Shade gardeners should be very familiar with this bedding beauty. The begonia is prized for its ability to flower throughout the growing season in sites that would be inhospitable to most other plants. Not to mention its wide range of flower colors and leaf patterns. Its blooms can be either single or double in shades of yellow, pink, red, orange, salmon and white.

So what’s the catch, you ask?

Insoluble oxalates, with the highest concentration in the tuber, make this a no-no for dogs and cats. Ingestion could result in a burning sensation of the mucous membranes, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.

This vibrant red flower gets its name from the robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals.

Despite the pious nomenclature, one of the most popular varieties is called “Lucifer.”

Many gardeners will be punctuating their container gardens with pops of color from Caladium bicolor, aka caladium or elephant ears. These spectacular tropical beauties thrive in moist shady areas and are the “thrillers” of the container garden. The dazzling, lance-shaped foliage is eye-catching.

But watch out. The plant is toxic.

Snow White, tempted by the shiny red apple, took a bite and fell gracefully to the floor. Fortunately for her, there was an antidote in the form of true love’s kiss.

The rest of us (as well as our pets) may not be so lucky. Apples are poisonous! But we’d have to chew a whole lot of pips (seeds) to be knocked off.

There’s just something so majestic and stately about the Iris. The tried and true deep purple blossoms of Iris sibirica ‘Caesar’s Brother’ are among my favorites.

So I was relieved to learn that, while it is poisonous to both cats and dogs, its toxicity is low and symptoms shortlived.

These beauties will be popping soon, if they aren’t already. But cat and dog owners beware. Ingesting just a few leaves can send your friend into a downward spiral.

Azaleas and Rhododendrons contain grayantoxin which can impair muscle and nerve function. The toxin is present in the bright blossoms as well as the glossy, evergreen leaves of the plant.

This tropical houseplant is easy to grow. Which is probably why it’s so widely available in all the big-box home improvement stores. This tropical trailer however, has a dark side. Its heart-shaped green leaves contain a highly toxic substance, calcium oxalate.

Poison control centers received a whopping 1,600 calls in 2006 regarding philodrendon poisoning. Not surprisingly, philodendron is also toxic to cats and dogs.

Butterflies love it! Offer it to livestock, however, and you’ll have dealt a death sentence.

Lantana camara causes liver damage in livestock when enough leaves are consumed. The unripe, green berries are poisonous to people, cats, and dogs.

In 2006, garden shop owners in Washington, D.C. thought they were witnessing a growing interest in gardening among the teenage crowd. Little did they know that this bulk-buying of morning glory seeds was not meant to beautify the garden. It was more about altering reality.

Chewing the seeds or brewing them as a tea releases lysergic acid, which is similar to the active ingredient in LSD and capable of delivering a very “trippy” punch.

CAT LOVERS BEWARE!

Easter lilies will be everywhere soon. You should, however, admire them from afar. Church and the grocery store are good choices.

These fragrant beauties can kill a cat within 24 to 48 hours.