Chenille Plant (Red-hot Cat's Tail)

• Common Name: Chenille Plant (Red-hot Cat's Tail)
• Latin Name: Acalypha hispida; Acalypha chamaedrifolia
• Family Name: Euphorbiaceae

This plant is a member of the Euphorbia family and contains diterpene esters -- especially in the sap from the stem and leaves -- which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and dermatitis.  We therefore recommend that you do not feed it to your tortoise or grow it in the tortoise enclosure. 

Do not confuse with the similar looking Love-Lies-Bleeding of the Amaranthaceae family, which is also unsuitable for tortoises. 

The flowers can be found in deep red through to purple, and the cultivar 'Alba' has white flowers.