"Sago Palm" or "Cycad"
Poisoning Alert- It
has come to our attention that many home improvement stores are selling
a houseplant that can cause serious poisoning in pets and children. The
plant is called the “Sago Palm” or “Cycad”. It is also referred to as
“The Oldest Known Plant”. It is used in outdoor landscaping in Southern
States, but can only survive as a houseplant in the North. All of this
plant, including the seeds and root ball are toxic. Signs of illness
first appear about 12 hours after ingestion and include
gastrointestinal sign such as vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. The
toxins in the plant lead to severe liver failure with progressive
weakness, jaundice, bruising and bleeding and other signs of liver
failure that lead to death. It is estimated that 75-80% of animals
ingesting this plant will die in spite of aggressive medical
treatment. If you have one of these plants in your home you will want
to be sure to keep it away from pets and children, preferably by
disposing of it safely in a covered trash can or “rehome” it with
someone who does not have pets or young children in the household