Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum spp. · Asteraceae
How it looks
Chrysanthemums bloom in rounded flowers with layers of slender petals surrounding a yellow center. Colors vary widely — yellow, white, pink, purple, red — and the scent is strong. The leaves are deeply lobed and dark green, the plant grows 1–3 feet tall, and it's a signature flower of fall gardens and bouquets.
Caution — pyrethrins
All parts of the chrysanthemum contain pyrethrins, and chewing on it can cause hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and incoordination. Compared with other cut flowers, symptoms tend to come on quickly.
If ingested
Contact your nearest vet immediately
- Action
- Rinse the mouth with water and monitor. If symptoms last more than 12 hours, contact your vet.
- Symptoms
- Vomiting, Diarrhea, Hypersalivation, Incoordination, Dermatitis
- Onset (typical course)
- Right away to within 2 hours of ingestion
Guide for parents
Chrysanthemums are one of the most common cut flowers, often arriving in fall bouquets and memorial arrangements.
When displaying them in a vase, choose a spot your cat can't reach, and pick up fallen petals right away.
If you notice stumbling or excessive drooling, head to the vet. Symptoms can worsen quickly once they begin.
A note on names. Flowers sold as “daisy” or “marguerite” often belong to a different genus than the chrysanthemum — Korea’s national plant list maps “데이지” to Leucanthemum vulgare or Bellis perennis, and “마가렛” to Argyranthemum frutescens. None of those appear on the ASPCA cat list, so there is no cat-specific verdict for them. No verdict does not mean safe; it means nothing has been confirmed. Do not carry this page’s chrysanthemum findings over to them, and do not treat the absence of a listing as reassurance.
Details
- Scientific name
- Chrysanthemum spp.
- Common name
- Chrysanthemum
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Toxic parts
- All parts
- Compounds
- Pyrethrins, Sesquiterpene lactones
- Source
- ASPCA cats plant list
Also known as
Related plants
Same plant family· Asteraceae
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