Poisonous Plants

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Daphne | Death Cap | Delphinium | Dumb Cane | Elderberry | Elephant's Ear

Daphnes (Daphne species). All species are poisonous. A few have attractive red berries.

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Death cap (Amanita phalloides). One of the most poisonous fungi known. Although widespread in New Zealand, it is less common than its better-known relation the fly agaric, A. muscaria. Death cap usually grows beneath oak trees, and may be increasing at present, as the fly agaric seems to be. Death cap has a yellowish or greenish-white cap, so is immediately recognisable from the more conspicuous fly agaric. Both fungi have white gills and a volva(membrane) at the base of the stem at ground level, this being a prominent white cup in the death cap. Note: edible mush-rooms (Agaricus species) do not have a volva or white gills.

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Delphiniums (Delphinium species). All parts are poisonous. [See the closely related larkspurs.]

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Dumb canes (Dieffenbachia species). Very common house plants with large deep green leaves variously spotted or streaked with white or cream. The sap is very poisonous as with other members of the arum lily family.

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Elderberry or elder (Sambucus nigra). The large clusters of little black juicy berries can be made into jam or wine, but they can cause stomach upsets if too many are eaten raw. It mainly grows in southern and central districts.

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Elephant's ear (Alocasia brisbanensis). Known as kape or ape to Pacific Islanders because of an almost indistinguishable relation in the Pacific Islands (Alocasia macrorrhizos) that is cultivated for food. However, any Alocasia must be cooked for a very long time before the toxic compounds present in all parts of the plant are broken down. It belongs to the very poisonous arum lily family.

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	Daphnes (Daphne species). All species are poisonous. A few have attractive red berries. Back to Top
	Death cap (Amanita phalloides). One of the most poisonous fungi known. Although widespread in New Zealand, it is less common than its better-known relation the fly agaric, A. muscaria. Death cap usually grows beneath oak trees, and may be increasing at present, as the fly agaric seems to be. Death cap has a yellowish or greenish-white cap, so is immediately recognisable from the more conspicuous fly agaric. Both fungi have white gills and a volva(membrane) at the base of the stem at ground level, this being a prominent white cup in the death cap. Note: edible mush-rooms (Agaricus species) do not have a volva or white gills. Back to Top
	Delphiniums (Delphinium species). All parts are poisonous. [See the closely related larkspurs.] Back to Top
	Dumb canes (Dieffenbachia species). Very common house plants with large deep green leaves variously spotted or streaked with white or cream. The sap is very poisonous as with other members of the arum lily family. Back to Top
	Elderberry or elder (Sambucus nigra). The large clusters of little black juicy berries can be made into jam or wine, but they can cause stomach upsets if too many are eaten raw. It mainly grows in southern and central districts. Back to Top
	Elephant's ear (Alocasia brisbanensis). Known as kape or ape to Pacific Islanders because of an almost indistinguishable relation in the Pacific Islands (Alocasia macrorrhizos) that is cultivated for food. However, any Alocasia must be cooked for a very long time before the toxic compounds present in all parts of the plant are broken down. It belongs to the very poisonous arum lily family. Back to Top