Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
Is the Purple Ice Plant Toxic to Animals?
Is the Purple Ice Plant Toxic to Animals?. Veterinarians, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other agencies warn gardeners to be careful what you plant in your backyard, especially if you have children and dogs. Certain plants like digitalis can poison animals or toddlers who chew on leaves or stems by accident....
Veterinarians, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other agencies warn gardeners to be careful what you plant in your backyard, especially if you have children and dogs. Certain plants like digitalis can poison animals or toddlers who chew on leaves or stems by accident. However, purple ice plant is not one of those problem plants.
Description
The purple ice plant is a naturally hardy succulent groundcover native to South Africa. One variety is even called the "Hardy" purple ice plant. A perennial common to warmer climates, the purple ice plant grows 2 to 6 inches tall and grows in a loose mat. The foliage is evergreen and produces dozens of brightly colored magenta-to-purple daisylike flowers in mid- to late summer.
Growth
The plant needs good drainage and doesn't require much water, making it very low maintenance. It grows rapidly and spreads quickly. It serves as soil anchors in much of California's hills and coastline. Purple ice plant grows well on hills and banks and in containers. It loves full sun, warm climates like those in the lower Midwest through the Southeast United States.
Toxicity
The ASPCA lists ice plants of almost all varieties as safe for planting around both dogs and cats. The purple ice plant in particular is safe in yards where pets run free.
Toxic Ice Plant
One variety of ice plant, slender ice plant (Mesembyanthemum nodiflorum) grows almost exclusively in Australia on soils that are poor in areas where sheep-herding is a common industry. Slender ice plant is high in oxalic acid poisonous to sheep. The sheep seek it out, attracted by its high salt content. In time, the sheep develop high oxalic acid levels in their bloodstreams. This interferes with muscle function and may cause paralysis and damage the kidneys. Dogs and cats won't eat enough of the plant to cause problems.
