as dragon tree) 
• Cow parsnip (also known as giant hogweed) 
• Cowbane 
• Cyclamen 
• Daffodil (especially the bulbs) 
• Dahlia 
• Daisy 
• Desert rose (also known as desert azalea, mock azalea) 
• Deadly nightshade (also known as climbing nightshade, poisonous nightshade, woody nightshade, and blue nightshade) 
• Dieffenbachia (also known as dumb cane) 
• Dog daisy 
• Eastern star 
• Elephant ears (also known as taro, malanga, and Caladium) 
• Elephant-ear begonia 
• Emerald fern (also known as emerald feather, asparagus fern) 
• Epazote (also known as Mexican tea) 
• Eucalyptus 
• Fetterbush (also known as maleberry, staggerberry) 
• Fleabane (also known as horseweed, showy daisy) 
• Florida beauty (also known as gold dust dracaena, spotted dracaena) 
• Foxglove 
• Gardenia (also known as Cape jasmine) 
• Garlic 
• Geranium 
• Giant dracaena (also known as palm lily, grass palm) 
• Gladiola 
• Glory lily (also known as gloriosa lily, climbing lily, superb lily) 
• Good luck plant (also known as golden bird’s nest, snake plant) 
• Grapefruit (skin and plant parts; fruit isn’t toxic) 
• Heavenly bamboo (also known as sacred bamboo) 
• Hellebore (also known as Christmas rose, Easter rose) 
• Holly (also known as American holly, English holly, European holly, Oregon holly, inkberry, winterberry) 
• Hops 
• Horse chestnut (also known as buckeye) 
• Hosta 
• Hyacinth 
• Hydrangea 
• Indian rubber plant (also known as fig, weeping fig) 
• Iris (also known as flag, snake lily, water flag) 
• Iron cross begonia 
• Jack-in-the-pulpit 
• Jade plant (also known as baby jade, dwarf rubber plant, Chinese rubber plant, Japanese rubber plant) 
• Japanese yew (also known as Buddhist pine or Southern yew) 
• Jerusalem cherry (also known as winter cherry) 
• Jonquil 
• Lambkill (also known as sheep laurel) 
• Larkspur 
• Laurel (also known as mountain laurel, bay laurel) 
• Lavender 
• Leek 
• Lemon (skin and plant parts; fruit is non-toxic) 
• Lemon grass 
• Lemon verbena 
• Lily of the valley 
• Lily-of-the-valley bush (also known as andromeda japonica) 
• Lime (skin and plant parts; fruit is edible) 
• Lobelia (also known as cardinal flower, Indian pink) 
• Locust 
• Lovage 
• Macadamia nut 
• Madagascar dragon tree 
• Mapleleaf begonia 
• Marijuana (also known as Indian hemp, hashish) 
• Marjoram 
• Mayweed 
• Metallic leaf begonia 
• Milkweed 
• Mint 
• Mole bean plant 
• Morning glory 
• Narcissus (also known as paper white) 
• Nightshade (also known as black nightshade) 
• Oleander 
• Onions 
• Orange (skin and plant parts; fruit isn’t toxic) 
• Oregano 
• Painter’s palette (also known as flamingo lily, flamingo flower, pigtail plant, and oilcloth flower) 
• Parsley 
• Peace begonia 
• Peace Lily 
• Peach (stem, leaves, and pit) 
• Pencil cactus (also known as sticks of fire) 
• Peony 
• Periwinkle (also known as running Myrtle) 
• Philodendron 
• Plum (stem, leaves, and pit) 
• Poinsettia 
• Poison hemlock (also known as deadly hemlock, winter fern, California fern, Nebraska fern) 
• Pothos (also known as golden pothos, taro vine, devil’s ivy) 
• Prayer bean (also known as rosary bean, Buddhist rosary bean, Indian bean, Indian licorice) 
• Prickly ash (also known as Angelica tree, prickly elder, Hercules’ club, devil’s walking stick) 
• Primrose 
• Privet (also known as wax-leaf) 
• Purslane (also known as moss rose, rock moss) 
• Ragwort (also known as golden ragwort) 
• Ranger’s button (also known as swamp white heads) 
• Red-marginated dracaena 
• Red sage (also known as shrub verbena, Lantana, yellow sage) 
• Rex begonia 
• Rhubarb 
• Sago palm 
• Shamrock plant 
• Skunk weed (also known as skunk cabbage, swamp cabbage, polecat weed) 
• Sorrel 
• Spring parsley 
• St. John’s wort (also known as Klamath weed) 
• Striped dracaena 
• Sweet pea (also known as everlasting pea) 
• Sweet William (also known as pinks) 
• Tahitian bridal veil 
• Tarragon 
• Tobacco (also known as tree tobacco, mustard tree, Nicotiana) 
• Tomato plant 
• Tulips 
• Wandering Jew 
• Watercress 
• Wisteria 
• Yarrow (also known as milfoil) 
• Yucca 

If your dog chews or ingests a toxic plant, head to your veterinarian immediately (or an emergency vet). You can call Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661, a fee applies) on the way.  

Even if your dog only ate a little bit or ate a part that is less toxic, it’s important to get treatment to make sure they don’t develop severe symptoms.  

The best thing to do as far as prevention goes is to not have these plants at all.  

Sometimes that might not be possible—say, you bought a house with a yard full of azaleas.  

In that case, put your pup’s safety first:  

• Use a dog play pen for outdoor time  
• Keep your dog on a leash when they’re sniffing around new areas in the neighborhood  
• Put up a dog gate to keep your dog away from potentially unsafe plants in the home (or get rid of the plants if there’s a chance the gate won’t deter them)  

When adding greenery to your home, buy plants that are pet-safe, like spider plants, violets, or orchids. 

Yes, snake plants are poisonous and should be avoided.  

No, lilacs are not poisonous, but they may still cause mild stomach upset. Call your vet if your dog ingests one.  

No, orchids are not poisonous, though they might cause mild GI upset. Discourage your dog from ingesting them and call your vet if they do and you notice any symptoms. 

No, spider plants are not poisonous, though they might cause stomach upset. Discourage your dog from ingesting them and call your vet if they do and you notice any symptoms.  

No, roses aren’t poisonous, but that doesn’t mean they won’t cause mild GI upset. As with any flower, don’t let your dog sample it—even if it’s nontoxic. It’s better to play it safe. Plus, thorns are dangerous and can cause injuries.