Shrubs With Poisonous Oils

Oleander

Oleander is an evergreen shrub that can survive drought and be grown in almost any condition. Its hardiness makes it a favored ornamental shrub but every part of this plant is poisonous. Unfortunately, every part of this plant, fresh and dried, contains a toxic glycoside called oleandrin, and is potentially fatal to humans if ingested. The sap in the oleander leaves and bark is a skin irritant and often has a bitter taste. Just chewing on a leaf or twig from an oleander can result in vomiting, bloody diarrhea and slowed pulse. Symptoms often require hospitalization. Burning oleander creates toxic fumes as well.

Azaleas are a species of the genus rhododendron and often used in landscaping. All parts of this shrub are poisonous to animals, causing drooling, vomiting and central nervous system problems. A volatile resin called andromedotoxin is present in the leaves and flowers of the azalea plant. This resin is corrosive, burning the mouth if ingested and this often discourages pets from eating deadly amounts of the leaves. Humans are able to tolerate small doses of andromedotoxin, and death from eating azalea leaves of flowers is rare, but the resin can cause vomiting, abdominal discomfort and low blood pressure.

Daphnes are a group of small shrubs with lilac, pink or yellow flowers. All parts of daphne plants, including the berries and leaves are poisonous, containing a sap, or resin, called mezerein, which irritates and sometimes blisters the skin. Mezerin is a glycoside that contains aggressive toxins. Ingesting any part of a daphne plant and its sap can result in severe burning of the mouth, throat and stomach, weakness, convulsions, abdominal discomfort, coma and, if exposure is severe, death.

Part of the cashew family, poison ivy is a poisonous vine or shrub that is often seen growing wild in back yards and fields. Although it is often seen twisting around tree trunks, poison ivy can also form upright bushes if it has nothing to climb on. Poison oak and poison sumac are shrubs that are closely related to poison ivy and all three contain a poisonous oil called urushiol, or toxicodentrol, which irritates the skin, resulting in itchy eruptions at the point of contact. If a person contacts one of these shrubs and the oil remains on the skin, it can be passed to another person, even if that person had no contact with the shrubs. Typically contact with these shrubs is not deadly, but serious infections can develop from the resulting rash.