Plants

One of the most common types of poisonous plants is poison ivy. It grows throughout much of North America, including all Canadian provinces (but not the territories) and all U.S. states except Alaska, and is normally found in wooded areas, especially along edge areas. It also grows in exposed rocky areas and in open fields and disturbed areas. It rarely grows at altitudes above 1,500 meters (5,000 ft). The plants can grow as a shrub up to about 1.2 meters (4 ft) tall, as a groundcover 10–25 centimeters (4–10 in) high, or as a climbing vine on various supports. Older vines on substantial supports send out lateral branches that may at first be mistaken for tree limbs.

Aconitum, which is also known as wolfsbane, is a flowering plant that is related to the buttercup. The aconitum are perennial plants and are native to the northern hemisphere. Their dark green leaves lack stipules. They are palmate or deeply palmately lobed with 5–7 segments. Each segment again is 3-lobed with coarse sharp teeth. The leaves have a spiral or alternate arrangement. The lower leaves have long petioles.

There are 15 different species of Death Camas, all of which are located in North America. Most of these species survive in moist mountain valleys or sandy hills and plains. Death Camas might be a beautiful looking flower, but it is poisonous to sheep, cattle, pigs, and humans.

What makes this plant poisonous is the steroidal alkaloids, which have potent hypotensive activity commonly found in Veratrum, a false hellebore. The bulb and the mature leaves are the most toxic part of the plant itself.