Plant exposure and safety

People

Call 911 for collapse, seizures, trouble breathing, or inability to wake the person. In the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for a suspected poisoning. Do not induce vomiting. National Capital Poison Center.

For skin or eye exposure, follow Poison Control’s first-aid directions and seek case-specific advice. Do not use a photograph or a lack of symptoms to rule out a dangerous exposure. First aid for poisonings.

Dogs, cats and other pets

After suspected toxic-plant ingestion, contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435 promptly; a consultation fee may apply. Identify the animal, the plant if known, the part eaten, approximate amount, and time of exposure. The information-gathering list is this guide’s practical preparation advice. ASPCA Poison Control.

Seed awns and burs can injure animals without chemical poisoning. Grass awns can lodge in tissue and migrate. Keep pets away from mature awns and obtain veterinary advice for suspected embedded material. UC Davis Veterinary Medicine: Foxtails.

Read a hazard in context

• Toxicity: adverse effects from chemicals in the plant, sometimes specific to the animal, plant part or amount.
• Contact injury: sap, hairs, spines or awns can harm skin, eyes, paws or mouths.
• Ecological harm: crowding or displacement of vegetation is a different question from poisoning.
• Evidence gap: this guide’s review has not established an answer. It is never a green light to eat or feed a plant.

These labels describe how this guide organizes evidence. Even plants listed as non-toxic can cause stomach upset if eaten. Native plants and xeriscape plants are not automatically safe for pets. ASPCA database scope.

What Lists A, B and C mean

These are Colorado's noxious-weed management categories. The letters are separate from danger ratings for people, pets, livestock and other plants.

The short labels are this guide's plain-language summaries of Fremont County's Colorado noxious-weed definitions. A plant's list designation does not describe its toxicity.

Before removing a plant

Confirm the species using several features. Colorado has native thistles and many plants with similar flowers. Seek help from a local Extension or weed specialist when identification is uncertain.

Colorado’s A, B and C noxious-weed lists concern management priorities, not a poison-severity ranking. County requirements and site conditions matter. Use the current product label for any pesticide, including instructions that affect animal access. CSU PlantTalk: Colorado Noxious Weeds.

Content revised 2026-09-21 19:48:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.