Lobelia spp.

Lobelia spp. is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is moderate. Also known as Lobelias, Typical Lobelias and Bellflower Family.

dogs cats horses

Mild Moderate Severe Critical

If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian now, or one of these services.

What do I do right now?
  • Australia
    Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738 24 hours, every day · From $75
  • Austria
    Vergiftungsinformationszentrale 01 406 43 43 24 hours, every day
  • Belgium
    Centre Antipoisons 070 245 245 08:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 22:00 at weekends · Human calls come first. The centre has no funding for animal work.
  • Canada
    Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident
  • France
    Centre National d'Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires 04 78 87 10 40 08:30 to midnight, every day
  • Germany
    Giftinformationszentrum Bonn 0228 19240 24 hours, every day · Germany has no dedicated animal service. Human calls come first, so an animal call can wait.
  • Ireland

    Ireland has no animal poison service for owners. Call your veterinarian. An Irish veterinarian can consult the Veterinary Poisons Information Service in the United Kingdom.

  • Italy
    Centro Antiveleni di Milano 02 6610 1029 24 hours, every day
  • Netherlands
    Nationaal Vergiftigingen Informatie Centrum 088 755 8000 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · Call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian calls this line.
  • New Zealand
    Animal Poisons Helpline 0800 869 738 24 hours, every day
  • Sweden

    Giftinformationscentralen stopped answering questions about animals on 1 July 2018. Call your veterinarian or an animal hospital.

  • Switzerland
    Tox Info Suisse 145 24 hours, every day · From outside Switzerland, call +41 44 251 51 51.
  • United Kingdom
    Animal PoisonLine 01202 509 000 24 hours, every day · £35 from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, £45 at other times
    Veterinary Poisons Information Service 020 7305 5055 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · A members only service. Your veterinarian calls this line.
  • United States
    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 24 hours, every day · A consultation fee applies
    Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident

Symptoms to watch for

Depression Diarrhea Vomiting Drooling Abdominal Pain Cardiac Arrhythmias

The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.

About

Lobelia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae comprising 444 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions. They are known generally as lobelias.

How this plant poisons

Many members of the genus are considered poisonous, with some containing the toxic principle lobeline. Because of lobeline's similarity to nicotine, the internal use of lobelia may be dangerous to susceptible populations, including children, pregnant women, and individuals with cardiac disease. Excessive use will cause nausea and vomiting. It is not recommended for use by pregnant women and is best administered by a practitioner qualified in its use. It also has a chemical known as lobellicyonycin, which may cause dizziness.

Common Names

  • Lobelias
  • Typical Lobelias
  • Bellflower Family
  • Cardinal Flower
  • Great Blue Lobelia
  • Lobelia Subfamily
  • Indian Tobacco
  • Garden Lobelia
  • Downy Lobelia
  • Pale-Spiked Lobelia
  • Kalm's Lobelia
  • Punakuru
  • Pineleaf Lobelia
  • White Root
  • Sierra Madre Lobelia
  • Pānakenake
  • Water Lobelia
  • Glade Lobelia
  • May Lily
  • Common Pratia
  • Bractless Lobelias
  • Crownleaf Lobelia
  • Tall Lobelia
  • Matted Pratia
  • Nuttall's Lobelia
  • Twobract Lobelias
  • Bay Lobelia
  • Fringeleaf Lobelia

Also recorded as Giant Lobelia and Lobelia.

Facts

Family
Campanulaceae
Duration
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Growth habit
Forb/herb, Shrub, Subshrub
In the wild
US, AU, GB, ZA, FR, CA + more
Source
Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.