Native Plants

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Sunday - December 16, 2012

From: Naperville, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Poisonous Plants, Vines
Title: Lonicera sempervirens not harmful to dogs from Naperville IL
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Is the trumpet honeysuckle (lonicera sempervirens) harmful to dogs if eaten? I have been told in the past that the common trumpet vine is harmful, but this appears to be different. Thank you!!

ANSWER:

We think you have two native vines confused - Campsis radicans (Trumpet creeper) and Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle). However, the scientific name you gave us, Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle), is certainly correct, and both it and Campsis radicans (Trumpet creeper) are native to Illinois. You can follow the plant links to our webpages on both. Neither have any indication of being poisonous on their webpages, but Campsis radicans (Trumpet creeper) has sap that can cause skin irritation on contact. Both of these vines are capable of being invasive, but the trumpet creeper can be really invasive, so the honeysuckle would be preferable.

Just for your own comfort level, here are some plant lists you can consult when you are concerned about whether a plant might be harmful to your dogs:

Poisonous Plants of North Carolina

Texas Toxic Plant Database

Cornell University Plants Poisonous to Livestock

University of Pennsylvania Poisonous Plants Database

Plus, none of the lists specific for dogs (Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA and Doberdogs) that I found has it named.

From the Image Gallery

Coral honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens

Trumpet creeper
Campsis radicans