Is Umbrella Plant safe for cats and dogs?

Also sold as: Umbrella Tree, Australian Ivy Palm, Octopus Tree, Starleaf. Retail labels vary, so check the botanical name (Schefflera) if you are matching a plant you already own.

What the ASPCA lists for Umbrella Plant

The ASPCA records Umbrella Plant (Schefflera, family Araliaceae) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats. Toxic principle: Calcium oxalate crystals. Clinical signs listed: Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing. Read the ASPCA entry.

The ASPCA records calcium oxalate crystals on the genus entry, so the pattern is the familiar one: pain on contact, starting in the mouth, usually stopping the animal after a bite or two. A second entry for a closely related umbrella tree, filed as Brassaia actinophylla, adds terpenoids and saponins to the principles and takes a calmer line on the outcome, saying that while the plant does contain potentially toxic substances, the most common effects seen are mild vomiting and diarrhea.

This is the sharpest name collision in the database, and it runs in the dangerous direction. Searching the ASPCA for umbrella plant returns an entry titled exactly that, and it is marked non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. That entry is not this plant. It is Eriogonium umbellatum, the sulfur flower, a wild buckwheat from North American hillsides that nobody grows indoors. The houseplant sold as an umbrella plant is a Schefflera, and the Schefflera entry is toxic to dogs and cats. Anyone who checks the name alone gets a clean bill of health for the wrong plant.

Do not confuse Umbrella Plant with the wildflower also called Umbrella Plant

The ASPCA entry that carries the name umbrella plant belongs to this wildflower, sold under the names Sulfur Flower and Wild Buckweat and filed in the family Polygonaceae. It is non-toxic to all three species. The plant on this page is a Schefflera in the family Araliaceae and is toxic to dogs and cats. Two unrelated plants, one shared name, opposite verdicts, and the safe-sounding one is the one you will find first. Search the scientific name instead. The ASPCA lists the wildflower also called Umbrella Plant (Eriogonium umbellatum) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses, toxic principle Non-toxic. Read the ASPCA entry for the wildflower also called Umbrella Plant. If you are unsure which one you have, treat it as the toxic plant until you can confirm, and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 if your pet has eaten any of it.

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 Umbrella Plant, 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.