Dogs and Gardens. What Plants are Poisonous to Dogs.

I recently wrote a piece on Why Do Dogs Eat Grass (10 May 2008). This got me to thinking about dogs and gardens.

I used to have a lawn that became a piece of grass. It is mostly a sea of mud in winter! All thanks to my dogs tearing around.

There are other problems too. I never eat the herbs from my herb garden or the good rhubarb that I grow. The thought of what the dogs do on it rather puts me off!

The obvious way to protect your veg, herbs, and other plants is to fence them off or have raised beds.

I found a cheap way of fencing off - use tree stakes and chicken wire (you can buy a big roll very cheaply from an agricultural merchant).

Raised beds involve more work, but can look very good.

At the moment I am taking my garden apart and re-designing it. Plenty of work and cost involved.

I'm making sure that the dogs can't get to some things and, more importantly, making sure that the garden is dog friendly.


There are plants which are poisonous to dogs, some are fatal.

I have a list for you below. It isn't a definitive list but I think it covers most of the ones that you will normally plant in your garden.

Plants That Are Poisonous To Dogs

Coco Shells.
This is sold for use as a mulch. It makes your garden smell like chocolate! Be warned that it contains the same ingredient found in human chocolate which is poisonous to dogs. I have heard of dogs eating it, so it isn't worth the risk.

Bulbs
Amaryllis, Autumn Crocus, Daffodil, Day Lily, Elephant Ears, Gladiolas, Hyacinth, Iris, Lily of the Valley, Narcissus, Orange Day Lily, Tulip
Ferns
Aparagus Fern, Australian Nut, Emerald Feather (aka Emerald Fern), Emerald Fern (aka Emerald Feather), Lace Fern, Plumosa Fern
Flowering Plants
Cyclamen, Hydrangea, Kalanchoe, Poinsettia
Garden Perennials
Charming Diffenbachia, Christmas Rose, Flamingo Plant, Foxglove, Marijuana, Morning Glory, Nightshade, Onion, Tomato Plant, Tropic Snow Dumbcane
House Plants
Ceriman (aka Cutleaf Philodendron), Chinese Evergreen, Cordatum, Corn Plant (aka Cornstalk Plant), Cutleaf Philodendron (aka Ceriman), Devil's Ivy, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Green Gold Nephthysis, Marble Queen, Mauna Loa Peace Lily, Nephthytis, Peace Lily, Red-Margined Dracaena, Striped Dracaena, Taro Vine, Warneckei Dracaena
Lillies
Asian Lily (liliaceae), Easter Lily, Glory Lily, Japanese Show Lily, Red Lily, Rubrum Lily, Stargazer Lily, Tiger Lily, Wood Lily
Shrubs
Cycads, Heavenly Bamboo, Holly, Jerusalem Cherry, Mistletoe "American", Oleander, Precatory Bean, Rhododendron, Saddle Leaf Philodendron, Sago Palm, Tree Philodendron, Yucca
Succulents
Aloe (Aloe Vera)
Trees
Avocado, Buddist Pine, Chinaberry Tree, Japanese Yew (aka Yew), Lacy Tree, Macadamia Nut, Madagascar Dragon Tree, Queensland Nut, Schefflera, Yew (aka Japanese Yew)
Vines
Branching Ivy, English Ivy, European Bittersweet, Glacier Ivy, Hahn's self branching English Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy
Misc/Uncategorized
American Bittersweet, Andromeda Japonica, Azalea, Bird of Paradise, Buckeye, Caladium hortulanum, Calla Lily, Castor Bean, Clematis, Fiddle-Leaf Philodendron, Florida Beauty, Fruit Salad Plant, Golden Dieffenbachia, Gold Dust Dracaena, Heartleaf Philodendron, Horsehead Philodendron, Hurricane Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Mother-in-law, Panda, Philodendron Pertusum, Red Emerald, Red Princess, Ribbon Plant, Satin Pothos, Spotted Dumb Cane, Sweetheart Ivy, Swiss Cheese Plant, Variable Dieffenbachia, Variegated Philodendron