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You are here:
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  4. Poisonous natives

Poisonous native plants

Coriaria arborea (tutu). Photo: John SawyerCoriaria arborea (tutu). Photo: John SawyerFor a poison emergency in New Zealand call 0800 POISON (0800 764 766) New Zealand National Poisons Centre.

Many plants produce chemicals that are toxic to humans or other animals. These are often produced to protect the plant from browsing insects or mammals or from bacteria and fungi. In some cases the poisons protect the plant from competition with other plant species. Only rarely do these toxic chemicals affect humans but it is important to be able to recognise them so you can avoid using them in the garden and so you can educate your children not to eat them.

As foraging becomes more popular it is particularly important to be confident of correct plant identification before you eat something, especially since a lot of the online content about foraging is produced for European and American audiences with very different flora and often only using common names local to northern hemisphere audiences.

A range of native plants in New Zealand can be poisonous if not treated with caution, including: Coriaria spp. (8 species), karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus), ngaio (Myoporum laetum), titoki (Alectryon excelsus) and ongaonga (Urtica ferox).

For more information see:

  • Poisonous native plants (Te Ara - Encyclopedia of NZ)
  • Henry Connor and John Fountain. 2009. Plants that poison - a New Zealand guide. Published by Manaaki Whenua Press.
  • Poisonous plants in New Zealand (Landcare Research)
  • Poisonous plants in New Zealand (RNZ Institute of Horticulture)
  • Top 10 poisonous plants in New Zealand (National Poison Centre)

Below is a list of native and naturalised exotic plants in New Zealand which are known to be poisonous:

Aconitum napellus

Aconitum napellus

Common names: monkshood, European monkshood, tiger’s bane, dog’s bane

Family: Ranunculaceae

Alectryon excelsus subsp. excelsus

Alectryon excelsus subsp. excelsus

Common names: New Zealand ash, tītoki

Family: Sapindaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Alocasia brisbanensis

Alocasia brisbanensis

Common names: elephant’s ears, aroid lily

Family: Araceae

Araujia hortorum

Araujia hortorum

Common names: moth plant, moth vine

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Arum italicum

Arum italicum

Common names: Italian arum

Family: Araceae

Asparagus officinalis

Asparagus officinalis

Common names: asparagus

Family: Asparagaceae

Brugmansia ×candida

Brugmansia ×candida

Common names: angel’s trumpet

Family: Solanaceae

Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica

Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica

Common names: white bryony

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Catharanthus roseus

Catharanthus roseus

Common names: tropical periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle

Family: Apocynaceae

Colocasia esculenta

Colocasia esculenta

Common names: Taro

Family: Araceae

Conium maculatum

Conium maculatum

Common names: hemlock

Family: Apiaceae

Coriaria angustissima

Coriaria angustissima

Common names: small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria arborea var. arborea

Coriaria arborea var. arborea

Common names: tutu, tree tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria arborea var. kermadecensis

Coriaria arborea var. kermadecensis

Common names: Kermadec tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

Coriaria kingiana

Coriaria kingiana

Common names: small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria plumosa

Coriaria plumosa

Common names: feathery tutu, mountain tutu, small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria pottsiana

Coriaria pottsiana

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Threatened – Nationally Critical

Coriaria pteridoides

Coriaria pteridoides

Common names: small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria sarmentosa

Coriaria sarmentosa

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Corynocarpus laevigatus

Corynocarpus laevigatus

Common names: karaka, kopi

Family: Corynocarpaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Cytisus scoparius

Cytisus scoparius

Common names: wild broom

Family: Fabaceae

Daphne laureola

Daphne laureola

Common names: spurge laurel

Family: Thymelaeaceae

No image available

Daphne oleoides

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Datura stramonium

Datura stramonium

Common names: thornapple

Family: Solanaceae

Digitalis purpurea

Digitalis purpurea

Common names: foxglove

Family: Plantaginaceae

Euonymus europaeus

Euonymus europaeus

Common names: spindle tree, spindleberry

Family: Celastraceae

Euonymus japonicus

Euonymus japonicus

Common names: Japanese spindleberry

Family: Celastraceae

Euphorbia lathyrus

Euphorbia lathyrus

Common names: caper spurge

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Common names: poinsettia

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Gomphocarpus fruticosus

Gomphocarpus fruticosus

Common names: Swan plant, narrow leaf cotton bush

Family: Apocynaceae

Gomphocarpus physocarpus

Gomphocarpus physocarpus

Common names: Swan plant, balloon cotton bush

Family: Apocynaceae

Heracleum mantegazzianum

Heracleum mantegazzianum

Common names: giant hogweed

Family: Apiaceae

Hypericum perforatum

Hypericum perforatum

Common names: St John’s wort

Family: Hypericaceae

Ilex aquifolium

Ilex aquifolium

Common names: holly

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Iris foetidissima

Iris foetidissima

Common names: stinking iris

Family: Iridaceae

Laburnum anagyroides

Laburnum anagyroides

Common names: golden chain

Family: Fabaceae

Lantana camara var. aculeata

Lantana camara var. aculeata

Common names: lantana

Family: Verbenaceae

Leionema nudum

Leionema nudum

Common names: Mairehau

Family: Rutaceae

Status: At Risk – Declining

Ligustrum lucidum

Ligustrum lucidum

Common names: tree privet

Family: Oleaceae

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Common names: privet

Family: Oleaceae

Ligustrum sinense

Ligustrum sinense

Common names: Chinese privet

Family: Oleaceae

No image available

Ligustrum vulgare

Common names: common privet

Family: Oleaceae

Lupinus arboreus

Lupinus arboreus

Common names: tree lupin

Family: Fabaceae

Lupinus polyphyllus

Lupinus polyphyllus

Common names: Russell lupin

Family: Fabaceae

Lycium ferocissimum

Lycium ferocissimum

Common names: boxthorn

Family: Solanaceae

Manihot grahamii

Manihot grahamii

Common names: Hardy tapioca

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Melia azedarach

Melia azedarach

Common names: Melia

Family: Meliaceae

Myoporum aff. insulare

Myoporum aff. insulare

Common names: Tasmanian ngaio, boobialla

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Myoporum laetum

Myoporum laetum

Common names: ngaio

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Nerium oleander

Nerium oleander

Common names: oleander

Family: Apocynaceae

Nicandra physalodes

Nicandra physalodes

Common names: apple of Peru

Family: Solanaceae

No image available

Papaver nudicaule

Common names: Iceland poppy

Family: Papaveraceae

Papaver somniferum subsp. somniferum

Papaver somniferum subsp. somniferum

Common names: opium poppy

Family: Papaveraceae

Phytolacca octandra

Phytolacca octandra

Common names: inkweed

Family: Phytolaccaceae

Prunella vulgaris

Prunella vulgaris

Common names: self-heal

Family: Lamiaceae

Prunus laurocerasus

Prunus laurocerasus

Common names: cherry laurel

Family: Rosaceae

Ranunculus sceleratus

Ranunculus sceleratus

Common names: celery-leaved buttercup

Family: Ranunculaceae

Rheum ×rhabarbarum

Rheum ×rhabarbarum

Common names: rhubarb

Family: Polygonaceae

Rhododendron arboreum

Rhododendron arboreum

Family: Ericaceae

Rhododendron ponticum subsp. ponticum

Rhododendron ponticum subsp. ponticum

Common names: rhododendron

Family: Ericaceae

Ricinus communis

Ricinus communis

Common names: castor oil plant

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Sambucus nigra

Sambucus nigra

Common names: elder, elderflower, elderberry

Family: Adoxaceae

Schinus molle

Schinus molle

Common names: Pepper tree

Family: Anacardiaceae

Solanum aviculare var. aviculare

Solanum aviculare var. aviculare

Common names: poroporo

Family: Solanaceae

Status: Threatened – Nationally Endangered

Solanum diflorum

Solanum diflorum

Common names: false Jerusalem cherry

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum dulcamara

Solanum dulcamara

Common names: bittersweet

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum laciniatum

Solanum laciniatum

Common names: poroporo, bullibulli

Family: Solanaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Solanum linnaeanum

Solanum linnaeanum

Common names: apple of Sodom

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum mauritianum

Solanum mauritianum

Common names: woolly nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum nigrum

Solanum nigrum

Common names: black nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum nitidibaccatum

Solanum nitidibaccatum

Common names: hairy nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum pseudocapsicum

Solanum pseudocapsicum

Common names: Jerusalem cherry

Family: Solanaceae

Sophora chathamica

Sophora chathamica

Common names: kōwhai, coastal kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Sophora fulvida

Sophora fulvida

Common names: kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

Sophora microphylla

Sophora microphylla

Common names: kōwhai, weeping kōwhai, small-leaved kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Sophora tetraptera

Sophora tetraptera

Common names: kōwhai, large-leaved kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Symphoricarpos albus

Symphoricarpos albus

Common names: snowberry bush

Family: Caprifoliaceae

Taxus baccata

Taxus baccata

Common names: yew

Family: Taxaceae

Toxicodendron succedaneum

Toxicodendron succedaneum

Common names: Japanese wax-tree

Family: Anacardiaceae

Urtica ferox

Urtica ferox

Common names: ongaonga, tree nettle

Family: Urticaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Wisteria sinensis

Wisteria sinensis

Common names: Wisteria

Family: Fabaceae

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Common names: arum lily

Family: Araceae

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