What are poisonous plants of southwest deserts?

Answer 1

There are very few poisonous animals in the desert. However, there are a number of venomous animals in the desert including snakes, Spiders, scorpions and a few lizards. A poison is a substance you must consume to become ill or die. A venom must be injected to cause harm. A person could eat a rattlesnake without ill effects. However, if the snake bites a person it is a different story.

Answer 2

Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium) is a highly toxic plant often found in the deserts. It is sometimes called loco weed. Silver-leaved Nightshade or Silverleaf nightshade, (Solanum elaeagnifolium) is another toxic plant found throughout the western United States, including the desert.

Here are a few others. Some are not natives to the southwest but are transplanted exotics that have escaped into the deserts.

Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia - Common Fiddleneck

Anagallis arvensis - Scarlet Pimpernel

Anagallis arvensis ssp. foemina - Poorman's Weatherglass

Argemone pleiacantha - Southwestern Pricklypoppy

Aristolochia watsonii - Watson's Dutchman's Pipe

Asclepias asperula - Spider Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly Milkweed

Astrolepis cochisensis - Cochise Scaly Cloakfern

Baileya multiradiata - Desert Marigold

Brassica tournefortii - Asian Mustard

Caesalpinia gilliesii - Bird-of-paradise Shrub

Centaurea melitensis - Maltese Star-thistle

Cephalanthus occidentalis - Common Buttonbush

Corydalis aurea - Scrambled Eggs

Crotalaria pumila - Low Rattlebox

Cucurbita foetidissima - Missouri Gourd

Datura discolor - Desert Thorn-apple

Datura wrightii - Sacred Thorn-apple

Delphinium scaposum - Tall Mountain Larkspur

Dodonaea viscosa - Florida Hopbush

Equisetum hyemale - Scouringrush Horsetail

Erodium cicutarium - Redstem Stork's Bill

Erythrina flabelliformis - Coralbean

Haplophyton crooksii - Cockroachplant

Helianthus annuus - Common Sunflower

Heliomeris longifolia - Longleaf False Goldeneye

Heracleum maximum - Common Cowparsnip

Isocoma tenuisecta - Burroweed

Jatropha macrorhiza - Ragged Nettlespurge

Linum lewisii - Lewis Flax

Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinalflower

Lupinus sparsiflorus - Coulter's Lupine

Malva parviflora - Cheeseweed Mallow

Melilotus officinalis - Yellow Sweetclover

Modiola caroliniana - Carolina Bristlemallow

Nerium oleander - Oleander

Nicotiana glauca - Tree Tobacco

Nicotiana obtusifolia - Desert Tobacco

Nolina microcarpa - Sacahuista

Oxalis corniculata - Creeping Woodsorrel

Papaver somniferum - Opium Poppy

Passiflora foetida var. arizonica - Arizona Passionflower

Phacelia crenulata - Cleftleaf Wildheliotrope

Phoradendron macrophyllum - Colorado Desert Mistletoe

Plumbago scandens - Doctorbush

Psoralidium tenuiflorum - Slimflower Scurfpea

Rivina humilis - Rougeplant

Robinia neomexicana - New Mexico Locust

Rumex hymenosepalus - Canaigre Dock

Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis - American Black Elderberry

Sapindus saponaria - Wingleaf Soapberry

Solanum americanum - American Black Nightshade

Solanum elaeagnifolium - Silverleaf Nightshade

Solanum fendleri - Fendler's Horsenettle

Solanum rostratum - Buffalobur Nightshade

Verbesina encelioides - Golden Crownbeard

Vinca major - Bigleaf Periwinkle

Wislizenia refracta - Spectacle Fruit

Xanthium strumarium - Rough Cocklebur

Yucca elata - Soaptree Yucca

There are others.

Answer 3

First off, poisonous means something that makes a person ill or kills them if they ingest (eat) it. That is entirely different from venomous which means the toxin must be injected, as by a bite or sting. There are many plants in the desert that are poisonous and could potentially kill a person if eaten. There are also some amphibians, such as toads, which produce toxins in their skin which can kill if ingested.

Answer 4

Remember, a poison is something a person has to ingest (eat) to cause damage. There are a number of such toxic plants in the desert as well as some amphibians and insects that could be toxic if eaten. Even some cacti have toxic properties,

Answer 5

Poisonous means that you die if you eat the animal. Venomous means you die if the animal bites you. Which is it?

Answer 6

Yes, there are a number of toxic plants that are found in deserts, including some cacti.