The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Poisonous native plants

Coriaria arborea (tutu). Photo: John Sawyer

There are many New Zealand native vascular plant species that have been documented as being toxic. Twenty of them are identified here:

Alectryon excelsus (titoki)

Coriaria (8 species)

• Coriaria angustissima
• Coriaria arborea var. arborea
• Coriaria arborea var. kermadecensis
• Coriaria kingiana
• Coriaria plumosa
• Coriaria pottsiana
• Coriaria pteridoides
• Coriaria sarmentosa

Corynocarpus laevigatus (karaka) 

Myoporum laetum (ngaio). Photo: Jeremy Rolfe

Myoporum laetum (ngaio)

Solanum (2 species)

• Solanum aviculare var aviculare
• Solanum laciniatum

Sophora (at least 4 species)

• Sophora chathamica
• Sophora fulvida
• Sophora microphylla
• Sophora tetraptera

Urtica ferox (tree nettle, ongaonga)

For more information see:*

• Poisonous native plants (Te Ara - Encyclopedia of NZ)
• Henry Connor and John Fountain. 2009. Plants that poison - a New Zealand guide. Published by Manaaki Whenua Press.
• Poisonous plants in New Zealand (Landcare Research)
• Poisonous plants in New Zealand (RNZ Institute of Horticulture)
• Top 10 poisonous plants in New Zealand (National Poison Centre)

*The Network is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

This page last updated on 3 Apr 2013