SimplePlant

Asparagaceae

Fragrant plantain lily

Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Asch.

Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Hosta

Pets and kids

  • CatsMildly toxic
  • DogsMildly toxic
  • KidsNot sure
Why

Cats: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: Saponins.

Signs: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Depression.

Dogs: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: Saponins.

Signs: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Depression.

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Fragrant plantain lily: Photo of Hosta plantaginea cv. 'Royal Standard' at Aarhus Botanical Garden
Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Is Fragrant plantain lily safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Fragrant plantain lily safe for cats?

No. Our sources call Fragrant plantain lily mildly toxic to cats. Toxic principle: Saponins. Signs: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Depression.

Is Fragrant plantain lily safe for dogs?

No. Our sources call Fragrant plantain lily mildly toxic to dogs. Toxic principle: Saponins. Signs: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Depression.

Is Fragrant plantain lily safe for kids?

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Similar names and close relatives

A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.

  • Peace lily Spathiphyllum wallisiisimilar nameCats: Mildly toxic; Dogs: Mildly toxic; Kids: Mildly toxic
  • Madonna lily Lilium candidumsimilar nameCats: Toxic; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure
  • Easter lily Lilium longiflorumsimilar nameCats: Toxic; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Not sure

Common names

By language (8)
Chinese
玉簪, 玉簪根, 玉簪花
Czech
Bohyška jitrocelová
English
Fragrant plantain lily
Finnish
Tuoksukuunlilja
Lithuanian
Gyslotinė melsvė
lzh
玉簪
mnc
ᡤᡠ ᠰᡳᡶᡳᡴᡡ ᡳᠯᡥᠠ
Swedish
Doftfunkia

Synonyms

  • Funkia alba (Andrews) Sweet
  • Funkia cordata Siebold ex Steud.
  • Funkia grandiflora Siebold & Zucc.
  • Funkia japonica (Thunb.) Druce
  • Funkia japonica var. subcordata (Spreng.) Lilja
  • Funkia legendrei H.Lév.
  • Funkia subcordata Spreng.
  • Hemerocallis alba Andrews
  • Hemerocallis cordata Cav.
  • Hemerocallis japonica Thunb.
  • Hemerocallis plantaginea Lam.
  • Hosta japonica Tratt.
  • Hosta plantaginea f. aphrodite F.Maek.
  • Hosta plantaginea f. grandiflora (Siebold & Zucc.) Asch. & Graebn.
  • Hosta plantaginea f. stenantha F.Maek.
  • Hosta plantaginea var. japonica Kikuchi & F.Maek.
  • Hosta sieboldiana var. bracteata Miq.
  • Niobe cordifolia Salisb.
  • Niobe plantaginea (Lam.) Nash
  • Saussurea japonica Maxim.
  • Saussurea japonica (Thunb.) Kuntze
  • Saussurea plantaginea (Lam.) Kuntze

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

More in Hosta

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.