If you’re new to Arizona, you may not know this, but we’ll let you in on a secret: Everything in this state is designed to poke, poison or pierce flesh. We love our desert, but trust us when we say it is one of the most dangerous environments in the world for pets (you can see why in our Top 10 List of Dangers for Pets). But, our plant life is in a class by itself…

The Sonoran desert is the most biodiverse desert in the world. Arizona is home to over 2,000 native species of plants and all of them are fighting for survival in a harsh environment. This means that you need to train your pets to avoid all things that live in the area. Including plants, lest they become a statistic.

About Arizona Plants

Desert plant life, while hostile, is hostile for a reason. The Saguaro cactus can live up to 200 years and Southern Arizona is the only place in the United States where you can see them. Everything in the desert has to fight for survival.

Arizona Plants that are Toxic to Pets

Our plants are as varied as our state’s landscape, from the pine trees in the tundra region, to moss in the aquatic range. This is why it’s so important to know your yard and surrounding foliage. If you can’t identify each of your plants, it’s time to get busy with a plant identifier app or by doing some serious research. The ASPCA has one of the best lists of toxic and non toxic plants in Arizona (and other areas).

NOTE: This is not a complete list. Be sure to fully research plant types, varieties and more when you’re evaluating your yard.

Popular Trees that are Toxic to Pets

Apple Tree
Apricot Tree
Australian Flame Tree
Avocado
Bead Tree
Black Laurel
Black Locust
Boxwood
Cacao
Cherry Tree
Chapparal (Bottlebrush, Creosote, Greasewood)
Chinaberry Tree
Elderberry
Eucalyptus
Flame Tree
Glottidium (sesbania)
Golden Chain (Laburnum)
Oak
Poinciana
Red Maple
Crimson Bottlebrush
Creosote

Popular Flowers that are Toxic to Pets

Azaleas
Rhododendron
Crocus
Azalea
Baneberry
Bird Of Paradise
Bleeding Heart
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Bulb Flowers (including Irises, Lilies, Calla Lily, Daffodil, Autumn Crocus, Arum Lily, Tulips)
Camel Bush
Caldium
Cardinal Flower
Castor bean
Chrysanthemum
Clematis
Cocklebur
Coffee
Coral
Cyclamen
Four O’Clock (Marvel of Peru)
Foxglove
Geranium
Gladiolas
Heaths
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horse Chestnut
Horsetail
Hosta
Hydrangea
Jasmine (yellow)
Jimson weed
Lantana
Larkspur
Lily Of The Valley
Lupine
Mandrake
Mexican Bird of Paradise
Mexican Poppy
Mistletoe
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning Glory
Mountain Laurel
Nightshades
Oleander (especially yellow)
Peach Tree
Periwinkle
Philodendron
Plum Tree
Poinsettia
Primrose
Rain Tree
Ranunculus (Buttercup)
Snowdrop
Star of Bethlehem
Sweet Pea

Popular Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs that are Toxic to Pets:

Chives
Coriander
Garlic
Grapes
Hops
Leeks
Marijuana
Onions
Rhubarb
Tansy
Tobacco
Tomatoes
Potato Shoots
Yarrow

Bushes, Flowers, Vines, Weeds:

Bishop’s Weed
Bracken Fern
Buckthorn
Burdock
Chalice
Dieffenbachia
Elephant Ear (Taro)
Euonymus (Spindle)
English Ivy
False Hellebore
Felt Plant
Firethorns
Ground Cherry
Heliotrope
Hemlock
Henbane
Holly (winterberry)
Ivy
Jimsonweed
Laceflower
Lantana
Milkweed
Mistletoe
Mock Orange
Moonseed
Vetch
Oleander
Pigweed
Poison Ivy
Poison Oak
Pokeweed
Privet
Pyricantha
Rapeseed
Spurges
Wisteria
Yews

Fungi & Algae:

Blue-Green Algae
Mushrooms

Cactus

While cacti isn’t “toxic” per se, it does a pose a real and dangerous threat to your pets. Please avoid these in your yard. If they are already in your yard, be sure to train your pets to avoid.

Century Plant
Sago Palm (very deadly if consumed)
Cholla (all varieties)
Saguaro

SAFE Desert Plants to Grow Around Pets

So, what can you grow in our desert environment? Quite a few!

American rubber plant (common names: pepper face, baby rubber plant)
Blue echeveria (common names: maroon chenille, painted lady, copper rose, wax rosette, plush plant, “hen and chicks”)
Boston fern (common names: Boston fern, sword fern)
Cast iron plant (common name: bar-room plant)
Christmas cactus (which can show off flowers, hence the flashy common names Easter cactus and holiday cactus)
Donkey’s tail, a succulent (common names: horse’s tail, burro’s tail, lamb’s tail)
Parlor palm (common names: miniature fish tail dwarf palm, good luck palm, bamboo palm)
Spider plant (common names: ribbon plant, Anthericum, spider ivy)
Swedish ivy

Pet Friendly Plants & Flowers:

African Violets (Cape Marigold)
Begonias
Boston Fern
Bromeliads
Christmas Cactus
Coleus
Creeping zinnia
Daisies: Gerbera daisy (common names: Transvaal daisy, African daisy, Veldt daisy)
Hoya
Jade Plant
Lipstick plant
Marigolds
Petunia
Phalaenopsis orchid (common names: moth orchid, moon orchid, butterfly orchid, phals)
Roses
Rubber Plant
Spider Plant
Zinnia

Pet Friendly Bushes

Black hawthorn (common names: blackthorn, thorn apple, May bush)
Chaparral (common names: creosote bush, greasewood)
Crimson bottlebush
Magnolia bush
Mulberry bush greenbrier
Rose (but watch the thorns!)

Pet Friendly Trees:

Big shellbark hickory
Bitter pecan (common name: water hickory)
Bottle palm
Carob tree
Fig tree
Figleaf palm
Iron tree (common names: Maui sunset, flame of the woods)
Japanese aralia
Mockernut hickory
Mulberry tree
Pupleosier willow
Red maple
Silver bell tree
Tree cactus
Tulip poplar (tulip tree)

Don’t forget to learn about the other things that can injure you and your pets in the wild west of Arizona!