Plant Identification

If you are going to be hiking, camping or spending time outside, you need to know how to recognize poisonous plants. There is no one steadfast rule to identify poisonous plants, but there are some tips that can help you in identifying poisonous plants to keep yourself and your family safe.

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need

Field Guide to Plants

Magnifying Glass (optional) 

Step One
Observe the plant in question. Take a look at its leaves, stems, flowers and berries (if present). Also, take note of the habitat in which the plant is growing and of its height. Be sure to not touch any unidentified plant with your hands. Use a magnifying glass to get a better look at the parts of an unidentified plant. While observing the plant, also be sure to never take a taste of any part of the plant.

Step Two
Consult a field guide to poisonous plants or to plants in general. A good source of information on poisonous plants is the "Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants". Field guides will give you information on the appearance of plants, likely habitats, as well as information on plant toxicity. In addition, field guides contain pictures of plants which may be helpful in your identification.

Step Three
Search the Internet for information on poisonous plants. There are various databases online which allow you to search for a poisonous plant by name or to search by plant characteristics.

Step Four
Speak to people who may have information on poisonous plants in your area. People who work at local parks, on nature trails or in botanical gardens may be of assistance. Often, these people are educated in the science of plant identification and will be able to answer questions you may have about poisonous plant identification.

Step Five
Contact your local poison control center. Poison control centers can be a wealth of information when it comes to poisonous plants. They can answer specific questions you may have about a poisonous plant over the phone, and they can also mail you a listing of poisonous plants that can be found in your area. 

Tips & Warnings

It is advantageous to gather information on poisonous plants from a variety of sources. This way, you can be more confident in your identification of a poisonous plant. 

Never eat or touch any plant unless you are certain that you have identified it correctly and that it is not poisonous. Do not take any chances when it comes to poisonous plants. 

Be sure to protect your pets around poisonous plants. Plants that may not be poisonous for humans can be toxic to animals. Guard your pets with care. 

Do not use your pets to help you determine if a plant is poisonous to humans. Some plants that are not poisonous to pets can be highly poisonous to humans
.

Contact a doctor and your local poison control center right away if someone has eaten or touched any poisonous plant.