Funky Koi Blog

Have your fish died recently?  Do you have unusual water chemistry that you just cannot fix?  Consider what you have planted around your pond, including mulch and certains rocks (i.e. limestone). 

When plant shopping, always look for aquatic plants that are safe for ponds and fish.

Do a little research for planting around your pond, such as those listed here. This is not a complete list of plants but a good list for Toxic plants which may cause death or do damage to your pond fish. 

Do not use dyed mulch or pine mulch around your pond!  Untreated hemlock mulch is safer to use.

ACONITUM (Aconite, Monkshood)  roots, flowers, & leaves

Allamanda –  all parts

Allspice-  leaves,seeds

Alocasia  leaves and stems

Aloe  leaves

Amaryllis  bulbs

Anemone –  all parts

Angel Trumpet Tree (Datura Arborea)  flowers & leaves

Anthurium  all parts

Apple  seeds contain hydrocyanic acid

Aprcot  leaves

Atropa Belladonna  all parts, especially black berries

Autumn Crocus (C. Sativus, Saffron Crocus)  bulbs 

Azaleas (Rhododendorn)  Leaves 

Balsam Pear Seeds, Outer Rind of  Fruit

Baneberry  berries, roots

Beach Pea (Lathyrus Maritimus)  stems

Betel Nut Palm  all parts 

Bird of Paradise  Seeds 

Bittersweet (Celastrus)  berries

Black Locust  Bark, sprouts, foliage 

Black walnut  hulls

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra, Dutchman’s Breeches)  foliage & roots 

Bluebonnets (Lupinus)  all parts 

Blue-Green Algae  Some forms toxic 

Bottlebrush (Callistemon, possibly Melaleuca)  flowers

Boxwood  Leaves, stems 

Buckeye (Aesculus, Horse Chestnut)  sprouts and nuts

Buckthorn  Fruit, bark 

Buttercup  sap, leaves, bulbs

Cactus

Caladium –  whole plant

California tern  roots seeds

Calla Lily  Leaves

Carolina jasmine –  all parts

Castor Bean (Castor Oil)  Beans, Leaves

Challice Vine  All parts 

Chenille  plant

Cherry  bark, twigs, leaves, pits

Cherry  seeds contain hydrocyanic acid

Cherry Laurel (Prunus Varieties)  all parts, seeds contain hydrocyanic acid

Cherry Tree  Bark, twigs,l eaves, pits 

Chinaberry (Melia Azedarach)  berries are poisonous

Choke cherry –  all parts, especially the cherries

Christmas Berry (Heteromeles Arbutifolia, Toyon)  berries are poisonous

Christmas Candle  Sap 

Colocasia  all parts

Columbine (Aquilegia)  all parts

Common Privet (Ligustrum)  black or blue wax coated berries and leaves

Coral Berry (Symphoricarpos)  seeds 

Coral Plant  Seeds 

Crpcus  all bulbs 

Croton  seeds

Daffodil  Bulbs 

Daphne  Berries 

Datura (Brugmansia) flowers, berries, & seeds

Day lily  very poisonous to cats

Deadly Amanita All parts 

Deadly Nightshade (Solanum Nigrum) all parts, unripe fruit & foliage

Death Camas All parts 

Delphinium All parts 

Destroying Angel (Amanita Phalloides, Death Cup) all parts

Dieffenbachia Leaves 

Digitalis –  all parts

Dogwood (Cornus) fruit slightly poisonous

Dumbcane (dieffenbachia) – all parts

Easter lily  (also very poisonous to cats)

Egg Plant All parts but fruit 

Elderberry (Sambucus) red fruit poisonous, black & blue fruit o.k.

Elephant Ear (Colocasia, Taro, Caladium) stem & leaves 

English Ivy Berries, leaves 

Euphorbia (Splurge, Gopher Plant, Mole Plant) roots, sap 

False Henbano All parts 

Fly Agaric (Fly Amanita Mushroom) whole plant

Four O’Clock whole plant 

Foxglove Leaves, seeds 

Gelsemium (Carolina Jessamine) whole plant

Gloriosa lily –  all parts

Golden Chain All parts, especially seeds

Hellebore (Ranunculaccea) all parts 

Hemlock (Tsuga) all parts, especially roots

Hemlock, water All parts, especially roots and seeds

Hemlosk, poison All parts, especially roots and seeds 

Henbane Seeds 

Holly Berries 

Honeysuckle Leave, flowers

Horse Chestnut Nuts, twigs 

Hyacinth Bulbs 

Hydrangea Flower bud 

Impatiens (Balsam, Touch-Me-Not, Snapweed) whole plant 

Indian Turnip(Jack-in-the-Pulpit) All parts 

Iris (Blue Flag) Bulbs 

Ivy (Hedera) all parts 

Jack-in-the-pulpit –  all parts

Japanese laurel –  all parts

Jasmine berries

Java Bean (Lima) Uncooked bean 

Jerusalam Cherry (Solanum Pseudocapsicum) fruit & leaves 

Jimsonweed Leaves, seeds 

Juniper (J.virginiana) Needles, stems, berries 

Lanbkill (Kalmia Angustifolia, Sheep Laurel) leaves 

Lantana Immature berries 

Larkspur (Delphinium) foliage & roots are dangerous, seeds may be fatal 

Laurel All parts 

Lily of the Valley All parts, including water 

Lobelia leaves

Locoweed All parts 

Locust  bark,leaves, seeds

Lords and Ladies All parts

Lupine (Lupinus) seeds 

Machineel  all parts 

Marijuana  all parts

May Apple (Podophullum) all parts 

Mescal Bean Seeds 

Milkweed (Asciepias) all parts, especially sap 

Misteltoe Berries 

Moccasin FLOWER (Lady Slipper, Cypripedium Spectabiles) all parts 

Mock Orange Fruit 

Monkshood Leaves, roots 

Morning Glory All parts 

Mountain Laurek (Kalmia Latifolia) young leaves & shoots, can be fatal 

Mushrooms wild types 

Mustard –  roots and seeds

Narcissus Bulbs 

Natal Cherry (Solanum) berries 

Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco) leaves 

Nightshades (all) Berries, leaves 

Oak Acorns, foliage 

Oleander – all parts

Oleaner Leaves,branches,nectar of blossoms 

Peach, seeds 

Pear, seeds 

Peony (Paeonia) all parts 

Periwinkle (Vinca, Myrtle) whole plant 

Philodendron Leaves, stem 

Pikeweed Leaves,roots,immature berries 

Pine sap

Pinks (Sweet William, Carnation, Dianthus) all parts 

Plum, seeds

Poinsettia Leaves, flowers 

Poison Ivy Sap 

Poison Oak Sap 

Pokeweed (Phytolacca, Pokeberry) roots are dangerous 

Poppy (Papaver) all except California Poppy can be dangerous 

Potato Eyes and new shoots 

Privet berries, leaves

Prunus (many varieties) seeds, some parts 

Ranunculus all parts

Redwood sap (from decks also)

Rhododendron All parts 

Rhubarb Leaves 

Rosary Peas Seeds 

Rosemary (Rosemarius Officinalis) leaves of certain varieties are poisonous 

Sage (Salvia) leaves of certain varieties are poisonous 

Scotchbroom (Cytinsus Scoparious) seeds, invasive 

Senecio whole plant of some species 

Skunk Cabbage All parts 

Snapdragon all parts

Snow Drops All parts, especially bulbs 

Snow on Mountain All parts 

Solanum (Nightshade) all, especially some berries 

Squirrel Corn (Dicentra Canadensis, Bleeding Heart) all parts 

Stramonium (Jimson Weed, Datura) all parts 

SUMAC (Rhus) all parts 

Sweet Pea Seeds and fruit 

TANSY (Tanacetum) all parts 

Taro – all parts

Tiger Lily all parts

Toadstools can be fatal 

Tobacco Leaves 

Tomato foliage & vines 

Trumpet vine – all parts

Tulip bulbs 

Virginia Creeper Sap 

Wisteria All parts  

Yam Bean Roots, immature polds 

Yew (American, English, Japanese) Needles, seeds