Gardeners concerned about pets or small children ingesting plants should be aware that many favorite landscape flowers are poisonous and ingesting them can be deadly. Your local cooperative extension office can answer questions about the toxicity to humans and pets of popular landscape plants in your county. For questions about plant poisoning, call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
All parts of the oleander plant are highly toxic.
Oleander shrubs bloom year-round with showy, but poisonous, flower clusters. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Oleander grows up to 30 feet tall and is sometimes pruned to be a small tree. The leaves are long, narrow and blade-like. Pink, white or yellow flowers bloom in clusters at the tip of the branches. The trunk and branches are pale grey. Poisoning occurs from ingesting the nectar of the flowers, stems or leaves. The National Institutes of Health states that it is also possible to be poisoned by eating honey made from oleander flowers. Symptoms of oleander poisoning include blurred vision, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, headache and death.
Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia Suaveolens)
Gorgeous but deadly angel trumpet flower.
A blooming angel trumpet gets a lot of attention in the landscape, but the beautiful bell-shaped flowers are deadly. The angel trumpet is an herbaceous plant but looks like a small tree or shrub. Flowers up to 15 inches long dangle from soft grey or green branches. The leaves are oval, large and dark green. Flowers may be white, pink, orange, yellow, red or lilac in color. All parts of the plant contain an hallucinogenic substance that can be lethal. Ingesting or making tea from any part of this plant, especially the leaves, causes poisoning. Symptoms of angel trumpet poisoning include urine retention, blurred vision, dry mouth, vomiting, rapid pulse and high blood pressure, coma, convulsions, delirium, hallucinations, headache and death. Victims may have red skin, a fever and feel very thirsty.
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Delicate and deadly, lily of the valley is poisonous.
Lily of the valley is a popular landscaping plant with dark green, shiny foliage. Delicate bell-shaped flowers droop from thin stems among the leaves. The flowers are very fragrant. The flowers, fruit and leaves of the plant are all poisonous. Symptoms include blurred vision, halos around objects, excessive night-time urination, diarrhea, vomiting, stomachache, slow heart rate, confusion, depression, fainting, headache, lethargy and weakness. The victim's skin may show a rash or hives.
Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Hydrangea are mildly toxic.
Hydrangea is a shrub that grows from 4 to 10 feet tall, sporting large, light green leaves, and blooms profusely with umbrella-shaped flower clusters. Hydrangea flowers may be white, blue or pink. The bark, leaves and flower buds of the lovely hydrangea are poisonous. Ingesting these parts of the plant leads to symptoms of nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and sweating. Hydrangea is only lethal when ingested in large quantities.
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