Cadmium is suspected to exert its toxic action on cells through oxidative damage. However, the transition metal is unable to directly generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) via redox reactions with molecular oxygen in a biological environment. Here, we show that bright yellow‐2 (BY‐2) tobacco cells exposed to millimolar concentrations of CdCl₂ developed cell death within 2–3 h. The death process was preceded by two successive waves of ROS differing in their nature and subcellular localization. Firstly, these consisted in the transient NADPH oxidase‐dependent accumulation of H₂O₂ followed by the accumulation of O₂^−. in mitochondria. A third wave of ROS consisting in fatty acid hydroperoxide accumulation was concomitant with cell death. Accumulation of H₂O₂ was preceded by an increase in cytosolic free calcium concentration originating from internal pools that was essential to activate the NADPH oxidase. The cell line gp3, impaired in NADPH oxidase activity, and that was unable to accumulate H₂O₂ in response to Cd²⁺, was nevertheless poisoned by the metal. Therefore, this first wave of ROS was not sufficient to trigger all the cadmium‐dependent deleterious effects. However, we show that the accumulation of O₂^−. of mitochondrial origin and membrane peroxidation are key players in Cd²⁺‐induced cell death.