Austin Pet Safety: Plants Dangerous to Household Animals

Household pets provide comfort, companionship, and protection. For all they have to offer, though, animals rely on owners for protection from harm. According to the North American Pet Health Association, over 100,000 cases of pet poisoning were reported in the U.S. in 2011.

A creek-front home in Barton Creek may have a completely different array of hazardous plants than a hill country home in Senna Hills. By learning about potentially hazardous toxic plants in and around their homes, owners can better protect pets from the danger of accidental poisoning.

According to Embrace Pet Insurance’s claims database, the top five plant-related pet poisons last year were cacao (chocolate), grapes (especially raisins), mushrooms, macadamia nuts, and avocado. Here is a list of common Austin-area home, garden, and native plants known to harm pets. Click on the link provided below for a more comprehensive list and for additional pictures and information on each toxic plant.

Poisonous Plants for Pets

• African Wonder Tree
• Aloe Vera
• Amaryllis
• Apple (seeds)
• Apricot (pit)
• Arrow-Head Vine
• Avocado (fruit and pit)
• Azalea
• Baby Doll Plant
• Baby’s Breath
• Bamboo
• Barbados Pride
• Begonia
• Bird of Paradise
• Black Walnut
• Bluebonnet
• Buckeye
• Cacao (chocolate)
• Caladium (elephant ear)
• Carnation
• Castor Bean
• Chamomile
• Cherry (seeds/leaves)
• Chinaberry Tree
• Chinese Jade Plant
• Chives
• Coffee
• Daffodil
• Dahlia
• Daisy
• Elderberry
• English Holly
• English Ivy
• Eucalyptus
• Ferns
• Fig
• Flamingo Flower
• Flax
• Foxglove
• Garlic
• Geranium
• Grapefruit
• Grapes (and raisins)
• Hibiscus
• Honeysuckle
• Hops
• Horse Chestnut
• Hyacinth
• Hydrangea
• Indian Rubber Plant
• Iris
• Jack in the Pulpit
• Jasmine/Jessamine
• Jonquil
• Kalanchoe
• Lantana
• Laurel
• Leeks
• Lemon
• Lilies (cats only)
• Lime
• Macadamia Nut
• Maple
• Marijuana
• Mistletoe
• Morning Glory
• Mountain Laurel
• Mushrooms
• Nandina
• Narcissus
• Oak
• Oleander
• Onion
• Orange
• Ornamental Pepper
• Parsley
• Peach (pit/leaves)
• Pencil Cactus
• Peony
• Periwinkle
• Philodendron
• Poinsettia (slight toxicity)
• Poison Hemlock
• Ponderosa Pine
• Potato (unripe fruit/stem/leaves)
• Primrose
• Privet
• Radish
• Ragwort
• Rhododendron
• Rhubarb
• Rose of Sharon
• Sago Palm
• St. John’s Wort
• Sweet Pea
• Sweet Potato Vine
• Thyme
• Tobacco
• Tomato Plant (unripe fruit/stem/leaves)
• Tulip
• Umbrella Tree
• Virginia Creeper
• Wandering Jew
• Water Hyacinth
• Western Pine
• Wisteria
• Yarrow
• Yew
• Yucca

Always be prepared. Household pets may become poisoned in spite of even the best efforts to prevent it! If you suspect that your pet has ingested something poisonous, seek medical help immediately. Keep important phone numbers on hand so that you can contact your veterinarian or the local emergency veterinary service. Or, call the ASPCA National Poison Center 24-hour emergency poison hotline directly at 1-888-426-4435 (an incident fee may apply). To learn more about the effects of these and other toxic plants on pets, click here to visit the online pet poisoning help center.

Regent REALTORS® enjoy sharing relevant news and information with clients. Searching for a waterfront property, downtown condo, or Austin home for sale? Regent Property Group also helps clients stay on top of the latest in luxury home trends, from Falcon Pointe to Lakeway.

Also learn about plants that are poisonous to people in Don’t Mess with Texas Toxic Plants: 20 Austin Varieties.