The zebra plant is a colorful flowering houseplant native to Brazil. Any house or garden plant may be toxic. It's important if you have pets or small children who put things in their mouths or take tastes of leafy greens around your house and garden, make sure you're not growing something toxic.
Description
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Zebra plants (Haworthia subsasciata or Aphelandra squarrosa) have dark green, glossy oval leaves with pointed tips and contrasting white veins. It produces yellow flowers on a 4-inch-long spike. Zebra plant goes by a variety of other names like caeroba, red-veined prayer plant, peacock plant, pheasant plant, rattlesnake plant, prayer plant, peacock ginger, kaempferia and calathea.
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Growth
Zebra plants are hard to take care. Leaves fall off if watered a little too much or too little. The soil should drain well, but stay moist. A soil mix similar to that used for African violets works, but the plant still needs to be fed weekly.
Toxicity
Fortunately, though difficult to raise, the plant is non-toxic to animals according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' toxic plant database Even though it's not listed as poisonous to pets and livestock, the sap from zebra plants can cause skin irritation in some people with allergies or sensitive skin.
Precautions
Because zebra plants require a great deal of care and trimming of dead leaves, it's best to wear gloves while handling the plant to avoid getting sap on your skin.