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.

Common garden Heliotrope, Heliotropium arborescens, with wrinkled dark green oval leaves and dense curved clusters of small fragrant violet-purple flowers

Heliotrope

Heliotropium spp.
Boraginaceae Juss. — Borage Family
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Hercules’ Club or Devil’s Walkingstick, Aralia spinosa, with an upright prickly cane-like trunk, enormous divided umbrella-shaped leaves, large cream-white flower clusters, and bunches of purple-black fruit

Hercules' Club

Aralia spinosa L.
Araliaceae
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Himalayan Ivy, Hedera nepalensis, climbing a tree with aerial rootlets and gray-green triangular leaves marked by pale veins, basal lobes, and shallow upper teeth

Himalayan Ivy

Hedera nepalensis K.Koch
Araliaceae
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Hoary Alyssum, Berteroa incana, with upright gray-green hairy stems, narrow alternate leaves, small white four-petaled flowers deeply notched to resemble eight petals, and hairy oblong seedpods held close to the stems

Hoary Alyssum

Berteroa incana (L.) DC.
Brassicaceae
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American Holly, Ilex opaca, with stiff dull dark-green evergreen leaves bearing evenly spaced sharp marginal spines and clusters of bright red berry-like drupes on a female tree

Holly

Ilex Tourn. ex L.
Aquifoliaceae Bercht. & J.Presl — Holly Family
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Common hop, Humulus lupulus, with rough twining bines, opposite deeply lobed green leaves, and hanging clusters of pale green papery female hop cones containing yellow lupulin glands

Hops

Humulus lupulus L.
Cannabaceae Martinov — Hemp Family
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Mature Horsehead Philodendron (Philodendron bipennifolium) climbing a support with large glossy olive-green leaves shaped like a violin, saddle, or horse’s head.

Horsehead Philodendron

Philodendron bipennifolium Schott
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Hosta clump with broad ribbed heart-shaped green and cream-variegated leaves arising from a ground-level crown and tall leafless flower scapes bearing pale lavender bell-shaped flowers.

Hosta

Hosta spp.
Asparagaceae — Asparagus Family;
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Mature Hurricane Plant or Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) climbing a support with large glossy dark-green heart-shaped leaves divided by deep splits and natural oval fenestrations.

Hurricane Plant

Monstera deliciosa Liebm.
Araceae Juss. — Arum or Aroid Family
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Common hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) growing from a rounded bulb with thick strap-shaped green leaves and a dense upright spike of fragrant blue-purple tubular flowers.

Hyacinth

Hyacinthus orientalis L.
Asparagaceae — Asparagus Family;
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Iberian ivy (Hedera iberica) climbing a tree trunk with broad glossy evergreen juvenile leaves divided into shallow lobes and attached by numerous small aerial rootlets.

Iberian Ivy

Hedera iberica (McAll.) Ackerf. & J.Wen
Araliaceae — Ginseng or Ivy Family
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Mature Impala Lily or Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) with a thick swollen gray-green caudex, fleshy branching stems, clusters of glossy leaves, and large pink trumpet-shaped flowers with pale centers.

Impala Lily

Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.
Apocynaceae — Dogbane or Oleander Family
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Indian apple or Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) forming a woodland colony with large pale-green umbrella-shaped lobed leaves and a single nodding white flower hidden beneath a two-leaf flowering shoot.

Indian Apple (Mayapple)

Podophyllum peltatum L.
Berberidaceae — Barberry Family
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Cannabis sativa plant with an upright branching green stem and palmately compound leaves composed of narrow sharply serrated leaflets radiating from a central point.

Indian Hemp (Cannabis or Marijuana)

Cannabis sativa L.
Cannabaceae — Hemp Family
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Indian Pink as the alternate name for Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis, with alternate toothed lance-shaped leaves and vivid scarlet two-lipped tubular flowers arranged along a tall terminal spike

Indian Pink

Lobelia cardinalis L.
Campanulaceae — Bellflower Family
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Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) growing as a slender branched herb with hairy green stems, alternate toothed oval leaves, tiny pale blue two-lipped flowers, and rounded inflated seed capsules along the upper branches.

Indian-tobacco

Lobelia inflata L.
Campanulaceae — Bellflower Family;
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Inkberry or gallberry holly (Ilex glabra) forming a dense evergreen shrub with smooth narrow glossy leaves, small greenish-white flowers, and round black fruits clustered along female branches.

Inkberry

Ilex glabra (L.) A.Gray
Aquifoliaceae — Holly Family
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Garden iris with upright sword-shaped green leaves and a large purple flower composed of three upright standard petals and three broad drooping fall petals marked with contrasting veins.

Iris

Iris Tourn. ex L. — genus-level record; commonly written Iris spp. when the exact species or hybrid is unknown
Iridaceae — Iris Family
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Golden pothos or ivy arum (Epipremnum aureum) with trailing green vines and glossy heart-shaped leaves irregularly marbled with golden-yellow variegation.

Ivy Arum (Golden Pothos)

Epipremnum aureum (Linden & André) G.S.Bunting
Araceae — Arum or Aroid Family
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Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) growing in moist woodland with two large three-parted leaves and a green-and-maroon striped hooded spathe surrounding the upright central spadix.

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott
Araceae — Arum or Aroid Family
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Mature Jade Plant or Crassula ovata with thick branching stems, pairs of smooth oval succulent green leaves, reddish leaf margins, and clusters of small white to pale pink star-shaped flowers.

Jade Plant

Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce
Crassulaceae — Stonecrop and Succulent Family
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Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) forming a dense evergreen shrub with many small glossy oval leaves, inconspicuous pale flowers, and round black fruits tucked beneath the foliage.

Japanese holly

Ilex crenata Thunb.
Aquifoliaceae — Holly Family
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Japanese show lily (Lilium speciosum) with a tall leafy stem and large fragrant downward-facing flowers, each with strongly recurved white to pink tepals covered in dark crimson spots and long projecting stamens bearing pollen.

Japanese Show Lily

Lilium speciosum Thunb.
Liliaceae — True Lily Family
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Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) evergreen shrub with flat dark-green pointed needles, reddish-brown scaly stems, and bright-red cup-shaped arils partially surrounding hard brown seeds.

Japanese Yew

Taxus cuspidata Siebold & Zucc.
Taxaceae — Yew Family
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