As an uncomplicated houseplant with magical symbolic value, the money tree is highly valued and is often given as a gift. In view of the exotic origins, responsible hobby gardeners are right to wonder whether the evergreen, succulent Crassula ovata is poisonous. Among the diverse ornamental plants for house and yard there are numerous risky plants that pose a danger to people, dogs and cats. You can find out whether these concerns apply to the penny tree here.
Non-toxic lucky charm
The money tree found its way from East Africa to the creatively designed window sill and the summery balcony. As a succulent, the evergreen Crassula ovata has the ingenious ability to store water in its leaves. It is therefore considered the ideal houseplant for beginners and hobby gardeners without a green thumb. Since the thick-leaved plant also contains no toxic ingredients, the exotic gem can also be used in the family household.
Conditionally edible
Edible with reservations
Various tribes in South and East Africa cook the roots of Crassula ovata in order to eat them as a vegetable. Various folk medicine recipes are based on leaves boiled in milk to relieve stomach and intestinal problems. In the habitats, of course, people use wild plants that have not come into contact with chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
In the specialist trade, on the other hand, a wide variety of preparations are used to perfectly prepare indoor plants for sale, free from pests and with shiny foliage. These include, for example, insecticides, fungicides or wax. We therefore recommend not tasting the juicy green leaves. Please also make your children aware that the Pfennigbaum is taboo for consumption.
No danger for animals
Safe for dogs and cats
If the all-clear can be given for an ornamental plant with regard to a possible poison content, this usually includes pets. Fortunately, the money tree is no exception. You can safely use the decorative shrub to beautify living and working spaces or to green the summer balcony.
If your four-legged friends can't resist the temptation to taste the plant, don't worry. Since the amount eaten always determines the degree of tolerance, pets should not have the opportunity to eat a larger quantity.
Therefore, please pay attention to the following aspects:
- leaves treated with fertilizer, wax and pesticides are intolerant even in small amounts
- ideally place the money tree in an inaccessible location
- After cutting back, do not leave clippings lying around in the open
For the dog, the plant is already out of reach when it is dangling from the ceiling in the traffic light. So that your cat does not try the thick-leaved plant, narrow wall shelves or shelves are shortlisted as locations.
Not all varieties are non-toxic
Harmlessness does not apply to all succulent plants
Automatically inferring all succulent plants from the non-poisonous penny tree could have fatal consequences. The diverse plant family includes hundreds of species with thousands of cultivars, many of which are poisonous. This includes the genus of Kalanchoe with the well-known species 'Flammendes Käthchen'.
The popular houseplant is toxic in all parts and causes severe symptoms of poisoning in small children or pets after consumption. Therefore, with every new houseplant, please explicitly question the possible poison content in order to avoid any danger to humans and animals.