11 Common Shrubs That Have Poisonous Berries

Several shrubs come up with luscious looking berries, due to their dark colors and appetizing hues but they can be very poisonous.

Find below a list of shrubs with poisonous berries, take heed if you are planting them in your garden.

List of shrubs which bear poisonous berries

1. Boston ivy

The berries look luscious and they appear in a cluster. The berries are dark blue in color and give a grape like appearance. Very common for kids to be attracted to the color of these berries. Eating a few can be fatal.

2. English ivy

Can be easily mistaken for black currant. These berries are dark purple in color and grow in clusters. Eating these berries in a small amount can lead to gastric trouble and can also be fatal in some cases. Keeps these berries at bay if there are kids around your house.

3. Virginia creeper

These berries become ripe by late spring. They are dark blue in color (almost blackish blue) and look enticing. Birds are known to eat these berries but held as extremely poisonous for humans.

4. Privet

They ripen by winter and usually stay through out the year hanging around in clusters of dull black berries. Known to be highly poisonous and causes severe gastric troubles when consumed.

5. Holly

These berries look enticing because of their yellow or dark red hue, but are highly poisonous. Kids are attracted to the appetizing color of these berries and several fatalities are reported during christmas times due to the use of holly in decorations.

6. Mistletoe

These berries are white in color and grow in clusters. Avoid eating them if you dont want a severely disturbed stomach, these berries are known to be highly poisonous.

7. Elderberry

These berries are known for their flavor and used while making jams and wines. In their ripe form they are edible, but when they are unripe they are highly poisonous.

8. Yew berries

These scarlet berries can be immediately tempting to anyone not aware of its poison. Most poisoning cases have been reported due to consumption of these berries by kids. They look like little cherries and ripen by late spring. The berries are cup shaped with the seed in center.

9. Lantana

They are highly poisonous when unripe and green. These berries grow in clusters and ripen into dark blue color by late summer. Ripe lantana berries are not as poisonous as the unripe green ones.

10. Pokeweed

Berries are dark purple in color. This plant is also known as pokebush and the berries are called poke berries. Birds relish them but these berries are poisonous to humans.

11. Doll’s eyes

These berries look very attractive white their white color and black dots. They look like little eyes and they grow in clusters. They are deadly poisonous when consumed.

You can grow these shrubs in your garden for their beautiful and exotic berries. The can add a lot of color to your garden, as well as any flowering plant would. Just take caution to place a warning sign so people can stay aware.