Is Money Tree safe for cats and dogs?

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

What the ASPCA lists for Money Tree

The ASPCA records Money Tree (Pachira aquatica, family Malvaceae) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses. Clinical signs listed: Nausea, vomiting and loose stool. Read the ASPCA entry.

This entry is worth reading closely, because it lists clinical signs for a plant it calls non-toxic. The ASPCA records the toxic principle as None and still notes nausea, vomiting and loose stool. There is no contradiction: a pet that eats a large amount of any plant can be sick from the plant matter itself. Non-toxic means no poison is involved, not that a cat can graze on it without consequence. Money tree is one of the clearest illustrations of that difference anywhere in the database.

The ASPCA files this under Pachira aquatica in the family Malvaceae, the mallow family that also holds hibiscus and cotton. The verdict covers dogs, cats and horses, which is worth noting because a great many entries state only two and leave the third unanswered.

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.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Money Tree, 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.