Is Lords and Ladies Poisonous? Toxicity Guide for Pets and People

Lords and ladies is toxic to dogs, cats, and humans. The plant (Arum maculatum) is a common woodland and hedgerow plant in Britain and Europe, sometimes called cuckoo pint, wild arum, or Jack-in-the-pulpit in North America. All parts of the plant are toxic, with the berries carrying the highest risk because they are bright red-orange, grow in conspicuous clusters, and are attractive to children and birds. The toxic compounds cause immediate and intense irritation of the mouth and throat, making it unlikely that a person or animal will consume a large amount before stopping.

What Part of Lords and Ladies Is Toxic?

Every part of the plant contains toxic compounds:

Berries: The ripe berries are the greatest practical risk, particularly in late summer and autumn. They grow in dense clusters on a stalk after the spathe dies back. Their bright color is appealing to young children. The berries contain the highest concentration of insoluble calcium oxalates and also aroin, a bitter saponin-like compound.

Leaves: The large, arrow-shaped leaves are toxic. They contain calcium oxalate raphides (needle-like crystals) that pierce tissue on contact with mucous membranes.

Spathe and spadix: The hooded flowering structure is toxic throughout. The spathe generates heat during flowering to volatilize attractants, but this does not reduce toxicity.

Roots: The underground corm contains concentrated toxic compounds. Historically it was processed extensively to extract starch, but raw corm ingestion is dangerous.

Symptoms of Lords and Ladies Ingestion

The calcium oxalate crystals cause immediate mechanical injury to soft tissue in the mouth, throat, and digestive tract. This burning pain usually causes people and animals to stop eating quickly.

Dogs and cats: Intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, and tongue. Excessive drooling, pawing at the mouth, and difficulty swallowing are common immediate responses. Vomiting typically follows. With larger ingestions, swelling of the mouth and throat can affect breathing. Weakness and gastrointestinal distress may persist for hours.

Humans and children: Immediate intense burning in the mouth and throat. Swelling of lips, tongue, and throat. Excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and vomiting. The throat swelling is the most serious concern; significant swelling can affect breathing and requires emergency medical attention. Skin and eye contact with sap can cause irritation and should be washed off immediately.

What to Do If Someone Ingests Lords and Ladies

1. Remove any plant material remaining in the mouth.
2. Rinse the mouth thoroughly with water or milk. Do not make the person or pet swallow large amounts of liquid if swallowing is already painful or difficult.
3. Do not induce vomiting. The calcium oxalate crystals have already caused damage on the way down, and inducing vomiting forces them through the tissue again.
4. Call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 (US) or your vet immediately.
5. If there is any swelling in the throat, difficulty breathing, or signs of airway obstruction, call 911 or go to an emergency room or emergency vet without delay.
6. Rinse skin and flush eyes with clean water for at least 15 minutes if sap contact occurred.

Safe Handling Around Pets and Children

• Learn to identify lords and ladies in your garden and local green spaces, particularly the distinctive hooded flower in spring and the bright berry clusters in late summer.
• Remove the plant from areas where children play or where dogs have access. Wear thick gloves when digging out the corm, as sap can irritate skin.
• Teach children to recognize the bright red-orange berry clusters and understand they are not safe to touch or eat.
• Dogs that explore hedgerows or woodland gardens are at risk from the berries in autumn. Keep dogs on a lead near areas where lords and ladies is known to grow.
• When clearing garden beds, place all removed plant material directly into a sealed bin bag rather than a compost pile accessible to pets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are lords and ladies berries deadly? They are capable of causing serious harm, particularly to young children and small animals, though deaths are rare because the immediate pain typically prevents large ingestion. The threat is real enough to treat any confirmed berry ingestion as an emergency, especially for small children and small dogs or cats.

Is lords and ladies the same as jack-in-the-pulpit? They are different species but closely related. Arisaema triphyllum (North American jack-in-the-pulpit) shares similar toxicity via insoluble calcium oxalates. Arum maculatum is the British and European species. Both cause similar symptoms and both are toxic.

My dog ate lords and ladies berries. What do I do? Call your vet immediately. Do not wait for symptoms. The number of berries eaten and the size of your dog will determine how your vet wants to respond. Bring a photo or sample of the plant if possible.

Can touching lords and ladies cause a rash? Yes. The sap from broken leaves or stems contains calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate skin. Wear gloves when handling the plant and wash exposed skin promptly with soap and water.

What time of year is lords and ladies most dangerous? Late summer through autumn, when the bright berries are present and visible. The plant is also present in spring when the distinctive hooded flower appears, but the berries are the main accidental ingestion risk.