Is Echeveria Poisonous?

Echeveria is one of the most popular succulent genera out there due to the attractive rosettes they create and fantastic colours. But with so many plants being poisonous it is only natural people get concerned with what they put in their garden, especially if the kids and/or pets like to help out with the gardening.

Please note Echeveria are not suitable as houseplants due to their need of being exposed to direct sun, but they make fantastic garden additions.

Is Echeveria Poisonous Humans?

Echeveria is a genus of succulent plants with about 150 different species and many more hybrids. All Echeveria are classed as not poisonous to humans. It is, however, advised not to eat Echeveria on purpose.

While if humans, including children accidentally ingests Echeveria, there are no harmful or toxic substances that grow within this plant to harm us, the bacteria that are found in soil can be on the plant’s surface may cause sickness. Echeveria is also not a natural food source for humans and has not been studied enough to determine whether eating large quantities can upset human stomachs. And so Echeveria should not be eaten on purpose.

Is Echeveria Poisonous To Dogs?

Echeveria are not poisonous to dogs. Whether you have an adventurous puppy or a bin-on-legs, food obsessed dog that likes to eat just about anything, you can rest assured that they won’t feel sick if they eat an Echeveria.

Personally, I discourage my two pups to eat any succulents as they could cause quite a damage at the nursery if they got the taste for them. Also, not all succulents are pet friendly and while smart, dogs can’t tell the difference between toxic and non-toxic succulents so its best to just teach them not to nibble on random plants.

Is Echeveria Poisonous To Cats?

Echeveria are not poisonous to cats, so your plant nibbling, little friends are safe. It seems succulents are quite attractive to cats (based on feedback from our customers) and so it can literally be lifesaving to choose the right succulents for your home and garden.

Is Echeveria Poisonous To Birds?

Echeveria are not poisonous to birds, in fact birds will sometimes eat Echeveria and other fleshy succulents because they are a source of water. Nectar eating birds also like to visit Echeveria when they are in flower to feed on the sweet nectar the flowers produce, while also pollinating.

Is Echeveria Poisonous To Livestock?

Echeveria are not poisonous to livestock and can be safely eaten by pretty much all animals.

Are Succulents Poisonous?

Some succulents are poisonous and should be treated with caution if you have children or plants eating pets. Tens of thousands of plants fall under the term succulent. Some are edible, some not harmful if eaten, some can cause a bit of tummy ache while others can bring about diarrhoea, vomiting and other unpleasant symptoms.

So far, it seems no succulent has been identified as deadly and generally the levels of toxins are not all that high and are likely to cause bad stomach upset at worst. Having said that, it is recommended not to keep toxic succulents around young children.

When it comes to identifying toxic plants, err on the side of caution as not all succulents have been tested for toxicity and if no information is available it could be for the best to avoid them if there is a chance they could get ingested by a very young child.

To find out whether a succulent is toxic or not simply type the scientific name followed by the word ‘toxic’ in a search engine. Look for reliable sources such as ASPCA. There are lots of non-toxic, safe succulents available for both the garden and the house.