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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 name: monkshood, European monkshood, tiger’s bane, dog’s bane

Family: Ranunculaceae

Alectryon excelsus subsp. excelsus

Alectryon excelsus subsp. excelsus

Common name: New Zealand ash, tītoki

Family: Sapindaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Alocasia brisbanensis

Alocasia brisbanensis

Common name: elephant’s ears, aroid lily

Family: Araceae

Araujia hortorum

Araujia hortorum

Common name: moth plant, moth vine

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Arum italicum

Arum italicum

Common name: Italian arum

Family: Araceae

Asparagus officinalis

Asparagus officinalis

Common name: asparagus

Family: Asparagaceae

Brugmansia ×candida

Brugmansia ×candida

Common name: angel’s trumpet

Family: Solanaceae

Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica

Bryonia cretica subsp. dioica

Common name: white bryony

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Catharanthus roseus

Catharanthus roseus

Common name: tropical periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle

Family: Apocynaceae

Colocasia esculenta

Colocasia esculenta

Common name: Taro

Family: Araceae

Conium maculatum

Conium maculatum

Common name: hemlock

Family: Apiaceae

Coriaria angustissima

Coriaria angustissima

Common name: small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria arborea var. arborea

Coriaria arborea var. arborea

Common name: tutu, tree tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria arborea var. kermadecensis

Coriaria arborea var. kermadecensis

Common name: Kermadec tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

Coriaria kingiana

Coriaria kingiana

Common name: small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria plumosa

Coriaria plumosa

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

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria pottsiana

Coriaria pottsiana

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

Coriaria pteridoides

Coriaria pteridoides

Common name: small-leaved tutu

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Coriaria sarmentosa

Coriaria sarmentosa

Family: Coriariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Corynocarpus laevigatus

Corynocarpus laevigatus

Common name: karaka, kopi

Family: Corynocarpaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Cytisus scoparius

Cytisus scoparius

Common name: wild broom

Family: Fabaceae

Daphne laureola

Daphne laureola

Common name: spurge laurel

Family: Thymelaeaceae

No image available

Daphne oleoides

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Datura stramonium

Datura stramonium

Common name: thornapple

Family: Solanaceae

Digitalis purpurea

Digitalis purpurea

Common name: foxglove

Family: Plantaginaceae

Euonymus europaeus

Euonymus europaeus

Common name: spindle tree

Family: Celastraceae

Euonymus japonicus

Euonymus japonicus

Common name: Japanese spindleberry

Family: Celastraceae

Euphorbia lathyrus

Euphorbia lathyrus

Common name: caper spurge

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Euphorbia pulcherrima

Common name: poinsettia

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Gomphocarpus fruticosus

Gomphocarpus fruticosus

Common name: Swan plant, narrow leaf cotton bush

Family: Apocynaceae

Gomphocarpus physocarpus

Gomphocarpus physocarpus

Common name: Swan plant, balloon cotton bush

Family: Apocynaceae

Hypericum perforatum

Hypericum perforatum

Common name: St John’s wort

Family: Hypericaceae

Ilex aquifolium

Ilex aquifolium

Common name: holly

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Iris foetidissima

Iris foetidissima

Common name: stinking iris

Family: Iridaceae

Laburnum anagyroides

Laburnum anagyroides

Common name: golden chain

Family: Fabaceae

Lantana camara var. aculeata

Lantana camara var. aculeata

Common name: lantana

Family: Verbenaceae

Ligustrum lucidum

Ligustrum lucidum

Common name: tree privet

Family: Oleaceae

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Common name: privet

Family: Oleaceae

Ligustrum sinense

Ligustrum sinense

Common name: Chinese privet

Family: Oleaceae

No image available

Ligustrum vulgare

Common name: common privet

Family: Oleaceae

Lupinus arboreus

Lupinus arboreus

Common name: tree lupin

Family: Fabaceae

Lupinus polyphyllus

Lupinus polyphyllus

Common name: Russell lupin

Family: Fabaceae

Lycium ferocissimum

Lycium ferocissimum

Common name: boxthorn

Family: Solanaceae

Manihot grahamii

Manihot grahamii

Common name: Hardy tapioca

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Melia azedarach

Melia azedarach

Common name: Melia

Family: Meliaceae

Myoporum aff. insulare

Myoporum aff. insulare

Common name: Tasmanian ngaio, boobialla

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Myoporum laetum

Myoporum laetum

Common name: ngaio

Family: Scrophulariaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Nerium oleander

Nerium oleander

Common name: oleander

Family: Apocynaceae

Nicandra physalodes

Nicandra physalodes

Common name: apple of Peru

Family: Solanaceae

No image available

Papaver nudicaule

Common name: Iceland poppy

Family: Papaveraceae

Papaver somniferum subsp. somniferum

Papaver somniferum subsp. somniferum

Common name: opium poppy

Family: Papaveraceae

Phytolacca octandra

Phytolacca octandra

Common name: inkweed

Family: Phytolaccaceae

Prunella vulgaris

Prunella vulgaris

Common name: self-heal

Family: Lamiaceae

Prunus laurocerasus

Prunus laurocerasus

Common name: cherry laurel

Family: Rosaceae

Ranunculus sceleratus

Ranunculus sceleratus

Common name: celery-leaved buttercup

Family: Ranunculaceae

Rheum ×rhabarbarum

Rheum ×rhabarbarum

Common name: rhubarb

Family: Polygonaceae

Rhododendron arboreum

Rhododendron arboreum

Family: Ericaceae

Rhododendron ponticum subsp. ponticum

Rhododendron ponticum subsp. ponticum

Common name: rhododendron

Family: Ericaceae

Ricinus communis

Ricinus communis

Common name: castor oil plant

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Sambucus nigra

Sambucus nigra

Common name: elder, elderflower, elderberry

Family: Adoxaceae

Schinus molle

Schinus molle

Common name: Pepper tree

Family: Anacardiaceae

Solanum aviculare var. aviculare

Solanum aviculare var. aviculare

Common name: poroporo

Family: Solanaceae

Status: Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable

Solanum diflorum

Solanum diflorum

Common name: false Jerusalem cherry

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum dulcamara

Solanum dulcamara

Common name: bittersweet

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum laciniatum

Solanum laciniatum

Common name: poroporo, bullibulli

Family: Solanaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Solanum linnaeanum

Solanum linnaeanum

Common name: apple of Sodom

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum mauritianum

Solanum mauritianum

Common name: woolly nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum nigrum

Solanum nigrum

Common name: black nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum nitidibaccatum

Solanum nitidibaccatum

Common name: hairy nightshade

Family: Solanaceae

Solanum pseudocapsicum

Solanum pseudocapsicum

Common name: Jerusalem cherry

Family: Solanaceae

Sophora chathamica

Sophora chathamica

Common name: kōwhai, coastal kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Sophora fulvida

Sophora fulvida

Common name: kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: At Risk – Naturally Uncommon

Sophora microphylla

Sophora microphylla

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

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Sophora tetraptera

Sophora tetraptera

Common name: kōwhai, large-leaved kōwhai

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Symphoricarpos albus

Symphoricarpos albus

Common name: snowberry bush

Family: Caprifoliaceae

Taxus baccata

Taxus baccata

Common name: yew

Family: Taxaceae

Toxicodendron succedaneum

Toxicodendron succedaneum

Common name: Japanese wax-tree

Family: Anacardiaceae

Urtica ferox

Urtica ferox

Common name: ongaonga, tree nettle

Family: Urticaceae

Status: Not Threatened

Wisteria sinensis

Wisteria sinensis

Common name: Wisteria

Family: Fabaceae

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Common name: arum lily

Family: Araceae

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