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Wildflowers of Tucson, Arizona | Poisonous Tucson Plants | |
Poisonous Tucson, Arizona Plants |
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Scientific Name:
Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia (Amsinckia
intermedia) Common Name: Common Fiddleneck Flower Color(s): Yellow Plant Type: Herb, Annual Height: Up to 18 inches (46 cm) Date Observed: March 24, 2001 Notes: Poisonous (seeds). The small, trumpet-shaped flowers are in a cluster at the tops of the coiled flower spikes. The plants are covered in brittle hairs. Poisonous Part(s): Seeds, plant? Poison(s): Pyrrolizidine alkaloids including intermedine and lycopsamine. |
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Scientific Name:
Argemone pleiacantha Common Name: Southwestern Pricklypoppy Flower Color(s): White Plant Type: Herb, Perennial Height: To 3 feet (91 cm) Date Observed: August 20, 2005 Notes: Poisonous. The large flowers are up to 5 inches (13 cm) across. The foliage is covered in spines and will ooze yellow sap if broken. Poisonous Part(s): All Poison(s): Isoquinoline alkaloids such as papaverine. |
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Scientific Name: Asclepias
subverticillata Common Name: Horsetail Milkweed, Poison Milkweed Flower Color(s): White to cream Plant Type: Herb, Perennial Height: To 39 inches (1 m) Date Observed: May 15, 2004 Notes: Poisonous. The 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wide flowers have 5 downward petals below a hooded, central column and are in 1.25 inch (3.2 cm) wide terminal clusters. The linear, green leaves are in whorls of 3 to 5 leaves at the stem joints. Poisonous Part(s): All Poison(s): Asclepias cardenolides (cardiac glycosides) |
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Scientific Name:
Corydalis aurea Common Name: Scrambled Eggs, Golden Smoke Flower Color(s): Yellow Plant Type: Herb, Annual, Biennial Height: To 1 foot (30 cm) Date Observed: March 14, 2004 Notes: Poisonous. The leaves are blue-green and highly divided. The flowers are oddly shaped with a bulging spur extending behind them. It grows in sandy areas like washes. Poisonous Part(s): All? Poison(s): Isoquinoline alkaloids such as corydaline. |
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Scientific Name:
Datura wrightii (Datura meteloides) Common Name: Sacred Thorn-apple, Jimsonweed Flower Color(s): Pure white to lightly edged with violet Plant Type: Herb, Subshrub, Annual, Perennial Height: To 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, but usually less Date Observed: September 17, 2006 & August 20, 2002 Notes: Poisonous. The flowers are up to 6 inches (15 cm) across and open late in the day and then close the following morning. The seed capsules are spiny. The leaves are oval to heart-shaped. Poisonous Part(s): All (hallucinogenic, ingestion can be fatal) Poison(s): Tropane alkaloids including hyoscyamine (an isomer of atropine) and scopolamine (hyoscine). |
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Scientific Name:
Delphinium scaposum Common Name: Tall Mountain Larkspur, Barestem Larkspur, Naked Delphinium Flower Color(s): Sky blue to royal blue Plant Type: Herb, Perennial Height: To 32 inches (81 cm) Date Observed: April 3, 2004 Notes: Poisonous. Each flower is 1 inch wide (2.5 cm) and has a spur projecting behind it. The basal leaves are palmately divided into round-tipped lobes. Poisonous Part(s): All Poison(s): Diterpenoid alkaloids including ajacine and delphinine. |
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Scientific Name: Erythrina
flabelliformis Common Name: Coralbean, Southwestern Coral Bean Flower Color(s): Red Plant Type: Tree, Shrub, Deciduous Height: To 15 feet (4.6 m) but usually less Date Observed: May 15, 2004 Notes: Poisonous. The 3 inch (7.6 cm) long flowers are in terminal clusters. The flowers appear before the plants leaf out, and they are followed by large, brown pods with attractive, red beans. The grayish green leaves are divided into 3 fan-shaped leaflets. Poisonous Part(s): All, especially the red beans Poison(s): Erythrina alkaloids which include the curare-like beta-erythroidine. |
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Scientific Name:
Lupinus sparsiflorus Common Name: Mojave Lupine, Coulter's Lupine Flower Color(s): Violet-blue or rarely white Plant Type: Herb, Annual Height: Up to 16 inches (41 cm) Date Observed: March 13, 2004 Notes: Poisonous. The banner petal has a white patch with a red-spotted yellow area. The keel petals curve upward and have a hairy fringe. The green leaves are hairy with 7 to10 narrow, lanceolate leaflets. Mojave Lupines bloom in the spring and can be abundant along roadsides in years with extra winter rain. Poisonous Part(s): All, especially the seeds Poison(s): Quinolizidine alkaloids including lupinine and sparteine. |
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Scientific Name:
Nicotiana glauca Common Name: Tree Tobacco Flower Color(s): Yellow Plant Type: Tree, Shrub Height: 2 to 25 feet (60 cm to 7.6 m) Date Observed: March 29, 2003 Notes: Poisonous. It's a South American native. The 2-inch (5 cm) long flowers are tubular and found in clusters at the tips of the branches. The leaves are blue-green with a powdery coating. Poisonous Part(s): All, highly toxic or fatal if eaten. Poison(s): The pyridine alkaloids nicotine and anabasine. |
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Scientific Name:
Nicotiana obtusifolia (Nicotiana trigonophylla) Common Name: Desert Tobacco Flower Color(s): Cream Plant Type: Herb, Annual, Biennial, Perennial Height: Up to 3 feet (91 cm) Date Observed: August 24, 2002 Notes: Poisonous. The 5-lobed, tubular flowers are 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The leaves are oval to lance-shaped. The hairy stems and leaves are sticky. Poisonous Part(s): Leaves, highly toxic or fatal if eaten. Poison(s): The pyridine alkaloids nicotine and anabasine. |
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Scientific Name: Papaver
somniferum Common Name: Opium Poppy Flower Color(s): Pink, purple, red, or white Plant Type: Herb, Annual Height: To 3 feet (91 cm) Date Observed: April 22, 2004 Notes: Poisonous. The flowers are up to 5 inches (12.7 cm) in diameter and are very showy with many cultivated varieties. The simple, green, alternate leaves clasp the stems and have toothed edges. This introduced weed is illegal to grow in the US, but it can be found growing wild in disturbed areas. Poisonous Part(s): Milky sap, especially from the green seed capsules. The seeds are edible. Poison(s): The opium resin contains codeine, morphine, protopine, and other poppy alkaloids. |
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Scientific Name:
Solanum elaeagnifolium Common Name: Silverleaf Nightshade Flower Color(s): Violet blue (rarely white) Plant Type: Herb, Perennial Height: Up to 3 feet (91 cm) Date Observed: August 20 & 24, 2002 Notes: Poisonous. The flowers have 5 lobes, 5 stamens, and are 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. The silvery leaves are oblong to lance-shaped with wavy edges. The round fruits look like yellow cherry tomatoes. Poisonous Part(s): All, especially the leaves and green fruit Poison(s): The glycoalkaloid solanine as well as the tropane alkaloids scopolamine (hyoscine) and hyoscyamine (an isomer of atropine). |
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Scientific Name:
Solanum americanum (Solanum nodiflorum) Common Name: American Black Nightshade, White Nightshade Flower Color(s): White Plant Type: Herb, Annual, Perennial Height: To 30 inches (76 cm) Date Observed: September 27, 2003 Notes: Poisonous. The 5-petaled flowers have a yellow beak of stamens. It has round, black fruit. Poisonous Part(s): All, especially the leaves and fruit. Poison(s): The glycoalkaloid solanine as well as the tropane alkaloids scopolamine (hyoscine) and hyoscyamine (an isomer of atropine). |
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| Links and sources for poisonous
plant information Agricultural Research Service - Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases - High-Low Chemical query Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System Colorado State University - Guide to Poisonous Plants Colorado State University Herbarium - Poisonous Plants of Colorado Cornell University Poisonous Plants Home Page E. Röder: Medicinal plants in Europe containing PAs, Pharmazie, 1995 Poisonous Plants Home Page of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine University of Arizona College of Pharmacy - Poisonous Plants US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine - Guide to Poisonous and Toxic Plants |
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Wildflowers of Tucson, Arizona | Poisonous Tucson Plants | |