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Weeping fig and rubber plant: toxicity, first aid and care
Weeping fig and rubber plant (Ficus benjamina, Ficus elastica, Ficus lyrata): irritant for cats, irritant for dogs, irritant for small children. The toxic principle, the signs, what to do, and how to grow it.
Cats: IrritantDogs: IrritantChildren: Irritant
Also sold as: Benjamin fig, rubber tree, fiddle-leaf fig.
This is a reference table, not a diagnosis and not veterinary or medical advice. It cannot tell you how much of a plant matters for a particular child or a particular animal — that depends on body weight, on the part eaten and on how long ago. If a person or an animal has eaten part of a plant, phone the poison information centre or a clinician; do not wait for symptoms, and do not make anyone vomit unless you are told to.
What is in it
Toxic principle: Milky latex containing ficin and related irritants — Caustic and irritant latex.
Break a leaf or stem and a white latex runs out. It irritates skin and the lining of the mouth and gut. There is a second, less obvious issue specific to Ficus benjamina: its latex is an established indoor allergen, and people sensitised to it can cross-react with natural rubber latex and with figs.
What it looks like when it goes wrong
Drooling, vomiting, mouth irritation after chewing; redness and itching where sap touches skin. In a sensitised person, the airway symptoms of an indoor allergy rather than anything from eating it.
What to do
Rinse the mouth and wash sap off skin. Phone a veterinary clinic if vomiting repeats. If someone in the household has unexplained year-round rhinitis or asthma symptoms and a large weeping fig, that connection is worth raising with a doctor.
| Country | Poison information centre | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | Mürgistusteabekeskus (Health Board) | 16662 | Round the clock; 112 for an emergency |
| Finland | Myrkytystietokeskus (HUS) | 0800 147 111 | Free, round the clock |
| Latvia | Saindēšanās un zāļu informācijas centrs | 67042473 | Round the clock |
| Sweden | Giftinformationscentralen | 010-456 67 00 | Non-urgent advice; 112 in an emergency |
| Norway | Giftinformasjonen | 22 59 13 00 | Round the clock |
| Denmark | Giftlinjen (Bispebjerg Hospital) | 82 12 12 12 | Round the clock |
Anywhere in the European Union, 112 reaches emergency services and can put you through. Lithuania's poison information bureau (Apsinuodijimų kontrolės ir informacijos biuras) publishes its own round-the-clock line; if you do not have it to hand, use 112. For an animal, your own veterinary clinic or its out-of-hours service is the first call — human poison centres do not advise on animals in every country.
How to grow it
| Condition | What it wants |
|---|---|
| Light | Bright indirect light; F. elastica takes a little direct sun |
| Water | Let the top few centimetres dry; steady rather than heavy |
| Temperature | 16-24 °C, no cold draughts |
Ficus benjamina drops leaves whenever anything changes — position, light, temperature, the season — and the standard mistake is to respond by watering more, which finishes it off. Put it somewhere it can stay, turn it rarely, and accept a leaf drop after a move. The rubber plant is far more phlegmatic and is the better choice for a first fig.
What it gets confused with
The latex is why these plants get filed as "toxic" in some lists and "irritant" in others; nothing here approaches the seriousness of a cardiac-glycoside or oxalate-raphide plant. Do keep the sap off your face when pruning, and wipe the blade.
A plant that is not on the toxic lists
If you are deciding what to keep in a home with a cat, a dog or a small child, this one fills a similar role and is not flagged by the veterinary services.
Others that work the same way
Caustic and irritant latex — these behave alike, and what you would do about them is alike too.
Pencil cactus and crown of thorns
Diterpene esters in the milky latex
Poinsettia
Mildly irritant milky latex
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control — toxic and non-toxic plants · checked 2026-09-06
Care guidance is standard horticultural practice for a cool-temperate northern climate. Poison-centre numbers are listed on the hub page and are worth confirming against your own country's health service.
Frequently asked questions
Is weeping fig toxic to cats?
The veterinary lists rate it "irritant" for cats and "irritant" for dogs. The toxic principle is milky latex containing ficin and related irritants. Break a leaf or stem and a white latex runs out. It irritates skin and the lining of the mouth and gut.
What should I do if my dog eats weeping fig?
Rinse the mouth and wash sap off skin. Phone a veterinary clinic if vomiting repeats. If someone in the household has unexplained year-round rhinitis or asthma symptoms and a large weeping fig, that connection is worth raising with a doctor.
Is weeping fig dangerous for a small child?
The verdict for a child who chews or swallows part of it is "irritant". Drooling, vomiting, mouth irritation after chewing; redness and itching where sap touches skin.
How do you care for weeping fig?
Light: Bright indirect light; F. elastica takes a little direct sun. Water: Let the top few centimetres dry; steady rather than heavy. Temperature: 16-24 °C, no cold draughts. Ficus benjamina drops leaves whenever anything changes — position, light, temperature, the season — and the standard mistake is to respond by watering more, which finishes it off.
What is weeping fig confused with?
The latex is why these plants get filed as "toxic" in some lists and "irritant" in others; nothing here approaches the seriousness of a cardiac-glycoside or oxalate-raphide plant. Do keep the sap off your face when pruning, and wipe the blade.
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