11 Common Holiday Plants That Are Poisonous to Pets

This special time of year, you may bring home new amaryllis, hollies, or poinsettias. As beautiful and festive as they are, some holiday plants are poisonous to animals, and there are a few safety considerations to keep in mind for your pets. 

Holiday plants are so attractive that they may tempt your pet to lick, eat, or chew on them. Although some are safe, a few will cause your animals severe discomfort or worse.

Below are 11 common holiday plants that are poisonous to pets. If you suspect your animal ingested any of these, contact the National Animal Poison Control Center for help. 

Poinsettia

Poinsettias are one of the most popular holiday flowers. With their colorful red, white, and yellow bracts and bright green foliage, it’s hard not to love them. When they’re growing next to your Christmas tree or seasonal decorations, they add a magical touch that’s hard to replace. 

However, they are one of the most common poisonous holiday plants for pets. Fortunately, they’re only mildly toxic to dogs and cats. For poinsettias to cause harm, your animal needs to ingest a large amount of the leaves and bracts. 

These plants contain compounds such as cardiac glycosides and anthocyanins, which may irritate digestive systems. Below are the most common side effects of poinsettia poisoning to look out for.

Holly ‘Nellie Stevens’

Many holiday gardeners love bringing home ‘Nellie Stevens’ hollies. With their dark green leaves and bright red berries, they are some of the most Christmassy plants you can grow. They are also common in wreaths and decorations in many homes. 

These evergreens may be striking, but they cause pets some intense discomfort when eaten or chewed on. They contain saponins in their waxy leaves and berries. When your cat, dog, or horse consumes them, these compounds irritate their guts. 

As with all toxic holiday plants, keep your holly plant away from your fuzzy companions. Below are the most common symptoms of holly ingestion. 

Amaryllis 

Amaryllis plants have big and bright flowers that burst with winter color. They transform indoor spaces with their multi-colored blooms and beautiful foliage. They grow from bulbs that are easy for first-time gardeners to grow. This makes them one of the most popular flowers to give away as gifts. 

As beloved as these holiday plants are, amaryllis are poisonous and can cause nasty side effects if your pets eat them. They contain phenanthridine alkaloids and lycorine. These compounds can cause severe gastrointestinal upset in dogs and cats. 

Below are the most common side effects from amaryllis ingestion to look out for. 

Snow Drops 

Snowdrops are popular and adorable holiday flowers. Gardeners love them for their early blooms. They have beautiful and adorable white petals that pop out in the early winter and spring. Their bulbs are easy to grow, making them great gifts for green thumbs and novice gardeners during the holidays. 

Unfortunately, these bulbs contain alkaloids such as phenanthridines that can cause severe symptoms in pets. Some of the most common side effects include the following. 

Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe are easy to grow and brightly colored perennial houseplants. They bring striking red, yellow, and pink flowers to indoor spaces. You can force them to bloom in winter. When grown near other ornamental early bloomers, these flowers make an indoor space pop with color. 

As pretty as they are, these flowers and their foliage are poisonous to pets. They contain harmful cardiotoxins which can cause severe reactions in animals. The most common side effects include the symptoms below. 

Rosemary

Rosemary Christmas trees are some of the most fun Christmas-time plants for foodie gardeners. They’re packed with aromatic oils that add an abundance of flavor to many dishes. They’re also great for skin tinctures or simply livening up a room or outdoor garden. 

Although humans can enjoy them, these perennial evergreens are mildly toxic to animals in large doses. The essential oils can cause mild gastrointestinal issues in dogs and cats. Thankfully, this holiday plant is not as poisonous as others, and the symptoms should go away quickly. Below are common side effects of overconsumption of rosemary. 

Mistletoe

Mistletoes are wonderful holiday plants with plenty of symbolism around Christmas. American mistletoes are often semiparasitic and live on host trees in the wild. They are beautiful decorations and great gifts during the winter. 

These small bundles of green are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. They contain several toxic substances, such as toxalbumin, lectins, and phoratoxins. Common side effects include the following.

Orange Star Plants

Orange stars, or Star-Of-Bethlehems, are colorful flowers that bloom in late winter if grown indoors. They produce bright orange flowers that usher in the springtime. Besides being beautiful, they are incredibly easy to grow, even for novice gardeners. 

These perennials are stunning, but be careful planting them around your pets. They contain convalloside and convallatoxin compounds that can cause havoc on pets. Below are some of the most common symptoms. 

‘Christmas Carol’ Aloe

‘Christmas Carol’ aloes are hybrid aloes created to bring festive colors to hot and dry gardens. They grow inside or in rock gardens in desert and Mediterranean climates. They have thick dark green leaves with red trim and red to pink raised spots. 

If you live in a drought-tolerant area, these succulents may be hard to resist. However, like other aloes, they can be toxic to animals. They contain saponins and anthraquinones in their skin which cause severe stomach issues if your favorite critters munch on them. 

They are toxic to dogs, horses, and cats, so watch your animals when they’re around them. Below are the common side effects to watch out for. 

Pacific Yew 

Holiday gardeners love Pacific yew or their green, needle-like foliage, and little red berries that look like tiny olives. They look especially festive growing in containers, outside gardens or entryways, and in wreaths. 

Be extra vigilant with these popular wintertime perennials. They contain volatile oils and taxines A and B, which can cause some serious side effects in dogs, cats, and horses. If you see your animal munching on these living decorations, call the animal poison control center immediately!

This is one of the most poisonous plants for animals. Below are the symptoms to watch out for. 

Christmas Rose

Christmas roses, or hellebore flowers, are brightly colored flowers that brighten up winter gardens. These perennials bloom in winter with white, purple, and black flowers. When growing outside, these plants typically bloom in spring. However, some varieties bloom in winter, giving you one of the earliest flowers of the season. 

For the holidays, Christmas roses make excellent gifts for friends and loved ones who love gardening. Although they’re incredibly attractive, they are highly toxic to humans and animals. If you see your animals or other humans, especially children, consume any parts of these plants, call poison control immediately!

They contain nasty cardiac glycosides, which cause severe side effects in all animals and humans. Below are some of the most common symptoms of ingestion to watch for.