My Cate Ate this HousePlant | AskJudy@HousePlant411.com

My Cat Ate This Mystery HousePlant

I got this plant as a gift and nobody knows what it is. It’s in poor condition right now because my cat decided it was a snack. I think it made him a little sick, which made me really concerned and curious about this plant. Thank you for taking a look and I hope the pictures are helpful!
Logann-Brie

Hi Logann,

Swedish Ivy Plant

Your plant is called a Swedish Ivy, it may be referred to as Swedish Begonia or Creeping Charlie also. Fortunately, Swedish Ivy is not considered poisonousPlants are a great addition to homes and offices, but it’s important to know whether your plants are dangerous to children, pets, or even adults. Some plants contain chemicals such as oxalates, solanine, glycosides, or alkaloid lycorine that may cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, swelling and redness of the mouth, throat, and lips, and trouble breathing. Touching parts of certain plants, especially the sap, may cause various skin irritations. The weight and age of the human or pet involved, and the part and amount of plant eaten determine how severe the reaction to the toxins will be. Although plants may be listed as non-toxic, they can still cause individual allergic reactions. If there is any question after a houseplant has been ingested or touched immediately call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 The Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants [Paperback]is an excellent reference to keep around if you have young children and pets. plant so there shouldn’t be any long term effects on your cat. Here are some care tips that might help. You can read more about the plant in the Popular HousePlant section of the website.

Light: Swedish Ivy Plants require bright indirect light, but no direct sun. Inadequate light causes a Swedish Ivy to “reach’ for the light and become leggy.

Water: Allow the top 30% of the soil of a Swedish Ivy Plant to dry out before watering. Most people kill a Swedish Ivy Plant by over- watering and causing root rot. Yellow leaves on a Swedish Ivy Plant indicate the plant is over- watered. The leaves of a Swedish Ivy become soft and dull green when the plant needs water. You can save an under-watered Swedish Ivy t but it is hard to save an over- watered ivy plant.

fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small. : Feed a Swedish Ivy Plant every two weeks in the spring and summer when it is actively producing new leaves. Use a plant food high in nitrogen diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength.

Temperature: Swedish Ivy Plants prefer temperatures between 70-75 degrees during most of the year. In the winter, cooler temperatures, 60-65 degrees, are best for a Swedish Ivy Plant.

Humidity: Although a Swedish Ivy Plant prefers high humidity, it still grows well in regular household humidity.

Flowering: Pinch off the small Swedish Ivy flowers to encourage leaf growth and keep the plant full and bushy.

Pests: Swedish Ivy Plants are bothered by Aphids, whitefly, scale, and especially Mealy Bugs. It is a good idea to spray a Swedish Ivy Plant monthly with the ” green solution” (recipe in the Glossary).

Diseases: Leaf Spot is the most common plant disease that infects a Swedish Ivy.

Soil: Use an organic peat- based soil that drains well.

Pot Size: Do not re-pot a Swedish Ivy Plant until the roots have filled its current pot.

Pruning: A Swedish Ivy Plant needs constant pruning. Cut off 1/3 of the long vines to keep a Swedish Ivy Plant looking full and bushy. The plant cuttings can be used to propagate new Swedish Ivy Plants.

propagationLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary: Propagate a Swedish Ivy Plant from stem cuttings.