Poisonous & Toxic Species

⚠️ Important Safety Warning

Never touch, taste, or consume any species you cannot positively identify. This guide is for educational purposes only. When in doubt, consult a local expert. Use the iNature app for quick AI-powered identification in the field.

Arisaema serratum (Thunb.) Schott
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Arisaema serratum (Thunb.) Schott

Arisaema serratum (Thunb.) Schott

Arisaema serratum is a toxic perennial flowering arum native to Japan’s northern and central regions.

Calico-flower
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Calico-flower

Aristolochia littoralis Parodi

Aristolochia littoralis, commonly Dutchman's pipe, is a toxic climbing vine native to South America and invasive elsewhere.

Italian arum
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Italian arum

Arum italicum Mill.

Arum italicum Mill. is a poisonous ornamental aroid with variable subspecies native across Europe, North Africa, and West Asia.

showy milkweed
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

showy milkweed

Asclepias speciosa Torr.

Asclepias speciosa is a North American perennial milkweed, a key host plant for monarch butterflies, with some traditional human uses.

Deadly Nightshade
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Deadly Nightshade

Atropa belladonna L.

Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) is a highly toxic perennial plant with a long history of medicinal and poisonous use.

mule fat
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

mule fat

Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.

Baccharis salicifolia, mule fat, is a sticky flowering shrub native to the southwestern US, northern Mexico, and parts of South America.

common bamboo
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

common bamboo

Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C.Wendl.

Bambusa vulgaris is a widely cultivated tropical thornless bamboo with many uses and toxic compounds in its shoots.

thick-pod white wild indigo
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

thick-pod white wild indigo

Baptisia alba (L.) R.Br.

Baptisia alba, commonly white wild indigo, is a North American native legume that hosts specific insect larvae and is toxic to livestock and humans.

Fish Poison Tree
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Fish Poison Tree

Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz

Barringtonia asiatica is a toxic coastal tropical tree with showy fragrant flowers, buoyant ocean-dispersed fruit, and traditional human uses.

hoary alyssum
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

hoary alyssum

Berteroa incana (L.) DC.

Berteroa incana is a hairy herbaceous flowering plant toxic to horses, sometimes used ornamentally for ground cover in Europe.

Fragrant Candelabra
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Fragrant Candelabra

Brunsvigia bosmaniae F.M.Leight.

Brunsvigia bosmaniae is a South African Amaryllidaceae tumbleweed geophyte known for profuse pink fragrant night flowers, that may be toxic.

California incense-cedar
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

California incense-cedar

Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin

Calocedrus decurrens (incense cedar) is a large long-lived conifer native to western North America, used for wood and cultivated ornamentally.

crown flower
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

crown flower

Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton

Calotropis gigantea is a poisonous milk-bearing plant used for rituals, fiber, folk medicine, and studied for anti-cancer properties.

great camas
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

great camas

Camassia leichtlinii (Baker) S.Watson

Camassia leichtlinii, or great camas, is an edible bulb perennial with specific moisture and fire ecology needs.

Papaya
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Papaya

Carica papaya L.

Carica papaya L. (papaya) is a widely cultivated pantropical tropical fruit with specific cultivation, use, and toxicity traits.

Madagascar Periwinkle
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Madagascar Periwinkle

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don

Catharanthus roseus is a toxic flowering plant that produces the cancer-fighting alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine.

Grey Milkwood
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Grey Milkwood

Cerbera manghas L.

Cerbera manghas L. is a toxic plant with historical ordeal use and potential chemotherapeutic properties.

Pine Thistle
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Pine Thistle

Chamaeleon gummifer (L.) Cass.

Chamaeleon gummifer is a toxic Mediterranean perennial thistle that is a common source of fatal poisoning in Morocco.

Turkish Towel
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Turkish Towel

Chondracanthus exasperatus

Chondracanthus exasperatus is a perennial Pacific North American red algae with variable morphology, ecological roles, and human uses.

bulblet-bearing water hemlock
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

bulblet-bearing water hemlock

Cicuta bulbifera L.

Cicuta bulbifera L. is a poisonous North American perennial wetland plant that reproduces by seeds and bulbils.

Western Water Hemlock
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Western Water Hemlock

Cicuta douglasii (DC.) J.M.Coult. & Rose

Cicuta douglasii, western water hemlock, is North America's most poisonous toxic plant, native from Alaska to California, growing in wet habitats.

water hemlock
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

water hemlock

Cicuta maculata L.

Cicuta maculata, North America's most toxic native plant, is a poisonous perennial herb that grows in wet habitats.

Variegated Croton
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

Variegated Croton

Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Rumph. ex A.Juss.

Codiaeum variegatum, or variegated croton, is a colorful toxic tropical shrub widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

poison hemlock
⚠️ Poisonous Plantae

poison hemlock

Conium maculatum L.

Conium maculatum (poison hemlock) is a highly toxic nitrophilic herb with a well-documented history of poisonings and historical medicinal uses.

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