Hello, friends!
Nyah and Lila; Photo by Jessica Damiano
In early fall, I decided my black-and-white upstairs bathroom needed a splash of color. Although many folks in my situation would hang a framed print on the wall or place a colorful tissue holder on the toilet tank, my mind naturally went to plants. You get me, don’t you?
I’ve long wanted a Monstera deliciosa, which is sometimes called split-leaf or cut-leaf Philodendron, although it most definitely is not a Philodendron, which just illustrates the problem with using common names for plants instead of botanical names, but I digress.
Monstera, beautiful but toxic. Photo by Chris Lee
I’ll never get to have one of those beauties because I have pets, which take precedence over my desire to have a trendy, hipster houseplant in the bathroom. Miguel, an 8-year-old Havanese, is a full-time resident of my home, and Naya-the-Kittycat is a regular house guest who moves in periodically when my daughter Julia visits.
Miguel, photo by Justine Damiano
That fancy Monstera plant is toxic to both dogs and cats and would result in intense oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing if either decided to chomp on a leaf. Miguel would probably ignore it, but I know Nyah wouldn’t be able to control herself (see Exhibit A, the photo at the top of this page, taken seconds before she swatted off one of Lila-the-spider-plant’s babies and ate it. I know she did this because I found leaf fragments in a coughed-up hairball in the hallway hours later.)
So rather than buy another plant, I simply moved Lila from the kitchen to the bathroom. Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are not toxic to dogs or cats, and, as a bonus, are among the easiest plants to care for. They thrive in less-than-optimal lighting and love humidity, which makes the bathroom a good home for them.
Despite being nontoxic, however, spider plants are often irresistible to pets, especially cats, which may get sick from eating their foliage. They’re also attractive to small children (more on children and plants coming in a future newsletter). If you live with either, it’s simply best to place all plants out of reach (we keep the bathroom door closed.)
Symptoms from ingesting toxic plants range from vomiting and mouth irritation to liver damage and death, so this is no joke.
Before bringing any plant into a home with pets, check the lists of toxic and non-toxic plants below for guidance. If your plant isn’t listed, you can search the ASPCA’s complete database here.
TOXIC PLANTS
Aloe vera
Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)
Chrysanthemum
Dumb cane (Diffenbachia)
Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum)* — toxic to cats only
English ivy (Hedera spp.)
Fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata)
Golden pothos (Epipremnum)
Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Lucky bamboo, corn plant, dragon plant, ribbon plant (Dracaena spp.)
Philodendron spp.
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
Sago palm* (Cycas revolute)
Snake plant (Sansevieria)
Split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa)
String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
Weeping fig, fiddle leaf fern (Ficus spp.)
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
*Severely toxic plants
NONTOXIC PLANTS
Important: Even non-toxic plants can cause stomach upset if ingested.
African violet (Saintpaulia spp.)
Angel’s tears (soleirolia soleirolii)
Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus cv sprengeri)
Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea)
Boston fern (Nephrolepis exalta bostoniensis)
Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum)
Cast Iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)
Friendship plant (Pilea involucrate)
Gerber daisy (Gerbera)
Hen and chicks (Echeveria glauca)
Orchids
Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Peacock plant (Calathea insignis)
Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvate)
Purple waffle plant (Hemigraphis exotica)
Spider plant (Chlorophytum)
Wax plant (Hoya spp.)
Source: ASPCA
Name my Meyer lemon…
I’ve had this Meyer lemon tree — a cross between a lemon and a mandarin — since early last spring, and over summer it produced three fruits, which are beginning to turn yellow now. It’s been under assault by greasy spot fungus but has been fighting it like a champ, with help from a copper fungicide. Problem is, I never named it.
I’m turning over naming rights to you guys. Send me your suggestions — or note them in the comments at the top or bottom of this email, and we’ll put it to a vote.
Am I the only one who names their plants? I’ve introduced you to Lila twice now. Send me photos of your houseplants — and include their names and any backstories — and I’ll publish them here. We’d all like to meet them.
📬Question of the week
DEAR JESSICA: I have a problem with my jasmine getting a fungus every year. What do you suggest? —Usha Shah
DEAR USHA: You don’t say whether you’re referring to a potted houseplant or an in-ground jasmine vine, but the treatment is similar.
Using sharp pruners, remove affected plant parts (stems, etc.) and discard them in the trash. Do this now if the plant is indoors, or when you notice signs of disease during the growing season if the plant is in the garden.
Fungal spores can survive for quite some time on fallen leaves and plant debris, even on dry, dead matter, so don’t allow leaves, etc., to remain on the soil surface, whether in a pot or outdoors. Good sanitation is important around all plants, even healthy ones.
Because spores can spread to the soil surface from infected fallen foliage, it would be best to repot (if a houseplant) using fresh potting mix. Wash the container well using one part chlorine bleach to nine parts water, then rinse and dry well before refilling.
Next, treat the plant with a fungicide spray, following package directions closely.
If the plant is in the garden, clear fallen leaves from the area under and around it as soon as possible. Wait until it emerges from dormancy to apply the fungicide, and repeat every two weeks during spring (and if there is a reoccurrence over summer).
In addition to proper sanitation, good air circulation is key to avoiding fungal diseases. Consider moving it in late winter or very early spring if it is crowded or not receiving sufficient sunlight.
And if the plant is indoors, isolate it from other houseplants until the issue is resolved.
💡If you do one thing this week…
If ornamental grasses are looking shabby, cut them down. Otherwise, leave them be until March; their top growth will provide shelter for birds and overwintering beneficial insects. Plus, they look pretty swaying in the wind and lend texture and height to the winter garden.
If you had my 2021 Day-by-Day Gardening Calendar, you’d know all seven things you should do this week. Get yours now, and keep your garden on track all year long.
👏 Sunday shoutout
Ed Martello of East Northport, NY, sends us this photo of his knockout rose “in full splendor this past summer.” What a lovely scene!
Send in your photo, and you might be featured next (include the names of people depicted, as well as the person who shot the photo and your/their permission for its use here in The Weekly Dirt.)
Photo courtesy Ed Martello
📧Send me your feedback!
I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please send them along — as well as any topics you’d like to see covered and questions you’d like answered in the Question of the Week section.
If you’re sending photos of your garden, please include your full name and the name of anyone depicted, your hometown, details about your plant or garden, the name of the person who took the photo, and a sentence granting permission for its use in this newsletter and archives.
Houseplants to avoid if you have pets
Name your lemon plant Joan (of Arc)