Lily of the Valley Toxic?

Updated 2026-03-06| 4 min read| 4,638 found this helpful

All parts of Lily of the Valley are toxic (especially flowers), and drying does not deactivate its toxic compounds

It is confirmed toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, and is severely toxic to birds, pigs, rabbits and poultry

Ingestion can cause cardiac arrhythmia, seizures, coma, and potentially fatal cardiac arrest

FAQ

Is Lily of the Valley toxic to Humans?

Vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, possible cardiac arrest (High)

Is Lily of the Valley toxic to Cats?

Vomiting, irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, potential death (High)

Is Lily of the Valley toxic to Dogs?

Vomiting, irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, potential death (High)

Is Lily of the Valley toxic to Horses?

Vomiting, irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, potential death (High)

Not sure which plant? Snap a photo to ID in 1 secondGet App

Toxicity Details

Humans

High

Vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, possible cardiac arrest

Cats

High

Vomiting, irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, potential death

Dogs

High

Vomiting, irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, potential death

Horses

High

Vomiting, irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, disorientation, seizures, coma, potential death

Toxicity Snapshot

Toxic PartsAll plant parts, especially flowers. Fruit pulp has lower toxicity. Drying does not deactivate toxic compounds.

Exposure RouteIngestion of any plant material, rare mild skin irritation from contact with sap

Toxic CompoundsCardenolides (convallarin, convallatoxin, convallosid, convallamarin, other cardiac glycosides); Saponins (convallarin, convallarin acid); Azetidine carboxylic acid (toxic amino acid)

First Aid & Prevention

First 30 Minutes

• Immediately remove any remaining plant material from the affected individual's (human or animal) mouth
• Contact a medical professional or veterinarian immediately for guidance, do not induce vomiting unless explicitly directed
• Collect a sample of the ingested plant for accurate identification if possible

Contact Vet Immediately

• Any confirmed or suspected ingestion of Lily of the Valley plant material, even if no symptoms are visible
• Appearance of symptoms including vomiting, irregular heart rate, disorientation, seizures or respiratory distress
• Exposure in high-risk species including cats, dogs, horses, birds, pigs, rabbits and poultry

Prevention

• Keep Lily of the Valley plants, cut flower arrangements and dried plant material out of reach of children, pets and livestock
• Learn to distinguish this plant from visually similar toxic and non-toxic species before foraging wild plants
• Do not feed any unidentified wild foraged plant material to pets or livestock

Treatment & Prognosis

• Perform decontamination (e.g. activated charcoal administration) if ingestion was recent and directed by a professional
• Administer atropine sulfate to treat bradycardia (abnormally slow heart rate) as prescribed
• Administer lidocaine to manage ventricular tachyarrhythmias or ventricular fibrillation as required
• Provide supportive symptomatic care for seizures, respiratory distress and other presenting symptoms

Emergency? Open PlantFun for real-time AI guidanceGet App

Professional Toxicology

Scientific NameConvallaria majalis

AliasesMaiglöckchen、Maiblume、Muguet de mai、Lis de mai、Mughetto、Giglio delle convalli、Marienglöckchen、Clochette de bois

Toxicity Grade

HumansHigh

CatsHigh

DogsHigh

HorsesHigh

Target Organs

HeartGastrointestinal tractCentral nervous systemRespiratory system

Mechanism of Action

• Cardiac glycosides in the plant inhibit sodium-potassium ATPase activity in cardiac cells, disrupting normal heart rhythm

• Saponin compounds cause gastrointestinal irritation, leading to vomiting and diarrhea

• Toxic amino acids and other components contribute to neurological symptoms including disorientation, seizures and coma

Other Species Risk (CliniTox)

Information from CliniTox veterinary text.

Birds: Severe toxicity, even small amounts of ingestion can cause rapid fatal cardiac arrest

Pigs: High toxicity, may develop vomiting, cardiac arrhythmia, neurological symptoms and death following ingestion

Rabbits: High toxicity, susceptible to severe cardiac and respiratory complications after consuming plant material

Poultry: Severe toxicity, high risk of fatal poisoning from ingesting even small quantities of the plant

Confusion Risk

The following plants look similar and may be confused:

Wild Garlic Allium ursinum

Visually similar in leaf structure to Lily of the Valley; wild garlic is non-toxic to humans and moderately toxic to animals, and emits a distinct garlic odor when crushed that Lily of the Valley lacks

Autumn Crocus Colchicum autumnale

Has visually similar leaves to Lily of the Valley; it is severely toxic to both humans and animals, and typically blooms in autumn rather than spring

Cuckoo Pint Arum maculatum

Shares similar shaded woodland growing habitat with Lily of the Valley; it is severely toxic, and has distinctive spotted leaves and bright red berry clusters

Use PlantFun to scan and avoid misidentificationGet App

Related Toxic Plants

Asparagus Fern

Asparagus setaceus

Low to Moderate toxicity

Common Yucca

Yucca filamentosa

Moderate toxicity

Snake Plant

Dracaena trifasciata

Low to Moderate toxicity

Download PlantFun App

Identify, grow and care for plants effectively!

Instant Plant ID

Take a photo to quickly identify plants.

Smart Care Reminders

Generate watering and care schedules.

Toxicity & Disease Diagnosis

Identify toxic plants and pests with treatment advice.

Data Sources

1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control

2. CliniTox (Universität Zürich)

This information is for reference only and does not constitute medical advice. If ingestion or poisoning is suspected, seek medical or veterinary attention immediately.