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Irritant Plants

We've done a lot of work to make the information here as accurate as we can, but if you find anything wrong or missing, please contact us.

Please remember that everyone is different and some people are allergic to plants that may not be listed here. When seeking medical assistance as a result of a reaction always take a sample of the plant with you.

Names marked with an asterisk* mean that the plant's dangerous - possibly fatal in some cases.

Plants are listed in alphabetical order of botanical name. If you want to find one by its common name, press Ctrl-F and you'll get a box that lets you search the page.

Click on any picture to see it full size.

 
Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Acalypha Chenille plant
Copperleaf
Three-seeded Mercury		 (sap) skin & eyes
Aconitum Aconite
Monkshood
Wolfsbane
Leopard's bane
Women's bane
Devil's helmet
Blue rocket		 skin
Actaea Baneberry
Bugbane
Black snakeroot		 skin
Aglaonema Chinese evergreen (sap) skin & eyes
Allamanda Yellow bell
Golden trumpet
Buttercup flower		 (sap) skin & eyes
Alocasia Taro (sap) skin & eyes
Alstroemeria Peruvian lily
Lily of the Incas		 (all parts) skin & eyes*
Anabaena circinalis
Anacystis cynea		 Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) skin
Anthurium Flamingo flower
Boy flower		 skin & eyes
Arisaema Cobra-lily
Jack-in-the-pulpit		 (rhizome) skin & eyes
Arum Cuckoo-pint
Lords-and-ladies
Jack-in-the-pulpit		 skin & eyes
Asparagus
(except officinalis)		 Asparagus fern
Florist's fern
Lace fern		 (sap) skin
Atropa belladonna Belladonna
Deadly nightshade		 skin

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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to

Illustration
Caladium Angel’s wings
Elephant ear
Heart of Jesus		 (sap) skin
Calla palustris Water arum
Bog arum
Marsh calla		 skin & eyes
Capsicum annu um Ornamental pepper skin & eyes
Chelidonium majus Greater celandine (sap) skin & eyes
Chrysanthemum X morifolium
syn. Dendranthema X grandiflorum

Chrysanthemum
Mum
Chrysanth

 skin
Colocasia esculenta Taro
Dasheen
Arrowroot
Elephant ear		 (sap) skin

Cupressocyparis leylandii Leyland cypress
Leylandii		 (sap) skin
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Daphne mezereum Daphne
Spurge laurel
Mezereon		 skin

Datura Nightshade
Thorn-apple		 skin

Datura stramonium Datura
Jimson weed
Angel's trumpet
Devil's weed
Thorn-apple
Stinkweed
Jamestown weed
Moonflower
Tolguacha		 skin

Dendrocnide -
D. moroides		 Stinging nettle
Stinging tree
Gympie gympie		 skin*
Dicentra cucullaria Dutchman's breeches skin (allergen)

Dictamnus Burning bush
False dittany
White dittany
Gas plant		 skin (with sunlight)
Dieffenbachia Dumb cane
Leopard lily		 (sap) skin & eyes
Dracunculus Dragon arum
Black arum
Voodoo lily
Snake lily
Stink lily
Black dragon
Dragonwort
Ragons
Drakondia		 skin & eyes
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Echium

Viper's bugloss
Patterson's curse
Tower of jewels

 skin

Epipremnum Devil’s ivy
Pothos
Silver vine
Money plant
Centipede tongavine
Solomon islands' ivy
Philodendron (error)		 skin & eyes
Euphorbia
(including E. pulcherrima)		 Spurge
(including Poinsettia)		 (sap) skin & eyes*

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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Ficus benjamina Weeping fig
Benjamin's fig		 (sap) skin
Ficus carica Fig
Common fig		 (sap) skin & eyes
Fremontodendron

Flannelbush
Flannel bush

 skin & eyes
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Grevillea
(some species, especially 'Robyn Gordon' and Robusta)		 Grevillea
Silky oak
Silver oak
Spider flower
Toothbrush		 (leaves, flowers, sawdust from wood) skin* (allergen)

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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Hedera Ivy skin* (allergen)
Helleborus niger Christmas rose
Black hellebore		 skin
Helleborus orientalis Lenten rose
Lenten hellebore
Oriental hellebore		 skin
Heracleum mantegazzianum Giant hogweed
Giant cow parsley		 skin* (in sunlight)

Hippomane mancinella Manchineel
Manchioneel		 skin* eyes* (from smoke)
Hyacinthus Hyacinth skin, respiratory tract (allergen)
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Iris

Iris
Flag Iris

skin

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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Ligustrum Privet (pollen) skin, respiratory tract
Lobelia
except L. erinus 		Lobelia
Asthma Weed
Indian Tobacco
Pukeweed
Vomitwort 		skin & eyes
Lysichiton Skunk cabbage skin & eyes (allergen)
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Mirabilis Marvel of Peru
Four o’clock plant 		skin

Monstera deliciosa Swiss cheese plant
Cheese plant
Ceriman
Fruit salad plant
Monster fruit
Monsterio delicio
Monstereo
Mexican breadfruit
Monstera 		skin & eyes

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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Narcissus Daffodil (sap) skin
Nerium oleander Oleander (sap) skin & eyes
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Opuntia microdasys Bunny ears cactus
Bunny cactus
Polka-dot cactus		 (surface) skin
Ornithogalum Chincherinchee
Star of Bethlehem
Sun star
Pregnant onion
False sea onion
Snake flower
Bath asparagus
Prussian asparagus		 skin
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Parietaria judaica Spreading pellitory
Stick weed
Sticky-weed
Asthma weed		 (pollen) respiratory system (allergen)
Parthenocissus Virginia creeper
Japanese creeper
Boston ivy
Sevenleaf creeper
Thicket creeper
Woodbine
Grape woodbine 		(sap) irritant
Philodendron (sap) skin & eyes
Phytolacca Pokeweed
American nightshade
Cancer jalap
Coakum
Garget
Inkberry
Pigeon berry
Pocan bush
Redweed 		(sap) skin (allergen)
Polyscias Aralia skin
Primula obconica German primula
Poison primrose		 skin (allergen)
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Ranunculus Buttercup
Spearwort
Water crowfoot
Lesser celandine 		skin (allergen)
Rhamnus
including Frangula 		Alder buckthorn
Buckthorn 		skin

Rhus lancea African sumach
Karee		 (sap) skin*; smoke from burning*
Ruta Rue skin* (in sunlight)
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
 Schefflera Umbrella tree (sap) skin
Spathiphyllum Peace lily
Spath lily		 skin & eyes
Syngonium Arrowhead plant
Arrowhead vine
Goosefoot vine
Arrowhead philodendron
Goosefoot
Trileaf wonder
African evergreen		 skin & eyes
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Toxicodendron diversilobum
syn. Rhus diversiloba		 Western poison-oak
Pacific poison-oak		 skin* (allergen)
Toxicodendron pubescens
syn. Rhus toxicarium		 Atlantic poison-oak skin* (allergen)

Toxicodendron radicans
syn. Rhus radicans
syn. Rhus toxicodendron 		Poison-ivy skin*
respiratory tract from smoke when burning*(allergen)
Toxicodendron rydbergii
syn. Rhus rydbergii 		Western poison-ivy skin* (allergen)
Toxicodendron striatum
syn. Rhus striata 		Manzanillo skin* (allergen) No image available
Toxicodendron succedaneum
syn. Rhus succedanea 		Wax tree
wax-leaved privet 		skin* (allergen)
Toxicodendron vernicifluum
syn. Rhus verniciflua 		Japanese lacquer tree
Japanese sumach 		sap

Toxicodendron vernix
syn. Rhus vernix		 Poison sumach skin*
respiratory tract from smoke when burning*
(allergen)
Tulipa Tulip skin
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Urtica Nettle (hairs) skin

Urtica ferox Ongaonga
Tree nettle 		(hairs) skin*
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Vitex Vitex
Chaste tree
Chasteberry
Monk's pepper 		skin
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Botanical name Common name (Part/s) irritant to Illustration
Zantedeschia Arum lily
Calla lily 		skin & eyes