Lentil

Vicia lens (L.) Coss. & Germ.

Family: Fabaceae

Cool-Season Pulse
Field Crop
No Florida Source Found

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Human edibility

Edible

Edible parts

seed, cooked (our sources describe lentils only as cooked)

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

Lentils must be cooked before eating; raw or sprouted raw lentils are not confirmed safe (FSAI; EFSA plain-language summary, 2026-01-26). our sources describe lentils only as cooked: rinse and sort, bring to a rapid boil, then simmer about 20 to 30 minutes (Montana State Extension). Whether raw or sprouted lentils are safe has not been confirmed; the WHO and FDA lectin pages checked do not mention lentils specifically.

Hazard type

Not yet checked.

Hazard route

not applicable

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

Not applicable: this hazard section concerns human lectin/PHA exposure, not pet toxicity, which is separately not checked above.

Not yet directly checked against ASPCA's toxic-or-non-toxic-plants database under every synonym. No verdict is given because this plant has not been researched yet. That is not a confirmed absence, so do not treat it as cleared for pets. see the hazard information below for the separate food-safety picture.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones: Not checked for Florida: no Florida or UF/IFAS source was found. Cold tolerance to 21°F; minimum germination soil temperature 41°F (USDA NRCS).
Water needs: low
Mature size: 12-16 in tall, indeterminate growth habit (MSU EB0210); upright stem with pinnate leaves of up to 14 leaflets (USDA NRCS).

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

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