Plants & Mushrooms
While many of us surround ourselves with houseplants and outdoor plants, we may not know if these plants are potentially poisonous. You might be surprised at how often people have potentially poisonous plants in and around their homes. Some plants and berries can be poisonous if eaten or chewed; some can be poisonous to touch. Visit the plants and mushrooms section of www.ncpoisoncontrol.org to see pictures of common poisonous indoor and outdoor plants in North Carolina. If you have a question about a plant in your home, have unintended contact with a plant, or a child has eaten, chewed, or touched the leaves or berries of a plant, call the experts at NC Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
Wild mushrooms are another outdoor plant that may be difficult to identify. Don’t eat wild mushrooms. If a child eats a wild mushroom, immediately remove any pieces from the mouth, save any remaining mushroom pieces, and call NC Poison Control right away.
Some Potentially Poisonous Indoor Plants
- Amaryllis
- Caladium
- Dumbcane/Dieffenbachia
- English Ivy
- Peace Lily
- Philodendron
- Pothos/Devil’s Ivy
Potentially Poisonous Outdoor Plants*
- Azalea
- Belladonna
- Black Locust
- Boxwood
- Caladium
- Capsicum
- Castor Bean
- Chinaberry
- Chrysanthemum (Mums)
- Crocus
- Crown-of-Thorns
- Daffodil
- Eunonymus
- Four O’Clock
- Foxglove
- Fruit pits/Seeds
- Gladiola
- Holly
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea
- Iris/Flags
- Jerusalem Cherry
- Jimsonweed
- Jonqui
- Lily of the Valley
- Lobelia Morning Glory
- Mountain Laurel
- Mushrooms
- Narcissus
- Nephthytis/Arrowhead
- Nightshade Family
- Oak (acorns)
- Oleander
- Peony
- Podophyllum
- Poison Ivy
- Poison Oak
- Poison Sumac
- Pokeweed/Pokeberry
- Privet
- Rhododendron
- Tobacco/Wild Tobacco
- Water Hemlock
- Wisteria
Yew