Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - May 07, 2013

From: England, Other
Region: Other
Topic: Non-Natives, Problem Plants, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Cat eating yucca stalks in England
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Is it safe for my cat to eat yucca as she is being sick and its hard to stop her

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants is ordinarily constrained to matters dealing with plants native to North America. So, yuccas are native to North America but not to England. However, we can probably help you with your cat problem. Another member of the Mr. Smarty Plants Team shared this information in an effort to help you:

"My cat would eat the long skinny green fronds on my little palm tree and then throw up.  I took her to the vet and she told me that the palm itself was not toxic, but just that the plant fiber was indigestible and that's why she threw up.  I moved the palm outside and no more problems.  Of course, my cat is an indoor cat and I don't know where this person's cat lives.  If the yucca is inside, maybe she could move it outside. The Vet said that some cats like to chew on long skinny vegetation."

Bottom line: You need to separate the cat and the yucca. If the yucca can't survive outdoors, it will probably have to be sacrificed. Hope the kitty is all right.

 

 

From the Image Gallery


Adam's needle
Yucca filamentosa

Pale-leaf yucca
Yucca pallida

Banana yucca
Yucca baccata

More Problem Plants Questions

Need something to compete with Virginia wild rye in Bristol, TN.
July 29, 2011 - I have been working for 4 years to convert a large area of sunny lawn (150' x 40') to a native woodland planting, using native trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses. Although I used seeds of a variety ...
view the full question and answer

Reducing Allergens in Yards and Gardens
January 31, 2012 - What are some allergen-free native plants to Central Texas that thrive in the soil and can survive in the weather?
view the full question and answer

Controlling poison oak or poison ivy in Iowa
April 29, 2010 - We recently purchased a property that is VERY wooded and has been vacant for two yrs. with little upkeep previously. We have (we were told) l00 yr old poison oak vines hanging from trees. We hired so...
view the full question and answer

Elimination of non-native, invasive King Ranch bluestem in lawn
June 06, 2006 - How can I eliminate an annual infestation of king ranch bluestem in my bermuda lawn? Thanks.
view the full question and answer

Low Water Use Plants for a Pond Island
November 06, 2014 - We have a medium sized pond/tank with a small island covered in black willows. The pond loses a lot of water and we were told it was partially due to the willows. We want to remove them and replace ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.