Is Lucky Bamboo safe for cats and dogs?

Also sold as: Ribbon Plant. Retail labels vary, so check the botanical name (Dracaena sanderiana) if you are matching a plant you already own.

What the ASPCA lists for Lucky Bamboo

The ASPCA records Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana, family Agavaceae) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats. Toxic principle: Saponins. Clinical signs listed: Vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, dilated pupils (cats). Read the ASPCA entry.

Dilated pupils are listed for cats specifically, so a cat that looks glassy-eyed or dazed after chewing a stem is showing a recorded sign rather than sulking. Vomiting occasionally with blood is also on their list, which is a reason to call rather than wait it out.

There is no Lucky Bamboo page in the ASPCA database. The plant is a Dracaena, sold botanically as Dracaena sanderiana, and it falls under the genus entry for Dracaena, where Ribbon Plant is one of the listed common names. The name causes a mix-up worth spelling out: lucky bamboo is not a bamboo. True bamboo, which the ASPCA lists as Phyllostachys aurea, is recorded as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses. Reasoning from the word bamboo to a safe verdict gets this plant exactly backwards. Note also that the Dracaena entry gives verdicts for dogs and cats only and states none for horses.

What this verdict does and does not mean

Being non-toxic does not mean a plant is chew-proof: even pet-safe houseplants can upset a cat's or dog's stomach if they eat a large amount, simply because it is plant matter. Most toxic houseplants cause irritant-level symptoms, such as drooling, mouth soreness, or a mild upset stomach, rather than a medical emergency. A small number of plants are a genuine emergency, most notably true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species) for cats, which can cause fatal kidney failure from even a small amount of pollen or a nibbled leaf. If you are ever in doubt, or your pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.

Safer alternatives

Looking for something with a similar look and habit that is pet-safe instead?

• Cast Iron Plant, see the care guide.
• Pilea (Chinese Money Plant), see the care guide.
• Money Tree, see the care guide.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Lucky Bamboo, browse the pet safety checker for other plants, or identify a plant from a photo first if you are not sure what you have. Verdicts here follow the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.