Christmas Plants and Their Toxicity to Dogs

Christmas plants and pets

During the Christmas period, many homes are decorated with plants. Knowing which ones are safe and which ones are potentially dangerous can save pet owners an emergency trip to the veterinarian. This list includes some of the most common Christmas plants and includes the toxic properties.

Although many of the plants are labelled non-toxic, ingestion of large amounts of any plant matter can cause gastrointestinal upset.

Related: Caring for a Christmas tree

Holly

Family	Aquifoliaceae
Botanical name	Ilex spp.
Common names	English holly, European holly, Christmas holly, Holly, Holm, Hulst, Hulver
Mature height	1.5 to 24 metres (5 to 80 feet)
Flower colour	White
Leaf colour	Dark green
Native to	Europe, North Africa and western Asia
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs
Toxic compounds	Saponin glycosides, methylxanthines, and cyanogens plus the leaves cause mechanical injury when chewed
Toxic parts	All parts (the highest concentration in young leaves and berries)
Severity	Mild to moderate

Holly is a genus of over 400 species of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. The shiny, stiff leaves are ovate or oblong with wavy, spiked or smooth margins. White flowers are produced in late spring to early summer, followed by attractive red fruit (commonly referred to as berries) in winter.

Mistletoe

Family	Loranthaceae, Viscaceae, or Eremolepidaceae
Botanical name	Phoradendron serotinum (North American) and Viscum album (European)
Common names	American or European Mistletoe
Mature height	90 cm
Flower colour	White
Leaf colour	Green
Native to	Europe, North Africa and western Asia
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs
Toxic compounds	Phoratoxin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, phenols, phenethylamines, phenylpropanoids, polysaccharides, and flavonoids
Toxic parts	All parts of P. serotinum are toxic, all parts of V. album apart from the berries
Severity	Mild to moderate

Mistletoe is a hemiparasitic plant that takes its nutrients from its host plant. It is most commonly associated with Christmastime and ‘kissing under the mistletoe‘.

The white berries of mistletoe are eaten by birds, the seeds of which release a sticky substance called viscin which passes out of the bird’s body via the feces and sticks to trees where they germinate in spring.

Rosemary

Family	Lamiaceae
Botanical name	Salvia rosmarinus
Common names	English holly, European holly, Christmas holly, Holly, Holm, Hulst, Hulver
Mature height	1.5 metres
Flower colour	Purple
Leaf colour	Dark green
Native to	Mediterranean
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic compounds	–
Toxic parts	–
Severity	–

Rosemary is a perennial, evergreen shrub grown for its fragrant needle-shaped leaves that are popular as a culinary herb. It grows clusters of pale purple flowers during spring and summer.

Rosemary is used to create wreaths and topiaries during the Christmas period.

Christmas cactus

Family	Cactaceae
Botanical name	Schlumbergera bridgesii
Common names	Christmas cactus, Holiday cactus
Mature height	15 – 30 cm
Flower colour	Pink, red,  orange, gold, cream, and white
Leaf colour	Green
Native to	Southeastern Brazil
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic compounds	–
Toxic parts	–
Severity	–

Christmas cactus is a flowering succulent native to south-eastern Brazil. These winter flowering succulents commonly grown for their bright flowers that grow on the tips of pendant shoots made up of oblong and flattened segments. The blooms last approximately 7 weeks and grow in a range of colours including red, pink, orange (salmon), yellow and white.

Poinsettia

Family	Araceae
Botanical name	Euphorbia pulcherrima
Common names	Poinsettia, Christmas flower, Winter rose, Painted leaf, Lobster plant, Crown of the Andes, Flower of Christmas Eve
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	Red, pink, and white
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs
Toxic properties	Diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponins
Toxic parts	All parts
Level of toxicity	Mild

Poinsettia is a perennial shrub native to southwestern Mexico and Guatemala. The common name is derived from the physician and botanist Joel Roberts Poinsett (March 2, 1779 – December 12, 1851). Joel was the first Minister to Mexico from 1825 to 1829 and while serving, found the poinsettia growing near Taxco and sent cuttings to South Carolina in 1828.

Spanish Franciscan priests in Mexico began using poinsettias in the Fiesta of Santa Pesebre nativity procession. Poinsettias begin to bloom in October, which signals the impending arrival of Christmas. The red poinsettia bracts represented the blood of Christ. Californian poinsettia farmer Paul Ecke Sr. sold poinsettia flowers during winter. Paul Ecke Jr. would further promote the poinsettia by providing live plants as displays for talk shows and women’s magazine displays at Christmastime.

Ivy

Family	Araliaceae
Botanical name	Hedera spp.
Common names	Ivy, English ivy, Branching ivy, Glacier ivy, Needlepoint ivy, Sweetheart ivy, California ivy
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	Yellow/green
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs
Toxic properties	Triterpenoid saponin and polyacetylene compounds
Toxic parts	All parts
Level of toxicity	Mild

A genus of 12 to 15 evergreen vines native to Eurasia and North Africa. Ivy is a popular indoor ornamental plant as well as a climbing vine that covers walls and buildings when grown outside.

The most common species of ivy is English ivy (Hedera helix), which is found throughout the world.

Hippeastrum

Family	Araceae
Botanical name	Euphorbia pulcherrima
Common names	Poinsettia, Christmas flower, Winter rose, Painted leaf, Lobster plant, Crown of the Andes, Flower of Christmas Eve
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	Red, pink, and white
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs
Toxic properties	Diterpenoid euphorbol esters and saponins
Toxic parts	All parts
Level of toxicity	Mild

A flowering bulb native to Central and South America, the Hippeastrum is popular for its large, trumpet-shaped flowers. Hippeastrum is a popular indoor bulb that flowers for 3 to 4 weeks during the Christmas period.

Amaryllis is often used when describing Hippeastrum, but they are different plants. Hippeastrum is a genus made up of 90 species and 600 hybrids and cultivars of flowering bulbs native to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. This showy plant is commonly sold as an indoor flowering plant during the Christmas period. Amaryllis is a flowering bulb native to South Africa made up of two species, A. belladonna and A. paradisicola. Flowers on a single leafless stem in autumn, hence the name ‘naked lady‘. At the top of each stem is a cluster of six or more trumpet-shaped flowers most commonly in pink. A month or so later, the strappy foliage appears, lasting through winter before dying back.

Christmas rose (hellebore)

Family	Ranunculaceae
Botanical name	Hellebore spp.
Common names	Hellebore, Christmas rose, Lenten rose
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	Red, pink, white, purple, yellow
Toxicity	Toxic to dogs
Toxic properties	Bufadienolides, glycosides, veratrin and prtoanemonin
Toxic parts	All parts
Level of toxicity	Moderate

Hellebore is a flowering evergreen perennial native to southern Europe. It is a popular plant for ornamental gardens because it flowers during winter. The dense foliage forms clumps and the large, open flowers bloom from early winter until spring, providing colour.

Balsam fir

Family	Pinaceae – Pine
Botanical name	Abies balsamea
Common names	Balsam fir, Blister Pine, Balm of Gilead fir
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	–
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic properties	–
Toxic parts	–
Level of toxicity	–

First described in 1768 by English botanist and gardener Philip Miller, balsam fir is an aromatic tree native to Northeastern America and eastern Canada, popular for its highly scented blue/green foliage. Balsam fir grows at a rate of 30 cm (12 inches) per year.

Fraser fir

Family	Pinaceae – Pine
Botanical name	Abies fraseri
Common names	Hickory pine, White spruce, Green spruce, Silver spruce, Colorado spruce
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	–
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic properties	–
Toxic parts	–
Level of toxicity	–

Fraser fir is a popular choice for a Christmas tree due to its pyramid shape, fresh fragrance and soft needles. Named after Scottish botanist John Fraser, the Fraser fir is native to the Appalachian mountains of the eastern United States and is a close relative to balsam fir.

Douglas fir

Family	Pinaceae – Pine
Botanical name	Pseudotsuga menziesii
Common names	Douglas fir, Oregon fir, Oregon pine, Oregon, Green Douglas fir, Blue Douglas fir, Red pine, Columbian pine, Common Douglas, Coast Douglas-fir
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	–
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic properties	–
Toxic parts	–
Level of toxicity	–

Douglas fir is a medium to fast-growing evergreen conifer native to the western region of North America. The delicate citrus scent, thick, soft needles, pyramidal shape and strong branches make it an ideal Christmas tree.

Norway spruce

Family	Pinaceae – Pine
Botanical name	Picea abies
Common names	Common spruce, European spruce, Christmas tree
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	–
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic properties	–
Toxic parts	–
Level of toxicity	–

The fastest-growing of all the Christmas trees, Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a large, coniferous tree native to Eurasia. Norway spruce is loved for its beautiful pine scent, layered branches and shapely form and is widely cultivated in North America to cater to the Christmas tree market. The wood is also used in the paper, construction and lumber industries.

White spruce

Family	Pinaceae – Pine
Botanical name	Picea glauca, Picea alba
Common names	White spruce, Black hills spruce, Canadian spruce
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	–
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic properties	–
Toxic parts	–
Level of toxicity	–

White spruce (Picea glauca) is a coniferous evergreen native to the United States and Canada. The compact conical shape and short blue-green needles make white spruce a popular choice. The waxy needles have a waxy white coating (hence the name glauca, which means shimmering), and are quite sharp. As a plus, this is likely to deter dogs from chewing the tree.

Blue spruce

Family	Pinaceae – Pine
Botanical name	Picea pungens
Common names	Hickory pine, White spruce, Green spruce, Silver spruce, Colorado spruce
Leaf colour	Green
Flower colour	–
Toxicity	Non-toxic
Toxic properties	–
Toxic parts	–
Level of toxicity	–

Blue spruce (Picea pungens) is a slow-growing, compact evergreen conifer native to North America. The shape of blue spruce is pyramidal, with short, somewhat prickly, stunning silvery-blue needles making it one of the most popular Christmas trees.