27 Poisonous Flowers that will Add a Unique Element to your Garden

Poisonous flowers walk the exhilarating balance between intense beauty and electrifying danger. From poisonous flower identification to an exciting new botanical challenge, there are many reasons to seek out which flowers are dangerous. Maybe you would like a new adventure for your garden this year. You may recognize some flowers on this list, while others might be new.

27 Most Interesting Poisonous Flowers to Plant for a Dangerously Beautiful Garden

Many are also poisonous to dogs and cats as well as being poisonous to people. There are also varying degrees of toxicity — some flowers must be ingested in large amounts to cause harm, while others can hurt anyone who touches them. Whatever is your goal our list can help you to choose the best poisonous plants for your garden.

1. Periwinkle (Vinca Minor)

As a popular groundcover, periwinkle adds a beautiful element to the landscape while preventing soil erosion. It is poisonous if ingested, but does not cause skin irritation which means it can happily go along shady paths or places where it might be touched. However, it is highly toxic for dogs, cats, and horses.

2. Scotch Heather (Calluna Vulgaris)

Although dangerous if eaten, Scotch heather is absolutely resplendent when in bloom. These spiky purple inflorescences can enliven any landscape and are a fantastic poisonous flower to plant. However, because they have a shallow root system, it is not recommended to interplant with any other flowers.

3. Dumbledore’s Delight (Aconitum Napellus)

With its sculptural column-like flowers, Dumbledore’s Delight adds purple joy to any landscape. However, because all parts of this plant are poisonous, it should not be planted close to paths or other spaces where accidental physical contact might happen. When working with Dumbledore’s Delight, gloves should be worn and open wounds must be covered.

4. Cestreau Élégant (Cestrum Elegans)

As seen in pictures of these poisonous flowers, cestreau élégant offers a little tropical flair to an otherwise monotonous landscape. Showy tubular flowers and glossy berries are beautiful, but poisonous if eaten. Because this woody shrub enjoys climbing, it is best grown by gardeners who find pruning a relaxing pastime.

5. Meadow Saffron (Colchicum Autumnale)

Blooming between summer and fall, these are the perfect poisonous flowers to plant for the gap between summer-blooming flowers and fall-blooming flowers. While only toxic to humans if eaten, these crocus-like flowers look great next to paths or patios. Be aware that they are highly poisonous to a variety of animals including dogs and cats.

6. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria Majalis var. Rosea)

Images of these poisonous flowers show a delicate bell-shaped bloom tinged with pink. As a staple of the shade garden, the lily of the valley flower offers elegance in the shadows. Consuming any part of this plant causes violent illness in people, dogs, cats, and horses, and should be located accordingly in the garden.

7. Mysterious Plant (Daphne Mezereum)

Although birds can consume the fruits from these types of poisonous plants, all parts of the mysterious plant are toxic to humans. Even the sap from broken stems can cause skin irritation. However, the springtime pink petals on this shrub make it an excellent plant to use as an informal hedge.

8. Larkspur (Delphinium – Belladonna Group)

Well-suited to hotter climates, larkspur in the belladonna group can handle hot, humid summers. Because these types of poisonous flowers do take some maintenance like staking and deadheading, including them in your garden is a time commitment. However, their flashy flowers make all that work worth the effort.

9. Witches’ Bells (Digitalis Purpurea – Excelsior Group)

Witches’ Bells might be poisonous to animals like dogs and cats, but add the element of magnificence to a landscape. Because each flower column is about four feet tall, these biennial perennials are masters at catching the eye. If grown in great conditions, these flowers will self-seed to provide a show every year.

10. Japanese Loquot (Eriobotrya Japonica)

To enjoy lovely wintertime flowers, a Japanese loquot might be the plant for you. Because only the seeds are toxic, it is marginally safer than other types of poisonous flowers. If you live in a hardiness zone north of those listed here, you can still grow your own Japanese loquots as container plants.

11. Purple Passionflower (Passiflora Incarnata)

Although purple passionflower produces an edible fruit commonly known as a maypop, the glamorous flowers can cause life-threatening illness if eaten. In looking at images of these poisonous flowers, you might expect them to come from a tropical climate. In fact, the purple passionflower is native to the United States heartland.

12. Hellebore (Helleborus ‘Mardi Gras Double Mix’)

Most varieties of hellebore provide simple flowers, but this variety showcases massive double flowers from late winter until mid-spring. Hellebore may look beautiful, but it is poisonous to humans, cats, dogs, and horses. One benefit to hellebore’s toxic nature is that rabbits and deer tend to stay away from the flowers.

13. Carolina Yellow Jasmine (Gelsemium Sempervirens)

As you can see in pictures of these poisonous flowers, Carolina yellow jasmine’s yellow blooms almost seem too cheerful to be toxic. As well as being dangerous to ingest, Carolina Yellow Jasmine irritates the skin. However, it makes the perfect addition to patios and can create a vibrant ambiance when used as a groundcover.

14. Gloriosa Lily (Gloriosa Superba ‘Rothschildiana’)

Extravagant and unique, the gloriosa lily offers flowers that are startlingly beautiful. In a show of utter magnificence, ruffled petals extend to the sky while vibrant green stamens swoop towards the ground. Do not be fooled by the sumptuous grace, however. All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and several types of animals.

15. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum Calycinum)

With a spray of filament-like stamen, these yellow flowers radiate a tropical ambiance in a more temperate cool climate. Because St. John’s Wort is a low-lying shrub, it works spectacularly when used as a groundcover. As well as preventing erosion, it provides a profusion of yellow cheerfulness all summer long.

16. Cariaquillo (Lantana Camara)

Hailing from the rich tropics of South America, cariaquillo provides a garden with an explosion of color. Each flower cluster can showcase more than one color with possibilities including purple, orange, red, yellow, and white. However, you do need to be careful as these plants are highly poisonous to people as well as animals.

17. Scarlet Sage (Lobelia Cardinalis ‘Queen Victoria’)

The perfect poisonous flower to plant in your rain garden, scarlet sage attracts both birds and butterflies. ‘Queen Victoria’ is better suited to life in a garden and will bless your landscape with its trademark tubular red flowers. However, you will want to keep these toxic flowers out of reach of dogs, cats, and small children.

18. Lupine (Lupinus × Hybrida)

Preferring cool climates to hot ones, lupine can be treated either as a short-lived perennial or a single-season annual. Massive spires of intensely-colored flowers catch the eye from mid-spring until mid-summer. Because the inflorescences make excellent bouquets, they are a great addition to cut-flower gardens. Like most poisonous flowers, however, they can cause serious illness if eaten.

19. Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum Arabicum)

Although Star of Bethlehem features star-shaped white flowers, it is sophisticated enough not to try to be the star of the show. As you can see in the images of these poisonous flowers, star of Bethlehem exudes subtle elegance instead of gaudy glitz. While some types spread aggressively, this variety stays where you plant it.

20. Mountain Fire (Pieris japonica)

Even if they are poisonous, dripping cascades of white bells are a beautiful feature in a spring garden. While the image shows white flowers, mountain fire cultivars can be found with pink flowers. For maximum effect, pair this evergreen shrub with other bushes that also love acidic soil.

21. Butterfly Flower (Asclepias tuberosa)

True to its name, these clouds of bright orange flowers do a great job of attracting butterflies. For the first two years of its life, this poisonous plant does not flower. However, mature butterfly flower bushes produce some of the most vivacious blooms possible for a wildflower.

22. Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Mayapple is a native wildflower that goes dormant during the summer. Large, umbrella-shaped leaves partially conceal the flashy white flowers. This concealment helps this poisonous plant feel like a treasure hunt. While they produce edible fruit, the roots and leaves of this wildflower are toxic to people and animals.

23. Versailles Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus)

Beyond creating a visual feast, Versailles laurel releases a powerful fragrance. Even if they are toxic, sprays of tiny white flowers are quite the springtime show. Evergreen foliage adds a green element when all the other plants in your garden are turning colors in the fall.

24. Brazilian Nightshade (Solanum Seaforthianum)

Accented with yellow stamen, flashy blue and purple flowers will dazzle. As a woody vine, it is best given a structure to climb. Although poisonous if ingested, Brazilian nightshade is safe to touch and can be handled without gloves. These types of poisonous flowers are invasive in Hawaii as well as some parts of Florida.

25. Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia × Candida)

Huge, foot-long white flowers dangle from this broadleaf evergreen tree to achieve an extravagant effect in your landscape. At night, these flowers exude a sweet fragrance so strong that it masks the volatile tropane alkaloids it also emits. These organic compounds can cause headaches if you are exposed to them for a prolonged period.

26. Viper’s Bugloss (Echium Vulgare)

To some, viper’s bugloss is a weed, while to others it is a wildflower. Images of these poisonous flowers show tall spikes of blue-petaled flowers with contrasting red stamens. Although this plant is toxic to horses only if a great deal is eaten over a long period of time, it is acutely poisonous to humans.

27. Deadly Nightshade Belladonna (Atropa Belladonna)

Do not be fooled by the muted purple flowers – the deadly nightshade belladonna is one of the world’s most dangerous plants. Every single part of this plant is extremely poisonous – only 10 berries release enough poison to kill an adult. Because it is not recommended for home gardens, it is included here for identification purposes only.

27 Intoxicating Poisonous Flowers and Plants for a Sense of Danger in Your Landscape

Pictures of poisonous flowers show how beautiful they can be in your landscape. Knowing which flowers have toxic properties can also change your garden design. If dogs, cats, horses, or children frequent your garden, you may want to fence off some of these flowers.

Just because these flowers are poisonous does not mean that they should be excluded from your landscape design. Many are even traditional garden favorites. With the exception of deadly nightshade, all of these flowers can add a unique sparkle to your garden. Additionally, a little danger can add a new dimension to a familiar outdoor space.