Symptoms: Ingestion particularly of the bulb may cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea. Sap may cause skin and eye irritation. Warning: Seek medical attention if any part of the bulb is eaten or if symptoms occur.
Most plants in the Amaryllidaceae family, including daffodils, narcissus, and snowdrops, contain a naturally occurring alkaloid crystal called lycorine throughout the plant. This crystal is toxic when eaten and is poisonous to a number of animals, including humans, horses, cats, and dogs.
All parts of the plant are poisonous. Daffodil can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Jonquil and other daffodil species are toxic to dogs and humans. Ingestion of a small amount causes gastrointestinal upset. Large doses have severe symptoms and can even be fatal.
Plants and flowers poisonous to cats
Daffodils are just one of the many plants and flowers that can make your cat ill. Others include: Lilies. Amaryllis.
Or are these beautiful spring blooms safe to keep around our feline friends? Unfortunately, daffodils and our feline friends are not a good combination, as these bright flowers are poisonous to cats and can cause some serious harm if ingested.
Lilies are at the top of the list of poisonous plants for cats, which also includes Asiatic lilies, Easter lilies, Japanese show lilies, rubrum lilies, stargazer lilies, red lilies, tiger lilies, Western lilies, wood lilies, and daylilies.
Daffodil flowers are typically lightly scented while jonquils are highly perfumed. Jonquils are predominant and hardier in warmer southern regions, USDA Zones 8 and higher. Daffodils prefer the colder winter temperatures in Zones 3-8 before blooming in spring.
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
Commonly planted in Southern gardens, oleander is one of the most poisonous plants you can grow due to the poison, oleandrin. This toxin damages the heart and will cause heart arrhythmia and can even cause death.
All parts of the daffodil are toxic.
Daffodils contain galantamine – a compound known to slow the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms.
Daffodils have been used regularly in folk and traditional medicine, for in addition to the well-documented sickness-inducing properties, extracts can produce numbness, hallucinations, convulsions and cardiac effects, as well as being used for centuries in cancer treatments.
This is an informative webpage, citing the lovely warning that 'if you are trapped in a small space with a daffodil, it will give you a headache'. This helpful advice, from the BBC Homepage originally, also advises against eating the bulbs or applying them to an open wound.
Symptoms: All parts of the plant are poisonous. If eaten, symptoms can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Skin contact can cause dermatitis, rash or irritation. Warning: Seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Where they grow: Native to mountainous regions, tulips are most commonly found in places that have dry summers and cold winters. What's poisonous: The leaves, stems, roots, and berries are all toxic, with the bulbs containing the greatest amount of toxic chemicals.
Are Roses Poisonous? All parts of the rose, from the blossom to the leaves are non toxic to humans and safe to consume. Careful of the thorns on rose shrubs as they can easily scratch or poke you, causing minor skin irritations.
It's called aconitine, and it's a natural defense mechanism made by the aconite plant, also called monkshood for the shape of its flowers. For its effects, aconite is called wolfsbane, dogsbane and even, disturbingly enough, wifesbane. It grows in mountain meadows across the Northern Hemisphere.
Perhaps the most famously lethal on our list is Atropa belladonna, the aptly named Deadly Nightshade. This toxic plant belongs to the same family as tomatoes, potatoes and aubergines, and can be found across Europe, including in Britain, as well as North Africa, Western Asia and some parts of the USA and Canada.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, based on the amount of poison it takes to kill a human, the most poisonous common plant in the world is the castor bean (Ricinus communis).
The origins of narcissus
The botanical name for the daffodil is narcissus, named after the beautiful youth in Greek mythology who was tricked into falling in love with his own reflection.
Daffodils are poisonous to dogs if they eat the flowers or bulbs, or if they drink water from a vase with daffodils inside. The bulbs are often the most poisonous part of daffodils, as this is where the toxins are most concentrated.
Maximus, Trumpet Major daffodil, 1576 – loved for over 400 years!
Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill.
Geranium - Commonly grown in outdoor containers and hanging baskets, Pelargonium species are toxic for pets, causing skin rashes, vomiting, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
Generally, cats will stay away from plants that will harm them, but sometimes curiosity and boredom get the better of them and they might nibble on your plants. Consumption of poisonous plants can cause a range of symptoms from vomiting to serious illness and even death in some cases.