Are hostas poisonous?

The hosta plant is toxic to some animals. Known toxicities exist in dogs, cats and horses. The signs of poisoning include depression, diarrhea and vomiting. Deer and slugs are able to consume this plant without being harmed.

If an animal exhibits any of the above symptoms, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately. The severity of the poisoning depends on how much of the plant was consumed by the animal.

The hosta plant, also known as the funkia or plantain lily, has a toxic element called saponins. A number of different houseplants contain this element. These include the asparagus fern, the corn plant and aloe.