Poisonous & Toxic Species
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.
meadow anemone
Anemonastrum canadense (L.) Mosyakin
Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone) is a North American native flowering plant with medicinal uses and probable irritating toxins.
Greek Anemone
Anemone blanda Schott & Kotschy
Anemone blanda is an early-spring flowering herbaceous perennial, toxic if consumed or touched, popular in cultivation.
Cutleaf Anemone
Anemone multifida Poir.
Anemone multifida is a variable poisonous North American perennial herb with hairy foliage and usually white petal-like sepals.
ranger buttons
Angelica capitellata (A.Gray) Spalik, Reduron & S.R.Downie
Angelica capitellata, commonly called ranger's buttons, is a stout perennial herb native to moist habitats in western North America, listed as a toxic plant.
Stinking chamomile
Anthemis cotula L.
Anthemis cotula L., or stinking chamomile, is an annual scented plant native to the Palearctic that is toxic to some domestic animals.
American groundnut
Apios americana Medik.
Apios americana Medik. (American groundnut) is a climbing vine native to North America with edible cooked tubers and seeds.
hemp dogbane
Apocynum cannabinum L.
Apocynum cannabinum is a toxic North American plant with edible seeds and a history of medicinal use.
Moth Vine
Araujia sericifera Brot.
Araujia sericifera Brot. is a creeping toxic climbing vine native to South America that is often invasive outside its native range.
strawberry tree
Arbutus unedo L.
Arbutus unedo L. is an evergreen tree with edible berries, cultivated ornamentally and used in culinary and traditional medicine.
Big Berry Manzanita
Arctostaphylos glauca Lindl.
Arctostaphylos glauca is a long-lived allelopathic big-berry manzanita with edible fruits historically used by California Native Americans.
bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry) is a circumpolar evergreen groundcover shrub with a range of human uses and known toxicity concerns.
Coralberry
Ardisia crenata Sims
Ardisia crenata Sims, or Christmas berry, is a perennial evergreen shrub with red berries that has potential medicinal uses.
white prickly poppy
Argemone albiflora Hornem.
Argemone albiflora, the white prickly poppy, is a prickly flowering plant with documented traditional medicinal and cultural uses.
Mexican prickly poppy
Argemone mexicana L.
Argemone mexicana is a poisonous but medicinally used poppy species native to Mexico, now widely naturalized globally.
flatbud prickly poppy
Argemone munita Durand & Hilg.
Argemone munita, the flatbud prickly poppy, is a spiny, white-bloomed poppy native to western North America.
thistle poppy
Argemone polyanthemos (Fedde) G.B.Ownbey
Argemone polyanthemos is a poisonous short-lived prickly poppy native to North American prairies.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott
Arisaema triphyllum, or Jack-in-the-pulpit, is a sex-changing herbaceous perennial native to eastern North American forests.
Chilean Birthwort
Aristolochia chilensis Bridges ex Lindl.
Aristolochia chilensis is a poisonous Chilean perennial vine that uses foul-smelling flowers to pollinate via trapped flies.
Birthwort
Aristolochia clematitis L.
Aristolochia clematitis L. is a trailing toxic perennial herb that contains aristolochic acid linked to kidney failure and cancer.
Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel
Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel
Aristolochia paucinervis is a Mediterranean perennial vine with deceptive fly pollination, and documented traditional and modern medicinal uses.
Smearwort
Aristolochia rotunda L.
Aristolochia rotunda L. is a Mediterranean flowering plant that hosts Zerynthia polyxena caterpillars.
southwestern pipevine
Aristolochia watsonii Wooton & Standl.
Aristolochia watsonii is a small toxic perennial vine native to the southwestern US, grown in butterfly gardens.
Wolf's bane
Arnica montana L.
Arnica montana L. is a toxic European perennial herb used in herbal medicine with varying evidence of effectiveness.
red chokeberry
Aronia arbutifolia (L.) Pers.
Aronia arbutifolia (red chokeberry) is a North American edible landscaping shrub in the rose family.
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