Are Succulents Safe For Your Pets? Understanding Toxicity and Care

Succulents are popular houseplants. They’re low-maintenance, making them great for beginners, and they come in all sorts of shapes and colors. There are so many varieties to choose from, you’re sure to find one to suit your home’s decor.

Like any other houseplants, however, not all succulents are safe for all members of the family. If you have furry four-legged friends who like to explore and get into anything they can reach, you need to be selective about what succulents you bring home and where to put them.

Most succulents are perfectly safe for pets, and you can place these houseplants where they’ll stand out and make a statement. But others may be harmful or even poisonous if your pets have a nibble.

In this article, we’ll have a look at some common succulents that are safe for your pets and others that you should avoid if pet safety is a concern. We’ll also review the symptoms your pets may exhibit if they’ve accidentally  ingested an unsafe succulent.

Toxic and Non-toxic Succulent Varieties

Most succulents are perfectly safe for pets. But some can be harmful, or even poisonous. If you have a dog or cat in your home, always check with your vet or the ASPCA for information on specific succulent varieties.

Be sure to keep a list of the Latin names of all your houseplants for future identification purposes. Common names aren’t always reliable; they’re sometimes used for more than one plant variety and it can get confusing.

Always use a plant’s Latin name when you’re looking for information about potential plant toxicity to avoid unfortunate accidents.

Succulents Toxic To Pets

Some succulents cause digestive discomfort, while others can be seriously toxic. (See “Symptoms of Plant Toxicity”, below).

Here are some of the common succulent varieties considered unsafe for pets:

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis): There are several varieties of aloe but perhaps the most familiar as a houseplant is aloe vera. It is well-known for the healing properties of the gel found inside its fleshy leaves, and is often used topically to treat human conditions such as itchy skin or sunburn.

However, the outer layers of the leaves contain compounds known as saponins, which, if ingested,  can be toxic to pets, and can cause liver damage in humans.

Aloe vera plants grow in a rosette of long narrow fleshy leaves that can reach 18 inches (45 cm) long. The leaves are grey-green with small white dull spines like teeth along the margins.

If you really like the look of aloe vera plants, you might consider the similar-looking pet-safe Zebra plant (Haworthia) as an alternative. (See below, “Succulents Non-Toxic To Pets”). 

Spurge (Euphorbia sp): The genus Euphorbia is a very large group with about 2,000 varieties. Most, but not all, of them are succulents. They come in all shapes and sizes, and several look a lot like cacti.

What all euphorbias have in common is a sticky white latex sap. Direct contact with this sap causes severe skin and mouth irritation, blindness, and is toxic to pets when ingested.

Kalanchoe sp: There are over a hundred different species of Kalancho plants, known for their small star-shaped flowers and deep green scallop-edged fleshy leaves. A common – and perhaps most familiar – variety sold as a houseplant is Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Florist’s Kalanchoe or Christmas Kalanchoe). It’s grown for its showy clusters of flowers that come in bright shades of red, pink, yellow, orange and white. With the right care these Kalanchoe will repeat bloom for several years.

String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus): The name String-of-pearls perfectly describes this succulent. Its foliage looks like small ¼ inch pale green peas with pointed tips, growing alternately along thin stems.

In its native habitat it grows as a ground cover trailing along the soil surface. As a houseplant it can be grown in a shallow hanging basket allowing the stems to trail down over the sides.

Classic Jade, Money Tree (Crassula ovata): This succulent has glossy dark-green spoon-shaped fleshy leaves. The leaves grow directly from thick woody stems, giving the plant a miniature tree-like appearance. Plants can reach up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall and with proper care can be very long-lived.

Silver Dollar Jade, Chinese Jade (Crassula arborescens): Silver dollar Jade has a similar growth habit to the classic Jade (or Money Tree). Its rounded fleshy leaves are silvery blue-green, often with small wine red spots. The leaf color varies depending on how much light the plant gets. Also, when the plant is stressed, the leaf edges turn wine red. These plants can grow up to 4 feet (120 cm) tall.

Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciatia): Snake plants are a popular choice for low light spaces. They’re almost indestructible, tolerant of dry indoor air, mild drafts and short periods of drought.

There are several different varieties of snake plant. Some are short, with fleshy leaves, others have tall, slender and stiff foliage. The tall varieties are perhaps the most familiar. They add a touch of elegance and drama to a room, with their tall erect forms that reach up to 4 feet (120 cm) tall. 

All snake plant varieties have wavy horizontal stripes across their leaves that give the plant its common name. Some are variegated, with yellow edges, others have blue-green silvery leaves.

Succulents Non-Toxic (Safe) To Pets 

Fortunately, if you love succulents, there are several that are safe (non-toxic) for pets, including the following popular varieties:

Hens n’ chicks (Sempervirum sp): Hens n’ chicks are frost tolerant succulents that can also be grown indoors as houseplants. There are many different types and all have fleshy pointed leaves that grow in a rosette (in a clump like petals on a rose). They get their common name from the plants’ habit of producing many small offsets (the chicks) from the base of the mature plant (the hen).

They come in a variety of colors from pink, grey, green, wine red or two-toned with contrasting leaf edges. The leaves can be glossy, velvety, or covered with fine white webbing.

Donkey’s tail Sedum or Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum): Donkey’s tail sedum is a popular succulent for growing in a hanging basket. It has long trailing stems densely covered with inch-long (2.5 cm) cylinder-shaped leaves. The leaves are pale green with a silvery grey coating. A healthy mature plant will form a dense mound of trailing stems.

Christmas cactus (ZygocCtus truncatus) or Easter cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri): There are three succulents that look very similar; The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata or Zygocactus truncatus), the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera buckleyi) and the Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri).

Their common names refer to the approximate times of year that they flower. And despite their names, these plants aren’t true cacti.

They all have flat segmented stems (no true leaves) and look very similar but have subtle differences in the shape of each segment.

These plants  are grown for their showy long segmented tubular flowers that grow from the tip of each stem. Depending on the variety, the flowers may be light to dark pink, white or red. 

Haworthia sp: There are many different varieties of Haworthia. They all have leaves that grow in small rosettes. Some are plain green while others have lines of distinctive white or purple, sometimes bumps, across the outside of the leaves. The leaves may be thin and bristly or thick and fleshy. The narrow pointed leaves grow in a rosette (clump), and look similar to aloe vera.

In their native habitat, Haworthia grow in part shade or filtered light. So as a houseplant it can tolerate low light, making it a great indoor succulent.

Echiveria sp: There are several types of echiveria. They are similar-looking to Sempervivums, with leaves that grow in a rosette. Some leaves are pointed, some are round, and they come in colors from silver-grey, pale green, pink, orange and two-toned. The more light they get, the more vibrant their coloring will be.

Air plants (Tillandsia sp): Air plants are a unique and popular group of succulents. Instead of growing in soil, they grow roots to cling onto other plants, like tree trunks or branches. They can also cling onto rocks or even buildings. 

What makes air plants unique is that they don’t get any nutrients or moisture through their roots. Instead, they absorb all they need from the air (hence their common name) through specialized growths (called trichomes) on their leaves.

Grown as houseplants, they can be placed in a hanging glass terrarium, or glued onto decorative items like sea shells or pieces of driftwood.

Living Stones, pebble plant (Lithops sp)

Living stones are small interesting – some may say quirky-looking – plants. Their shape and coloring have evolved to mimic the pebbles they grow amongst in their native habitats. As a result, they’re perfectly camouflaged to protect them from grazing animals. They come in a wide range of colors from pale grey to green-grey to purple and brown, often in a combination of colors and patterns. Collecting Living Stones can become a hobby in itself.

Each plant is almost stemless, made up of a pair of thick fleshy leaves that grow close – in some cases fused – together. These form a short flat-topped mound with a slit down the middle. Depending on the species, the slit may run across the whole mound or the leaves may be almost completely fused with just a narrow slit in the centre. This can give some of them a rather comical look (two fleshy mounds with a crack down the middle?)

One variety, Conophytum pageae, has grey-green leaves that grow almost fused together, with a small slit in the centre, surrounded by slightly raised purple-red edges. This gives the plant its appropriate common name, Lips plant.

Living stones are very slow growing, and can be tricky to maintain. They require very little water, going several months between waterings. 

Symptoms of Plant Toxicity In Pets

Some succulent varieties can be harmful to dogs and cats, but not poisonous. Even so, they can cause severe reactions. Here are some signs to watch for in your pets: 

• Lethargy, listlessness
• Excessive salivation or drooling
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea 
• Mouth irritation
• Clumsy movement

These are external signs that your pet may have eaten a succulent they shouldn’t have, and a phone call or trip to the vet is in order.

But not all potentially harmful effects can be seen externally. Some succulents, when ingested, can also cause  severe life-threatening internal reactions such as liver damage or heart arrhythmias.

So it’s important you know exactly what succulents you have in your home, and to keep them safely out of your pet’s reach.

Plant Selection and Placement for Pet Safety

The first step in pet safety is to choose non-toxic succulent varieties. The succulents group includes hundreds of varieties, so there’s sure to be some non-toxic options for you to choose from.

That said, sometimes there’s that one plant that’s just so tempting, we just have to buy it. If it turns out to be on the toxic list, you’ll need to think carefully about where to put it.

You can grow trailing succulent varieties in hanging baskets that can be hung well out of reach of curious pets. Or, put succulents up on shelves where your pooch can’t get at them. Unfortunately, that strategy won’t work on cats who seem to be capable of scaling any surface in the house!

How to Care For Indoor Succulents

Most succulents – with a few exceptions – are native to hot arid regions that receive little and infrequent rainfall. They have adapted to conditions that are hot and dry, with lots of sun, low humidity and gritty well-draining soil. There are also a few succulents that prefer less light and a little more moisture.

So to grow succulents indoors as houseplants with success, you want to mimic the conditions of their native habitat. So it’s important to get to know the needs of each individual variety.

Container Choice

One of the most important considerations for growing succulents indoors is the choice of container. It MUST have drainage holes in the bottom to allow excess moisture to drain away. Adding a layer of gravel to a pot with no drain holes will NOT provide proper drainage for any houseplant, but especially not for moisture-sensitive succulents.

Light

Most succulents need at least six hours of direct sun to grow well. Indoors, a south-facing or west-facing windowsill is ideal. Plant lights can also be used to simulate sunlight if you don’t have a windowsill that can provide adequate natural light.

There are a few succulents that prefer indirect light or even some shade. So always check the requirements of each specific variety.

Potting Soil

When growing succulents in containers, the key to success is well-draining potting mix.  If the mix retains too much moisture, you’ll find your succulents will quickly succumb to root rot. 

Use a potting mix that contains plenty of gritty material such as coarse sand or perlite. Commercial potting mixes labeled specifically for succulents or cactus are best. Avoid mixes that are mostly peat moss or coconut coir. 

You can also make your own potting mix by blending equal parts regular potting mix and coarse sand or perlite.

Watering

The most common mistake of succulent care is over-watering. Most succulents are drought tolerant and need infrequent watering. Too much moisture too frequently will quickly lead to root rot and death of the plant.

Succulents need regular – if infrequent – watering during their active growing season (spring and summer). In winter, indoor plants go through a resting period and need even less-frequent watering.

Container plants should be watered when the soil is completely dry. Then the soil should be given a thorough deep watering. Add room-temperature water to the soil surface slowly, a little at a time, until it starts to flow out the pot’s drainage holes. This way you know the soil through the whole pot is well-soaked.

You can also water your succulents by submerging the container in water just up to the level of the soil. Leave the container to soak until the soil surface is wet to the touch.