Arum maculatum is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is mild. Also known as Cuckoo-Pint and Lords and Ladies.
If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Fees may apply.
Oral Irritation Drooling Vomiting Difficulty Swallowing
The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.
Arum maculatum, commonly known as cuckoopint, jack-in-the-pulpit and other names, is a woodland flowering plant species in the family Araceae. It is native across most of Europe, as well as Eastern Turkey and the Caucasus.
All parts of the plant can produce allergic reactions in many people and the plant should be handled with care. The attractive berries are extremely poisonous to many animals, including humans, but harmless to birds, which eat them and propagate the seeds. They contain oxalates of saponins, which have needle-shaped crystals that irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, and result in swelling of throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain, and upset stomach. However, their acrid taste, coupled with the almost immediate tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed, means that large amounts are rarely taken and serious harm is unusual. It is one of the most common causes of accidental plant poisoning based on attendance at hospital emergency departments. There is no known antidote to A. maculatum poisoning. Airway management may reduce the mortality, and aggressive fluid administration may prevent renal injury.
Also recorded as Adam-and-Eve, Cuckoo Pint, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Lords-And-Ladies, Lords-and-Ladies [Arum maculatum] and Wake Robin.
More from the Araceae family:
Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.