This Lovely Looking Plant Found in New York Gardens Can Be Fatal

My family just moved into a new house and we were so excited to discover what different plants the previous owners had planted in our garden.

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Hostas, daisies, lilies, black-eyed Susans, we were in love. That is, until we stumbled on one particular plant that raised red flags. Not because we were worried about our son getting into it, but rather our dog being tempted to munch on it and facing possible deadly consequences.

A popular flower in New York is called the lily of the valley. The lily of the valley is a beautiful plant with vibrant green leaves and adorable white bell-shaped flowers which hang from delicate stems. Lily of the valley is a low-growing plant and makes for the perfect ground cover. Its sweet-smelling scent is attractive, but the plant itself can be deadly.

No matter where you are with your family or pets whether it be at home, at a friend’s house, or out for a leisurely stroll, you need to know that there are several plants in New York that are extremely toxic to both humans and animals if ingested but lily of the valley is among the most toxic of all.

No part of the plant is safe. Although pretty to look at and to smell, lily of the valley is highly toxic and if ingested, it can lead to death.

Lily of the valley contains several different compounds that can affect the heart and the gastrointestinal tract. The warning about ingesting lily of the valley is so severe that it is recommended to call poison control if a person has eaten even a small bit of any part of the plant.

According to WebMD, ingesting any part of a lily of the valley plant can cause fainting, irregular heartbeat, slow heartbeat, diarrhea, excessive urination at night, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, and vomiting

Mount Sinai notes that the likelihood of dying from ingesting lily of the valley is small but the threat should still be taken seriously. If you or someone in your home consumes even a small amount of lily of the valley, you should immediately call poison control at 800-222-1222.