Toxic Plants — Indoors and Outdoors
Identifying and removing common plants that are dangerous to pets in Australian homes and gardens.
Common Toxic Indoor Plants
Many popular houseplants are toxic to pets. Here are the most common offenders found in Australian homes:
Lilies — Extremely dangerous for cats. All parts of true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species) are toxic. Even small ingestions — licking pollen off their fur — can cause fatal kidney failure within 24 to 72 hours. If you have cats, remove all lilies from your home immediately.
Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane) — Contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense oral irritation, drooling, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting.
Pothos (Devil’s Ivy) — One of the most common trailing houseplants. Contains calcium oxalate crystals. Causes oral irritation and vomiting in dogs and cats.
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) — All parts are toxic, but the seeds are the most dangerous. Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, and liver failure. Fatality rates are high.
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) — Causes oral irritation, drooling, and vomiting. Less dangerous than true lilies but still best avoided in homes with pets.
Aloe Vera — The gel is used in many products, but the plant itself contains saponins and anthraquinones that cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and lethargy.
Dangerous Garden and Outdoor Plants
Your garden can harbour equally dangerous plants. Common toxic outdoor plants in Australia include:
Oleander — Extremely toxic. All parts of the plant contain cardiac glycosides. Ingestion of even a small amount can cause fatal heart abnormalities. Very common in Australian gardens and streetscapes.
Brunfelsia (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow) — Very common in Australian gardens. Causes tremors, seizures, and can be fatal. The berries are particularly attractive to dogs.
Azaleas and Rhododendrons — Contain grayanotoxins. Ingestion causes vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, and potentially fatal cardiovascular effects.
Autumn Crocus (Colchicum) — Contains colchicine. Causes severe vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney damage, and respiratory failure.
Mushrooms — Wild mushrooms that appear in lawns after rain can be extremely toxic. Since identification is difficult, treat all wild mushrooms as potentially dangerous and remove them from your yard promptly.
Safe alternatives — Consider replacing toxic plants with pet-safe options like spider plants, Boston ferns, African violets, calathea, and herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme.
Toxic Plant Flashcards
Toxic Plant Quiz
Which plant is the single greatest plant-related threat to cats?
Before purchasing any new plant, search its name on the ASPCA's Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (aspca.org) or the Animal Poisons Helpline website. Many common nursery plants sold in Bunnings and local garden centres are toxic to pets but are not labelled as such.