Safety of Umbrella Plant (Schefflera arboricola)

[pincorrect]

Umbrella plants are found on all the "safe plant lists", and seem to be extremely popular. But according to Wikipedia, and several other sources, Schefflera arboricola has calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves, stems, and sap, which are poisonous. The Wikipedia article says that confusion arises because the common name for Shefflea arbicola is "dwarf umbrella tree".

Is there another kind of Umbrella plant that is actually a different species, and is safe? Or is the Wikipedia article on Schefflera arbicola incorrect? (Several general pet sites, geared for dogs and cats, also warn about it.)

 

[jamest0o0]

So does pothos and many other plants. Toxic=/= poisonous. Oxalate crystals are more of an irritant, can cause gastric issues, and in humans kidney stones. People use plants like these with veileds that eat them and notice no bad effects. It would make sense since most of the plants they'd be on in the wild have some sort of toxin whether minor or extreme.

That said, oxalates apparently bind calcium as well messing with absorption and can contribute to MBD. Do we know if that happens from veileds eating the leaves of these plants? Probably not. If anyone else wants to chime in on that, it's been a question on my mind for a little while now.

Overall, with proper diet, gutload, supplementation I wouldn't worry at all about keeping plants like schefflera or pothos with a chameleon.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I realize this thread is a couple years old and the OP hasn't been active in a while, but I find myself looking into this issue, and this was the first thread that came up in an archive search.

Umbrella plants are found on all the "safe plant lists", and seem to be extremely popular. But according to Wikipedia, and several other sources, Schefflera arboricola has calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves, stems, and sap, which are poisonous. The Wikipedia article says that confusion arises because the common name for Shefflea arbicola is "dwarf umbrella tree".

Is there another kind of Umbrella plant that is actually a different species, and is safe? Or is the Wikipedia article on Schefflera arbicola incorrect? (Several general pet sites, geared for dogs and cats, also warn about it.)

There are several other plants known as "Umbrella plant". According to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbrella_plant
The common name umbrella plant can refer to several unrelated species:

• Cyperus alternifolius (umbrella papyrus)
• Darmera peltata (Indian rhubarb)
• Diphylleia cymosa (umbrellaleaf)
• Eriogonum longifolium var. harperi (Harper's umbrella plant or Harper's buckwheat)
• Podophyllum peltatum (American Mayapple)
• Schefflera arboricola (umbrella tree)

I haven't researched all of these yet, and there may be more yet. If anyone else has researched these, please let us know what you've found.

In addition to the above list, I found:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schefflera_actinophylla
Schefflera actinophylla is a tree in the family Araliaceae. It is native to tropical rainforests and gallery forests in northern and north-eastern Queensland coasts and the Northern Territory) of Australia, as well as New Guinea and Java. Common names include Australia umbrella tree, Queensland umbrella tree, octopus tree and amate.

This is still a variety of Schefflera, and as such, may share the same potential toxicity.
Also, the name octopus tree is shared by at least one other plant (so far):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didierea_madagascariensis
Didierea madagascariensis, commonly known as the octopus tree,[2] is a species of Didiereaceae endemic to the spiny thickets of southwestern Madagascar.

And it's from Madagascar! How cool is that?
No information on toxicity either way.

From the list above:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyperus_alternifolius
Cyperus alternifolius, with the common names of umbrella papyrus, umbrella sedge or umbrella palm, is a grass-like plant in the very large genus Cyperus of the sedge family, Cyperaceae.

The plant is native to Madagascar, one of the western Indian Ocean islands

Another from Madagascar, but according to
https://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Toxic_Plants_by_Scientific_Name_685/

Minor Toxicity: Ingestion of these plants may cause minor illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea. If ingested, call the Poison Control Center or your doctor.

I'll post more from the above list as I get to them. Feel free to save me a little work, but PLEASE provide links to sources! Thanks.

I'm also trying to work up a list of plants indigenous to Madagascar, which I hope to cross-reference with chameleon (or reptile)-safe plants. Likewise, if anyone has done this before, I'd be interested in reading what you've found.

 

[DocZ]

I haven’t looked into it yet, but is oxalate issue in Schefflera similar to pothos?

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/pothos.974/

I’m still pretty convinced the “safe” plant list are just plants people watched Chams eat, the Cham didn’t die, therefore it’s safe. Lots of anecdotal evidence, but little scientific evidence for chameleons

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I haven’t looked into it yet, but is oxalate issue in Schefflera similar to pothos?

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/pothos.974/

I’m still pretty convinced the “safe” plant list are just plants people watched Chams eat, the Cham didn’t die, therefore it’s safe. Lots of anecdotal evidence, but little scientific evidence for chameleons

What I recall reading today (and I broke my own rule of failing to record the source) is that the leaves and sap of the Schefflera genus contain the irritant toxin(s), so even if not consumed, they could pose some contact risk, especially from damaged parts (e.g. broken or torn leaves or stems).

I haven't gotten to the Pothos yet, so IDK.

There are plenty of lists of house plant toxicity, and I expect much of the veterinary information was extrapolated from analyses of those plants, along with empirical evidence as Fluffy got sick, went to the vets, and the vet asked what Fluffy had been snacking on... Possibly something similar for herps, but IDK.

Once there's a good analysis of what's in a plant, and it can be cross-referenced with known herp toxins, then hopefully we should know, but I don't know who does this kind of research (except when I stumble across something by accident).

 

[DocZ]

What I recall reading today (and I broke my own rule of failing to record the source) is that the leaves and sap of the Schefflera genus contain the irritant toxin(s), so even if not consumed, they could pose some contact risk, especially from damaged parts (e.g. broken or torn leaves or stems).

I haven't gotten to the Pothos yet, so IDK.

There are plenty of lists of house plant toxicity, and I expect much of the veterinary information was extrapolated from analyses of those plants, along with empirical evidence as Fluffy got sick, went to the vets, and the vet asked what Fluffy had been snacking on... Possibly something similar for herps, but IDK.

Once there's a good analysis of what's in a plant, and it can be cross-referenced with known herp toxins, then hopefully we should know, but I don't know who does this kind of research (except when I stumble across something by accident).

I agree that it probably started with large animal safe plant lists.
I think many of the “unsafe” reptile plants fall into that category because they affect calcium absorption when herbivorous reptiles eat them, like james alluded to above

 

[jstrazishar]

I know this hasn’t been replied to in a long time, but I’m about to redo the cage of my three-year-old, male veiled chameleon.

He has had a pretty large potted schefflera arboricola in his cage for an little over two years now. He’s eaten a lot off of it over the years and he hasn’t had any issues yet.

Has anyone found anything further on the topic one way or the other? I’d be interested to know so I can decide whether or not to get a new center plant for him.

Thanks!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

These lists are widely accepted, but read any articles/notes.

https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
https://caskabove.com/chameleon-safe-plants
https://www.madcham.de/en/pflanzen-fuers-terrarium/
https://www.chameleons.info/l/safe-and-unsafe-plants/

Schefflera Arbicola appears on all of them as 'safe' but one does caution S. arbicola contains oxalates.

If you do decide to make a change for whatever reasons, there are plenty of excellent candidates on these lists.