MONKSHOOD(Aconitum napellus)Tall perrenial herb

AUTUMN CROCUS(Colchicum autumnale)Cultivated flowering perrenial

SOME PLANT SAFETY TIPS

For more information about plants, visit:

Nova Scotia Museum of Natural Historyhttp://museum.gov.ns.ca/poison/pplant2.htm

Acknowledgements The IWK Regional Poison Centre thanks:Marian Munro, Asst. Curator of Botany, NS Museum of Natural History, Halifax, NS Our corporate sponsor, Emera Inc., for their financialsupport.

Design: ArtWorksIllustration: (children) Dawn Boylan

References Toll, LL & Hurlburt, KM (Eds): POISONDEX® System.

MICROMEDEX, Greenwood Village, Colorado (Editionexpires 12/2002).

What about plant care products?Sometimes plants, flowers and lawns aretreated with pesticides (insecticides andherbicides). These products may containchemicals that can be harmful. Childrenshould be kept off of freshly sprayed grassand away from freshly treated plants.

As with all potentially poisonousproducts, pesticides should be kept in theiroriginal containers and stored in a lockedarea out of reach of children.

Protect your pets, too!Our pets need protection just like ourchildren. Plants and pesticides, as well asother poisons can cause problems foranimals. Remember to keep your pets outof harm’s way, and poisons out of pet’s way.

1. IDENTIFY all plants in and around your home. Itis best to know the botanical name ofthe plant. Your local landscape orgarden centre can help.

2. LABEL each plant in your home with itsbotanical name. Placing the name on apiece of tape and attaching it to thebottom of the pot works well.Remember to use water-proof ink!

3. KEEP houseplants, seeds and bulbs out ofreach of children and pets.

4. TEACH children never to put leaves, flowers,seeds, nuts or berries in their mouthwithout checking with an adult first.

5. NEVER eat wild mushrooms. Some poisonousmushrooms look like mushrooms thatare safe to eat.

6. REMEMBER that any plant can cause choking or anunexpected reaction in some people. Ifa reaction occurs, call 911.

Plants: A Guide for Poison PreventionPlants: A Guide for Poison PreventionEach year the IWK Regional Poison Centre receives over 500 calls concerning exposure to plants. While themajority of these cases do not result in symptoms, a fewplants do cause problems. Many of the more severe casesinvolve young children.

This brochure was developed to help you preventpoisonings as a result of exposures to plants. Commonhouse and garden plants are listed according to theirtoxicity as non-poisonous, mildly poisonous or verypoisonous.

Plants in this guide are listed by both common name (in bold) and botanical name (in italics and brackets). Thebotanical name does not change from region to region,but the common name sometimes does. For example,what you call Angel’s Trumpet, your neighbour might call Jimson Weed. Both are Datura stramonium. Sometimestwo different plants have the same common name. Forexample, the common name Jade Plant may refer toCrassula argentea in some parts of Canada but toPortulacaria Afra in others.

On the back page of this brochure there is a list of safetytips you can use to make your home and yard more poison safe.

This guide contains only partial listings of poisonous and non-poisonous plants. If you have questions about plants not in thisguide, or about any poisoning, call the IWK Regional Poison Centre at 1-800-565-8161 (toll-free in Nova Scotia and PEI) or 470-8161 (HRM).

In a Poisoning Emergency, CALL 911. You will be connected directlyto the Poison Centre and will be able to speak to one of our nurses,pharmacists or doctors.

We are staffed 24 hours a day, everyday, to help you.

POISON IVY(Toxicodendron radicans)Woody shrub or vine

MUSHROOM(Amanita species)

YEW(Taxus Species)Evergreen shrub

FOXGLOVE(Digitalis Purpurea)Erect biennial herb

LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY(Convallaria Species)Flowering herbaceousperrenial

POISON HEMLOCK(Conium maculatum)Biennial, herbaceousplant

JIMSON WEED(Datura stramonium)Large annual herb

WOODY NIGHTSHADE(Solanum dulcamara)Perennial shrubbyclimber

CASTOR BEAN(Ricinus communis)Annual bush

IWK Health Centre5850/5980 University AvenuePO Box 3070, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3J 3G9 Canada

IWK Regional Poison CentreMember, Canadian Association Regional Poison Control CentresMember, American Association Regional Poison Control CentersIN AN EMERGENCY CALL 911Non-Emergency (HRM): 470-8161Toll-free in NS and PEI: 1-800-565-8161

P A R T N E R S I N P O I S O N P R E V E N T I O N

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME TYPEAfrican violet (Saintpaulia ionantha) H & ORN African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) ORNAluminum plant (Pilea cadierei) ORNAralia, false (Dizygotheca elegantissima) ORNAspidistra (Aspideistra species) ORNAster (Callistephus chinensis) ORN Aster (Aster species) N & ORNBaby’s tears (Helxine soleirolii) ORN Bead plant (Nertera granadensis) ORNBegonia (Begonia species) ORNBird’s nest fern (Asplenium serratum) ORNBoston fern (Nephrolepis exalta) ORN Camelia (Camelina sativa) ORNCaragana (Caragania arborescens) ORNChinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) ORN Christmas cactus (Zygocactus truncatus) H & ORNColeus (Coleus amboinicus) ORNCorn plant (Dracaena fragrans) ORNCreeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) ORNCreeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) ORNDahlia (Dahlia species) ORNDandelion (Taraxacum officinale) NDracaena (Dracaena marginata) ORNDragon tree (Dracaena draco) ORNDusty miller (Senecio cineraria) ORNEugenia (Eugenia aggregata) ORNFlaming sword (Vriesea splendens) ORNFluffy ruffles fern (Nephrolepis exalta) ORNForget me not (Myosotis) ORNFuchsia (Fuchsia species) ORNGardenia (Gardgenia jasminoides) ORNGeranium (Pelargonium species) ORNGloxinia (Sinningia speciosa) ORNGrape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia) ORNHawthorn (Crataegus species) N & ORNHens and Chickens fern (Echeveria agavoides) ORN Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabradiffa) ORNHollyhock (Althaea rosea) ORN Honeysuckle (Lonicera species) N &ORN Hoya (Hoya naumanii) ORNIce plant (Aptenia cordifolia) ORN

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME TYPEIce plant (Cyrophytum crystallinum) ORN Impatiens (Impatiens species) ORNJade plant (Crassula argentea) ORN Lace plant (Polygonum aubertii) ORNLace plant (Trachymene caerulea) ORNLilac (Syringa species) N & ORN Lily, Easter (Lilium longiflorum) ORNLipstick plant (Aeschynanthus lobbianus) ORN Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) ORNMonkey plant (Nimulus species) N & ORN Mountain ash (Sorbus) NNasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) ORN Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) ORNPalm, Bigleaf (Fatsia japonica) H Peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) ORN Petunia (Petunia) ORNPiggyback plant (Tolmiea menziesii) ORNPoinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) HPony Tail plant (Beaucarnea recurvata) ORN Prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) ORNPurple passion vine (Gynura aurantiaca) ORNRubber plant (Ficus elastica) ORNSaskatoon berry (Amelanchier species) NSensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) ORNSilver dollar (lunaria annua) ORNSnapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) ORNSnowball bush (Viburnum) ORNSpider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) ORNSpirea (Spirea) N & ORNSplit leaf Philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) ORN &HStaghorn fern (Platyceruim bifurcatum) ORNSunflower (Helianthus annuus) ORNSwedish ivy (Plectranthus australis) ORNSword fern (Nephrolepis exalta) ORN Umbrella tree (Brassaia actinophylla) ORNUrn plant (Aechmea fasciata) ORNWandering Jew (Tradescantia species) ORNWax plant (Hoya carnosa) ORN Yucca (Yucca elata) ORNZebra plant (Cryptanthus zonatus) ORN

non-toxicCOMMON NON-POISONOUS PLANTS mildly toxicCOMMON MILDLY POISONOUS PLANTS very toxicCOMMON VERY POISONOUS PLANTS

ORN = ornamental plant; H = house plant; CROP = food crop; N = native to Nova Scotia or naturalized.Note: Common names of plants may vary by geographic location.

The following plants are generally thought to produce only minor symptomssuch as stomach upset, mouth and throat pain or skin rash. If large quantitiesare swallowed, or if a person frequently takes smaller amounts of the plant,more serious symptoms could develop. Some people are more sensitive to thetoxic effects of plants than are others.This is not a complete list.

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME TYPEAlfalfa (Medicago sativa) CROPAloe Vera (Aloe variegata) HAlsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) CROPAmaryllis (Amaryllis species) HAsparagus fern (A. plumosus, A. asparagoides) H Baneberry (Actaea species) NBlack walnut (Juglans nigra) ORNBlack-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) ORNBlack locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) NBlack cherry (Prunus serotina) NBloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) NBlue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) NBracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) NBroad bean (Vicia faba) CROPBuckthorns (Rhamnus species) N Buck-Wheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) N & CROP Burning bush (Euonymus atropurpurea) ORNButtercup (Ranunculus species) NCalla Lily (Zantedeschia species) N & HCardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) ORNCarnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) ORNCentury plant (Agave americana) HChinese lantern (Abutilon hybridum) ORNChrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum species) N & ORNCommon Hops (Humulus lupulus) N & CROPCommon comfrey (Symphytum officinale) NCommon Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) NCroton (Codiaeum species) HCrown-of-Thorns (Euphorbia millii) H Cyclamen (Cyclamen) HDaffodil (Narcissus) ORNDelphinium (Delphinium) ORN Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia species) HDogwood (Cornus species) N & ORNDutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) N & ORNElephant’s ear (Caladium species) HEucalyptus (Eucalyptus species) HGarden sorrel (Rumex acetosa) NHogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) NCelandine, Lesser (Chelidonium majus) N & ORN Ground cherry (Physalis) ORNHolly (Ilex species) N & ORN Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) N & ORN Hounds tongue (Cynoglossum amabile) N & ORN

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME TYPEHyacinth (Hyancinthus orientalis) ORNHydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) ORNEnglish oak (Quercus robur) N & ORN Iris (Iris species) N & ORNIvy (Hedera Helix) H & ORN Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) NJerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum) ORN Kaffir lily (Clivia miniata) ORNLady’s slipper (Cypripedium species) NLamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina) NLarkspur (Delphinium species) ORNLupine (Lupinus species) N & ORNMarsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) N & ORNMarsh arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) N Miniature orange tree (Citrus mitis) HMistletoe, American (Phoradendron flavescens) HMorning glory (Ipomoea species) ORNMotherwort (Leonarus cardiaca) NNettles (Urtica species) NNightshade (deadly, woody) (Solanum dulcamara) NPencil tree (Euphobia tirucalli) HPoison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) NPoppy, Common (Papaver species) ORNPrimrose (Primula species) ORN & HRed Berried Elder (Sambucus pubens) NRed maple (Acer rubrum) NRed clover (Trifolium pratense) N & CROPRed oak (Quercus rubra) NReed canary grass (Phalaris species) N & ORNRhododendron Arborescens (Rhododendron arborescens) N & ORNRhubarb (Genus rheum) CROPSneezeweed (Helenium flexosum) ORNSnowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) ORNSt. John’s Wort (Hypericum species) N & ORNStar of Bethlehem (Orniphogalum umbellatum) ORNTansy (Chrysanthemum vulgare) NTulip (Tupila species) ORN Goldenrods (Solidago species) N & ORN Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) N & ORN White clover (Trifolium repens) N & CROPWild cabbage (Brassica oleracea) N & CROP Wild parsnip (Pastinaca species) NWisteria (Wisteria floribunda) ORNYellow rocket (Barbarea vulgaris) N

It is very rare for plants to cause life-threatening symptoms.But it does happen. The following plants are considered verypoisonous. Eating even a small amount may lead to serioussymptoms. If enough is ingested, life-threatening effects coulddevelop. Always CALL 911 even if you just suspect one of theseplants has been ingested.This is not a complete list.

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME TYPEAlder buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula) NAngel’s trumpet/Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium) NAstragalus (Astragalus species) N & ORNAutumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) ORNBlack henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) N Blueweed (Echium vulgare) NCalico bush (Kalmia latifolia) N & ORN Canadian milk-vetch (Astragalus canadensis) N & ORN Castor bean (Ricinus communis) ORNCorn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) ORN Cowbane (Cicuta maculata) NDaphne (Daphne species) N & ORNYew (Taxus species) N & ORN False helleborne (Veratrum californicum) ORNFoxglove (Digitalis purpurea) ORNGlory lily (Gloriosa) ORN

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME TYPEGroundsels (Senecio species) NDogbane (Apocynon species) N Jequirity bean (Abrus precatorius) imported decorative bead Lantana (Lantana camara) H & ORN Laurel (Kalmia species) N & ORN Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria species) N & ORN Milkweeds (Asclepias species) N & ORN Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) ORNMushrooms (3000+ species in NS and only around twelve are safe) Northern water-hemlock (Cicuta species) NPoison hemlock (Conium maculatum) N Precatory pea (Abrus precatorius) imported as jewelry Siberian scilla (Scilla siberica) ORNTobacco (ornamental) (Nicotiana tabacum) CROPWater hemlock (Genus cicuta) N

Call 911

The following plants are generally considered to be safeor non-poisonous. It is important to remember, though,that children can choke on any plant.This is not a complete list.

What to do in Case of a Poisoning When a child puts part of any plant in his/her mouth the immediate concern is choking. Make sure all visible plant material is removed from his/her mouth. Then Call 911. They will connect you immediately to the IWK Regional Poison Centre.

Here at the Poison Centre we will ask you questions to help identify the plant and the amount taken. Together we will determine if the patient needs to be treated.

If you have any questions about possibly poisonous plants, whether listed here or not, please call the IWK Regional Poison Centre at 1-800-565-8161 (toll-free in NS and PEI) or 470-8161 (HRM).