Is Umbrella plant (schefflera) safe for dogs and cats?
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
ASPCA reports Umbrella plant (schefflera) (Brassaia actinophylla): listed as toxic to dogs and toxic to cats. Most often mild stomach upset, with vomiting and diarrhea. The ASPCA entry is for the umbrella tree, also sold as schefflera. Call a vet or poison line if a pet ate some. If a pet chews it, call your vet or a pet poison line.
Checked October 29, 2026.
Also called: umbrella tree, schefflera, octopus tree, australian ivy palm, starleaf. Brassaia actinophylla.
What in it is the problem
Terpenoids, saponins and insoluble oxalates.
What it can do
Most often mild stomach upset, with vomiting and diarrhea.
Good to know
The ASPCA entry is for the umbrella tree, also sold as schefflera. Call a vet or poison line if a pet ate some.
Did your pet chew it?
Call your vet or a pet poison line, and say what plant, how much and when. If you aren't sure which plant it was, take a photo of it.
Poison emergency? Call now
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
For the children
"Some plants can make pets sick, and lilies are very dangerous for cats. Ask a grown-up before you bring a plant or flowers inside."
A job: Be the plant checker. Help a grown-up look up each plant in the house on this site, and write the ones to keep away on a list.
This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Common names are shared by different plants, so check the Latin name.
Sources
- ASPCA: Umbrella Tree (checked October 29, 2026)