Pretty but poisonous

WHAT NOT TO PLANT TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE

We love our gardens, and we love our pets, but sometimes the two just don’t go together. ¶ Whether you’re growing plants outdoors or in, you can make your environment safer by using creative thinking to keep pets away from fragile plants and, most especially, plants that, if eaten, can sicken or even kill. ¶ Keep risks at the minimum by restricting these plants — the ones most commonly involved in pet poisonings — to areas of your garden where pets can’t reach them or by eliminating them from your garden palette altogether.

1 Amaryllis

All the amaryllis varieties are popular, common garden plants, but if your pet eats the leaves or bulb, it can become very ill.

2 Azalea and rhododendron

Azaleas and rhodies are popular with gardeners because of the showy blooms they produce. Most of our Bay Area soils are unsuitable for growing them, so gardeners go to extremes to amend their soil or plant in pots, which makes it even more tragic that these plants are highly toxic to our pets.

3 Castor bean

These are beautiful plants, but the beans — the seeds — of the castor plant contain large amounts of ricin, a deadly poison.

4 Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums, or mums, are a popular garden plant, but dangerous to pets because they contain pyrethrins.

5 Cyclamen

The deadliest part of the cyclamen is below ground, in the roots. If you have a dog that likes to dig up plants, this is one to avoid.

6 English ivy

Ivy presents its own set of challenges. It provides places for unwanted animals, such as rats, to live. It spreads everywhere. And it contains toxins that can make pets very ill.

7 Lily

Every part of almost every type of lily, from the leaves to the flower and stamens, can be fatal to cats, although they are safer for dogs. Be especially careful if you bring lilies indoors in bouquets.

8 Oleander

Oleander is a hardy, easy-togrow plant that can make a good “privacy fence” around your yard, but parts of the oleander are toxic to pets and humans alike.

9 Sago palm

This is a very popular plant for the yard, patio or a sunny window indoors, but it’s dangerous to have around your pets. The fronds are toxic, but the seeds — or nuts — of the palm have a higher concentration of toxins.

10 Tulip

Nothing says spring quite like vividly colored tulips popping their heads from the soil, but tulip bulbs have a toxin that is bad for our pets.