Is Autumn Crocus safe for cats and dogs?
| Species | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cats | Toxic |
| Dogs | Toxic |
Severity: Severe
Read the full first-aid guide: what to do if your pet ate something toxic
Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) is sold in US bulb catalogs and nurseries under names like "meadow saffron," "naked ladies," or simply "colchicum," planted in late summer for its distinctive fall bloom. The pink-to-lavender, crocus-like flowers emerge directly from bare soil with no leaves in sight — the strap-like leaves appear separately the following spring, then die back months before the flowers show up in autumn. It's most common in temperate home gardens across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Pacific Northwest, often tucked into perennial borders or naturalized under trees.
The common name "crocus" is doing dangerous work here. Spring-blooming Crocus species sold for fall planting cause only mild, self-limiting stomach upset if a pet eats them — drooling, vomiting, diarrhea. Autumn crocus is a completely different plant, and Pet Poison Helpline states plainly that the two "are not to be confused." ASPCA confirms Colchicum autumnale is toxic to both dogs and cats, with colchicine and related alkaloids present in every part of the plant — bulb, leaf, and flower. Exposure is plausible for either species: a dog digging up a freshly planted bed of corms in September, or a cat chewing on the strap-like spring foliage before anyone realizes what it is or connects it to the flowers that will appear months later.
Colchicine is a potent alkaloid that disrupts cell division throughout the body. ASPCA lists the resulting clinical picture as bloody vomiting, diarrhea, shock, multi-organ damage, and bone marrow suppression, and Pet Poison Helpline separately confirms it as "a very toxic plant" causing severe kidney and liver injury. Signs can be delayed, which makes a wait-and-see approach dangerous — any suspected ingestion warrants an immediate call to ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) or Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661).
Facts and examples
- Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) is classified as toxic to both cats and dogs by the ASPCA. (source, verified 2026-07-28)
- The plant's toxic principle, colchicine and other alkaloids, can cause bloody vomiting, diarrhea, shock, multi-organ damage, and bone marrow suppression. (source, verified 2026-07-28)
- Spring-blooming Crocus and autumn crocus are explicitly not to be confused: spring crocus causes only drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea, while autumn crocus causes severe kidney and liver injury. (source, verified 2026-07-28)
Verdict re-verified against aspca.org, 2026-07-28 — confirmed unchanged. Source
This page is for general information only and is not veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If your pet is showing symptoms, or you think they ate or touched something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison-control hotline immediately.
Last verified 2026-07-28