Plants every child and dog should avoid as parents told 'don't' - full list

Plants every child and dog should avoid as parents told 'don't' - full list Plants like Lily of the valley and foxglove are two that dogs and children should stay away from There are plenty of everyday plants that can make dogs sick if they chew or swallow them. But some of the same flowers and houseplants can also be harmful to children, which means dog owners and parents need to take extra care about what they grow in gardens - and what they keep indoors. From Lily of the valley and foxglove to daffodils and common houseplants, the risk isn’t always obvious. Even small nibbles can trigger symptoms in dogs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, skin irritation or worse, so it’s worth checking labels before bringing anything new home and keeping unknown plants well out of reach. According to the Blue Cross, these plants can be dangerous to your dog, especially if they eat large amounts: - Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) - Azalea/rhododendrons (Rhododendron species) - Bluebells (Hyacinthoides species) - Common poppy (Papaver rhoeas) - Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster species) - Crocuses (Crocus species) - Daffodils (Narcissus species) - Dumbcane (Diffenbachia species) - Foxgloves (Digitalis species) - Garden star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) - Grape vine fruits (Vitis vinifera) - Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) - Holly (Ilex aquifolium) - Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) – look out for conkers in autumn that can cause problems such as gut blockages - Hyaciniths (Hyacinthus orientalis) - Ivy (Hedera helix) - Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides) - Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) - Mistletoe (viscum Album) - Onion and garlic plants (Allium species) - Oak (Quercus species) – look out for acorns in autumn that can cause problems such as gut blockages - Oleander (Nerium oleander) - Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) - Pieris plants (Pieris species) - Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) - Rhubarb plants (Rheum species) - Snowdrops (Galanthus) - Tulips (Tulipa species) - Yew (Taxus species) The Blue Cross explains: "Not all parts of these plants will be toxic, for example, in some plants only the bulbs or berries will cause problems. But it's better to keep your dog away from the whole plant to be safe. "Most of these toxic plants will only cause mild symptoms, but some can be more serious, especially if your dog eats lots of them in a short time. Remember, this isn’t a complete list and there are plants that haven’t yet been identified as toxic to dogs, but could still be a danger to them." The experts stress that owners always contact their vet if they are worried that their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t. What are the symptoms of plant poisoning in dogs? - Drooling - Not eating - Low energy - Vomiting or diarrhoea – especially if bits of chewed up plants are in it - Drinking or weeing more - Rashes - Red skin - Mouth ulcers - Pale gums - Twitching or seizures - Collapse Blue Cross stresses that if a dog eats a poisonous plant or is showing any signs of toxicity, owners should call their vet immediately. Never wait. What plants are bad for children? The RHS - the UK's gardening charity - explains there are many common hazards associated with plants, which can be caused by ingestion or contact. Children are often most at risk because the younger they are, the less they’re able to understand - or remember - not to touch, pick or put plants in their mouths. Some plants can cause digestive upset or discomfort if eaten. A small number of common plants are more toxic and could cause severe poisoning. On top of this, irritant sap can cause a burning sensation and sometimes blistering of skin - and anyone can be affected if the exposure is sufficient. In fact, "a very small number of plants have sap which renders the skin excessively sensitive to strong sunlight. This can result in severe localised sunburn with blistering and long-lasting skin discolouration." With this in mind, the RHS has urged parents to follow a few "simple rules." Do - Teach children not to play with or eat plants - Use gloves when pruning or weeding and keep skin covered - Teach children that if it is not a food plant or crop, do not eat it - Teach children what parts of an edible crop they can eat e.g. you can't eat tomato or potato leaves or flowers - Check plant labels for toxicity warnings, or research them before you buy or use it in your garden - Always wash hands after being out in the garden and ensure hands are washed before eating Don't - Don't eat ornamental plants. They are very beautiful - but not meant to be eaten. - Do not leave prunings or dug up plants in reach of children, pets or wildlife - Don't touch a plant unless you know what it is - Don’t plant edible and ornamental plants together in the same bed, border, container or pot The RHS notes that the list of plants below mirrors the HTA (Horticultural Trades Association) guidelines and includes garden plants and houseplants that have been known to cause injury, either by contact or after being eaten. Plants are listed in categories, A being the most toxic. Category A - Toxicodendron (poison ivy): CAUTION Skin allergen causing severe dermatitis; Poisonous if eaten Category B - Aconitum (monkshood) - toxic if eaten. Avoid skin contact - Allium sativum-skin irritant/allergen - Alocasia (taro) - toxic if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Anticlea(Zigadanus some species) - toxic if eaten - Aristolochia(Dutchman's pipe) - toxic if eaten - Arum (cuckoo-pint, lords-and-ladies) - toxic if eaten; skin & eye irritant - Asarum- toxic if eaten - Atropa (deadly nightshade) - toxic if eaten; skin irritant - Brugmansia (angel’s trumpet) - toxic if eaten; skin irritant; avoid eye contact - Brunfelsia(yesterday, today and tomorrow) - harmful if eaten - Colchicum (autumn crocus) - toxic if eaten - Convallaria majalis (lily-of-the-valley) - toxic if eaten - Cuckoo-pint - see Arum - Curcubita- ornamental varieties - toxic if eaten; fruit intended for decoration only - Cycas- harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Daphne(mezereon, spurge laurel) - toxic if eaten; skin irritant - Datura (thornapple) - toxic if eaten; skin irritant; avoid eye contact - Deadly nightshade - see Atropa - Dictamnus(burning bush) - toxic to skin with sunlight - Dieffenbachia(dumb cane, leopard lily) - toxic if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Dioscorea (syn. Tamus) - toxic if eated; skin irritant - Digitalis(foxglove) - toxic if eaten - Dumb cane - see Dieffenbachia - Euphorbia (spurge, poinsettia) - Irritant to skin/eye; harmful if eaten - Foxglove - see Digitalis - German primula - see Primula obconica - Ginkgo biloba - seeds harmful if eaten - Gloriosa superba (glory lily) - toxic if eaten - Hemlock water-dropwort - see Oenanthe - Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed) - toxic to skin with sunlight - Heracleum sphondylium (hogweed, common hogweed) and other Heracleum spp - toxic to skin with sunlight - Hogweed - see Heracleum - Humulus lupulus - skin irritant/allergen - Hyoscyamus (henbane) - toxic if eaten - Lagenaria(bottle gourd, calabash) - toxic if eaten; fruit intended for decoration only - Lily-of-the-valley - see Convallaria majalis - Lords-and-ladies - see Arum - Lupinus (lupin) -harmful if eaten - Mezereon - see Daphne - Monkshood - see Aconitum - Nerium oleander (oleander) - toxic if eaten; smoke from burning is harmful - Oenanthe crocata,O. aquatica, O. phellandrium (hemlock water-dropwort, water dropwort) - toxic if eaten - Ornithogalum (chincherinchee, star-of-Bethlehem) - harmful if eaten - Poinsettia - see Euphorbia - Phytolacca(pokeweed) - toxic if eaten - Pokeweed - see Phytolacca - Polygonatum (Solomon’s seal) - harmful if eaten - Primula obconica(except primin-free cultivars) (German primula), and P. auricula - skin irritant - Ricinus communis (castor oil plant) - toxic if eaten - Ruta (rue) - toxic to skin with sunlight - Solomon’s seal - See Polygonatum - Spurge laurel - see Daphne - Star-of-Bethlehem - see Ornithogalum - Tamus- see Dioscorea - Taxus (yew) - toxic if eaten - Thornapple - see Datura - Veratrum (false hellebore) - toxic if eaten - Water-dropwort - see Oenanthe - Yesterday, today and tomorrow - see Brunfelsia - Yew - See Taxus Category C - Acokanthera (bushman’s poison) - harmful if eaten - Actaea (baneberry) - harmful if eaten - Adenium- harmful if eaten - Aesculus (horse chestnut) - harmful if eaten - Agapanthus(African lily) - harmful if eaten - Agave - skin irritant - Aglaonema(Chinese evergreen) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Agrostemma githago (corncockle) - harmful if eaten - Ailanthus (tree of heaven) - skin irritant - Allamanda -harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Aloe- harmful if eaten - Alstroemeria(Peruvian lily) - skin allergen - Amaryllis - see Hippeastrum - Angel’s trumpet - see Brugmansia - Angel’s wings - see Caladium - Anthriscus sylvestris (cow parsley) - harmful to skin with sunlight - Anthurium (flamingo flower) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Apium graveolens(celery/celeriac) - harmful to skin with sunlight - Arachis hypogaea- (Seed packets only) seeds from this packet are not edible - Arisaema(cobra-lily) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Arisarum(mouse plant)- harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Arrowhead vine - see Syngonium - Asclepias - harmful if eaten - Asparagus(asparagus fern) - skin allergen; fruits harmful if eaten - poisonous - Autumn crocus See Colchicum - Azalea- see Rhododendron - Baneberry - see Actaea - Belladonna lily - see Amaryllis belladona - Bluebell - see Hyacinthoides - Brassica nigra, B. juncea(black mustard, brown mustard) - skin irritant/allergen - Bryonia dioica(white byrony) - harmful if eaten - Buckthorn - see Rhamnus - Bunny ears cactus - see Opuntia - Burning bush - see Dictamnus - Bushman’s poison - see Acokanthera - Caladium(angel’s wings) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Calico bush - see Kalmia - Calla lily - see Zantedeschia - Calla palustris(water arum) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Calycanthus- Carolina allspice - harmful if eaten - Capsicum annum (ornamental pepper cultivars)- irritant if eaten; skin/eye irritant - poisonous - Castor oil plant - see Ricinus communis - Celandine, greater - see Chelidonium majus - Chelidonium majus(greater celandine) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Cherry laurel - see Prunus laurocerasus - Chincherinchee - see Ornithogalum - Christmas cherry - see Solanum pseudocapsicum - Chrysanthemum - skin allergen - Citrus(lemon, lime, bergamot orange) - fruit harmful to skin in sunlight - Clematis (old man's beard) - skin irritant - Cobra-lily - see Arisaema - Colocasia esculenta (dasheen, eddo, taro) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Comfrey, Russian comfrey - see Symphytum - Corncockle - see Agrostemma githago - Curcubita- edible varieties (courgette, pumpkin, squash) - if crop is bitter, do not eat - Cymbidium- skin allergen - Cypripedium (lady's slipper orchid) - skin allergen - Cytissus - (broom) - harmful if eaten - Daffodil - see Narcissus - Dasheen - see Colocasia esculenta - Delphinium including Consolida (larkspur) - harmful if eaten - Devil’s ivy - see Epipremnum - Dianthus(carnation, sweet William) - skin allergen - Dracunculus (dragon arum) - harmful if eaten; skin & eye irritant - Echium - skin irritant - Elder - see Sambucus - Epipremnum(devil’s ivy) - harmful if eaten; skin & eye irritant - Euonymus (spindle tree) - somewhat poisonous - Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) - may cause skin allergen, harmful if eaten - Ficus carica (fig) - harmful to skin with sunlight - Fig - see Ficus - Frangula (alder buckthorn) - harmful if eaten - Fremontodendron - skin/eye irritant - Galanthus(snowdrop) - harmful if eaten - Gelsemium (false jasmine) - harmful if eaten - Goosefoot vine - see Syngonium - Grevillea- skin irritant/allergen - Hedera (ivy) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant/allergen - Helleborus (Christmas rose, Lenten rose) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Hippeastrum (amaryllis) - harmful if eaten - Horse chestnut - see Aesculus - Hyacinthoides (bluebell) - harmful if eaten - Hyacinthus (hyacinth) - skin irritant - Hydrangea - skin allergen - Ipomoea (morning glory) - harmful if eaten - Iris - harmful if eaten - Ivy - see Hedera - Juniperus communis(juniper) - skin allergen - Juniperus except J. communis - harmful if eaten, skin allergen - Kalmia (calico bush) - harmful if eaten - Lenten rose - see Helleborus - Laburnum- harmful if eaten - Lagenaria(bottle gourd)(syn. Cucurbita lagenaria), edible varieties - if crop is bitter, don't eat - Lantana- harmful if eaten - Larkspur - see Delphinium - Lathyrus(except L. sativus) - pods and seeds not edible - Laurel - see Prunus laurocerasus - Leyland cypress - see × Cupressocyparisleylandii - Ligustrum(privet) - harmful if eaten - Lithotoma axillaris(syn. Isotoma axillaris, Laurentia axiallaris) - skin irritant - Lobelia(except bedding lobelia, L. erinus) - harmful if eaten, skin irritant - Lysichiton (skunk cabbage) - harmful if eaten, skin & eye irritant - Marvel of Peru - see Mirabilis - Mentha pulegium(pennyroyal) - harmful if eaten - Mirabilis (marvel of Peru, four o’clock plant) - poisonous; skin irritant - Monstera deliciosa (Swiss cheese plant) - harmful if eaten, skin & eye irritant - Morning glory - see Ipomoea - Nandina domestica (sacred bamboo) - harmful if eaten - Narcissus (daffodil) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Nicotiana(tobacco) - harmful if eaten; avoid skin contact - Opium poppy - see Papaver somniferum - Opuntia (prickly pear, bunny ears) - skin and eye irritant - Pagoda tree - see Sophora - Papaver somniferum(opium poppy) - harmful if eaten - Parsnip - see Pastinaca sativa - Parthenocissus(Virginia creeper, Boston ivy) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Pastinaca sativa (parsnip) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Peace lily - see Spathiphyllum - Pepper, ornamental - see Capsicum annum - Peruvian lily - see Alstroemeria - Phacelia- skin allergen - Phaseolus (navy beans, kidney beans, French bean, climbing bean, runner bean)- raw pods/beans harmful if eaten raw - Philodendron- harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant/allergen - Physalis alkekengi(Chinese lantern)- harmful if eaten, except ripe fruit - Pieris - harmful if eaten - Pistia stratiotes(water lettuce) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Plumaria (frangipani) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Plumbago(leadwort) - skin irritant - Privet - see Ligustrum - Polyscias- skin irritant - Portugal laurel - see Prunus lusitanica - Primula auricula - skin allergen - Prunus laurocerasus, P. lustanica (cherry laurel, Portugal laurel) varieties bearing ornamental fruit - harmful if eaten - Ranunculus(buttercup, crowfoot, celandine, spearfoot, beakwort) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Rhamnus including Frangula (alder buckthorn, buckthorn) – harmful if eaten - Rheum × hybridum (rhubarb) - harmful if eaten, except cooked leaf stalks - Rheum except R. x hybridum (Chinese rhubarb) - harmful if eaten - Rhododendron, including Ledum, Azalea, Menziesia - harmful if eaten - Robinia pseudoacacia (locust tree) - harmful if eaten; skin irritant - Rumex(dock/sorrel) - harmful if eaten in large amounts - Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary) - skin allergen - Sambucus except S. nigra (elder) - harmful if eaten; fruit/flowers edible if cooked - Sauromatum(voodoo lily) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Schefflera (Umbrella tree) - skin irritant - Scilla - harmful if eaten - Skunk cabbage - see Lysichiton - Sinapis alba (white mustard) - skin irritant/allergen - Snowberry - see Symphoricarpos - Solanum tuberosum (potato) - harmful if eaten, except potato crop - Solanum, ornamental species (including S. pseudocapsicum (syn. S. capsicastrum) and S. dulcamara) - harmful if eaten - Sophora (pagoda tree) - harmful if eaten - Spanish broom - see Spartium junceum - Spartium junceum(Spanish broom) - harmful if eaten - Spathiphyllum(peace lily) - harmful if eaten, skin & eye irritant - Spindle tree - see Euonymus - Swiss cheese plant - See Monstera deliciosa - Symphoricarpos(snowberry) - harmful if eaten - Symphytum (comfrey, Russian comfrey) - harmful if eaten repeatedly - Syngonium(arrowhead vine, goosefoot vine) - harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant - Tagetes minuta - (African marigold, French marigold) - skin irritant/allergen - Taro – see Alocasia, Colocasia - Teucrium (germander) - harmful if eaten - Thermopsis (false lupin) - harmful if eaten - Thuja (western red cedar) - harmful if eaten; skin allergen - Tobacco - see Nicotiana - Tradescantia - skin allergen - Tropaeolum majus(nasturtium) - skin allergen - Tulip - see Tulipa - Tulipa(tulip) - harmful if eaten; skin allergen - Umbrella tree - see Schefflera - Urtica (nettle) - skin irritant - Viscum album (mistletoe) - harmful if eaten - Winter cherry - see Solanum pseudocapsicum - Woody nightshade - see Solanum - ×Cuprocyparis leylandii (Leyland cypress) - skin allergen - Yucca - skin allergen - Zamia - see Zamioculcas - Zamioculcas - harmful if eaten, skin/eye allergen/irritant - Zantedeschia (calla lily) - harmful if eaten; skin & eye irritant