PAWS Pet Poison Reference Library

Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants for Pets

PAWS was built to be one of the most detailed plant-safety references for pet owners, veterinarians, rescues, boarding facilities, and animal-care professionals. Browse 359 in-depth plant-safety guides for dogs, cats, horses, livestock, rabbits, birds, reptiles, and other animals. Each guide is built as a practical pet-poison reference, with plant identification, scientific names, toxic compounds, poisoning symptoms, first aid, veterinary treatment, prognosis, prevention, and research citations.

Coleus scutellarioides plant with opposite serrated leaves patterned in green burgundy pink cream and yellow on square branching stems, with slender upright spikes of small blue-purple flowers.

Coleus

Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth.
Lamiaceae — Mint, Sage, or Deadnettle Family;
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Cordatum or Heartleaf Philodendron with slender trailing vines, aerial roots at the nodes, and glossy green heart-shaped leaves with pointed tips.

Cordatum

Philodendron hederaceum (Jacq.) Schott
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Corn stalk plant or mass cane (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’) with thick tan cane-like stems and rosettes of broad arching green leaves marked by a yellowish-lime stripe through the center.

Corn Stalk Plant

Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker Gawl.
Asparagaceae
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Cow Parsnip with a tall stout grooved hairy stem, enormous three-part deeply lobed leaves, and broad flat-topped clusters of numerous small white flowers growing beside a moist woodland stream

Cow parsnip

Heracleum maximum W.Bartram
Apiaceae Lindl. — Carrot, Celery, or Parsley Family
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Cowbane or Water Hemlock growing in a wet meadow with hollow upright stems, compound leaves divided into sharply toothed lance-shaped leaflets, and branching umbels of small white flowers

Cowbane

Accepted genus: Cicuta L
Apiaceae Lindl. — Carrot, Celery, Parsley, or Umbellifer Family
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Creeping Myrtle or Lesser Periwinkle forming a dense evergreen groundcover of trailing stems, opposite glossy oval leaves, and solitary five-lobed blue-violet flowers.

Creeping myrtle

Vinca minor L.
Apocynaceae Juss. — Dogbane Family
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Garden Croton or Codiaeum variegatum with thick glossy alternate leaves patterned in green yellow orange red and burgundy, branching woody stems, small flower racemes, and white latex visible from a freshly cut leaf stalk.

Croton

Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Rumph. ex A.Juss.
Euphorbiaceae — Spurge Family
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Cuckoo-pint, Arum maculatum, a calcium-oxalate toxic wild arum plant for pets

Cuckoo-pint

Arum maculatum L.
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Mature Cutleaf Philodendron or Monstera deliciosa climbing a support with thick green stems, long cord-like aerial roots, and enormous glossy heart-shaped leaves divided by deep splits and natural oval holes

Cutleaf Philodendron

Monstera deliciosa Liebm
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Cycads, including Cycas and Zamia species, highly toxic sago palm-type plants that can cause liver failure in dogs and cats

Cycads

This is a cycad-group page covering toxic ornamental and wild species in the order Cycadales, particularly members of Cycas and Zamia.
Cycadaceae Pers. — Cycad Family, for Cycas species
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Cyclamen, Cyclamen species, a flowering Primulaceae plant containing terpenoid saponins toxic to dogs and cats

Cyclamen

Cyclamen spp.
Primulaceae Batsch ex Borkh. — Primrose Family
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Cyprus Ivy, Hedera cypria, a triterpenoid saponin-containing ivy toxic to dogs, cats, and horses

Cyprus Ivy

Hedera cypria McAll.
Araliaceae Juss. — Aralia, Ginseng, or Ivy Family
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Daffodil, Narcissus species, a lycorine-containing Amaryllidaceae bulb plant toxic to dogs and cats

Daffodil

Narcissus spp.
Amaryllidaceae J.St.-Hil. — Amaryllis Family
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Day Lily, Hemerocallis species, a highly toxic lily-type plant that can cause acute kidney failure in cats

Day Lily

Hemerocallis spp.
Asphodelaceae Juss. — Asphodel Family
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Deadly Nightshade, Atropa belladonna, a highly toxic Solanaceae plant containing tropane alkaloids dangerous to dogs and cats

Deadly Nightshade

Atropa bella-donna L.
Solanaceae Juss. — Nightshade, Potato, or Tomato Family
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Desert Azalea, Adenium obesum, a highly toxic cardiac glycoside-containing desert rose plant dangerous to dogs, cats, and horses

Desert Azalea

Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.
Apocynaceae Juss. — Dogbane Family
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Desert Rose, Adenium obesum, a highly toxic cardiac glycoside-containing houseplant dangerous to dogs, cats, and horses

Desert Rose

Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.
Apocynaceae Juss. — Dogbane Family
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Devil’s Ivy, Epipremnum aureum, a calcium oxalate-containing pothos houseplant toxic to dogs and cats

Devils Ivy

Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Dieffenbachia, Dumb Cane, a calcium oxalate-containing Araceae houseplant toxic to dogs and cats

Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia spp.
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Dog Daisy, Achillea millefolium, a common Yarrow plant containing chemically variable volatile oils and contact-sensitizing sesquiterpene lactones

Dog Daisy

Achillea millefolium L.
Asteraceae Bercht. & J.Presl — Aster, Daisy, Sunflower, or Composite Family
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Dog Hobble, Leucothoe species, a grayanotoxin-containing Ericaceae shrub toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and livestock

Dog Hobble

Leucothoe spp.
Ericaceae Juss. — Heath, Heather, or Blueberry Family
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Dogbane, Apocynum species, a fibrous cardiac glycoside-containing pasture and hay contaminant toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and livestock

Dogbane

Apocynum spp.
Apocynaceae Juss. — Dogbane Family
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Dracaena species, a saponin-containing houseplant group including corn plant and dragon tree that is toxic to dogs and cats

Dracaena

Dracaena spp.
Asparagaceae Juss. — Asparagus Family
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Dumb Cane, Dieffenbachia species, a calcium oxalate-containing Araceae houseplant toxic to dogs and cats

Dumb Cane, Mother-in-law plant

Dieffenbachia spp.
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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