Is Lily-of-the-Valley Bush Toxic to Dogs and Cats? (2026)
Pieris japonica
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Quick facts
| Toxic to dogs | Yes |
|---|---|
| Toxic to cats | Yes |
| Toxic to horses | Yes |
| Toxic component | Grayanotoxins |
| Onset of symptoms | Within a few hours |
| Indoor / outdoor | outdoor |
If your pet ate this plant
Both lines are staffed 24/7. A consultation fee applies to each. Do not wait for symptoms to appear before calling.
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Symptoms in dogs
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Abnormal heart rate
- Collapse
Symptoms in cats
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Abnormal heart rhythm
Symptoms in horses
- Colic
- Weakness
- Abnormal heart rhythm
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What to do
Treat as an emergency — grayanotoxins affect heart rhythm and can progress quickly even if the pet seems fine initially.
Toxic component and mechanism
The toxic component in Lily-of-the-Valley Bush is grayanotoxins.
What makes this plant different
Despite the name, this Pieris species is unrelated to true Lily of the Valley (Convallaria) — it's actually an Ericaceae shrub sharing Azalea's grayanotoxin mechanism, a naming coincidence that could lead someone to underestimate its severity by association with a different, also-toxic-but-differently-so plant.
Plant identification
- Scientific name
- Pieris japonica
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Also known as
- Lily-of-the-Valley Bush, Andromeda Japonica, Pieris
- Typically found
- outdoor
Pet-safe alternatives
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Related plants
Andromeda Japonica
Pieris japonica
Azalea
Rhododendron spp
Black Laurel
Leucothoe spp.
Bog Laurel
Kalmia poliifolia
Dog Hobble
Leucothoe sp.
Last verified: July 2, 2026 · Cross-referenced with ASPCA Animal Poison Control