Hi I just got a brand new plant and it only says it contains cacti and succulents. I was wondering if anyone could i.d. them for me so I can google them to see if they are poisonous to my cat. I think the dark green one is Jade and its not poisonous, but I am not sure what the other two are. The picture is attached. Thankyou! Amy
I don't see any cactus ... the one in the front and the one on the right are types of echeveria. to find the exact name you can check these sites : http://www.echeveriasinoz.com/ http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/echeveria/photos grtz wesley
There are no cactus & succulents for cats. Most cats have enough sense to avoid them. They give them one whiff and never bother them again. That is not "A" plant. That is a hanging basket planter with at least three different Crassulaceous plants in it. Not a single cactus among them. None of them are particularly toxic to cats or even humans for that matter. BTW, your plants are getting elongated stems because they are not getting enough light. Put the hanging basket in a south facing window or better yet in a greenhouse if you have one.
I know that Jades are supposed to be bitter as heck for cats so most have the sense to avoid them (at least after one bite they should!). My sister's nutter cat though bit the crap out of hers and then flattened it for tasting so bad lol. Good luck, Ryan
Personally I see nothing wrong with that pot of plants health wise. The one Echeveria does seem a bit stretched out, but its the sellers fault, and quite honestly, I am not even sure it is etiolation. It may be a bud forming, no? The back plant is Crassula ovata, and the front two are Echeverias as previously mentioned. All are not an issue regarding toxicity. All these plants should be moved to seperate pots as they grow bigger, and they will. They should also be placed in a sunny window inside, and after acclimating to outside lighting, they should be placed in full sun for the summer. Water them about once a week now, once a month for the winter, and several times a week in the heat of summer. They will love you for it.
When the new growth is pale and stretched out (etiolated) like that, the plants are definitely not getting enough light and that is not healthy for the plants. Most Crassulaceous plants are very sensitive to not getting enough light. Echeveria (and related New World genera) form lateral floral stems not terminal ones like Sempervivum (and its Old World allies). The plant on the left even has a lateral floral stem on it. If it is the sellers fault, one should not buy unhealthy plants or else return them for plants growing properly or a refund. Crassulaceae do best in full sun indoors but most prefer indirect light outdoors. In the wild, most Crassulaceous plants are found growing among rocks on the northern slopes of mountains or in the shade of taller plants. Few Crassulaceous plants are found in full unobstructed sun.
