Daylilies dangerous to cats
Are there any daylilies that are safe for cats?
Gerald Weber, Spokane
Unfortunately all daylilies can be toxic to cats. Ingesting even a small amount can lead to kidney failure. Researchers don’t know exactly what the toxic agent in the plant is but all parts of the plants carry it. If you think kitty is dining on the daylilies, call your veterinarian and ask what you should look for. Keep in mind that there are other things out there that can make an animal sick. Watch where and what your cat does in the yard and what plants they actually seek out. If your cat does get sick you will have an easier time figuring out what might have caused it. Proper identification of the plant that may be involved is very important.
The Pet Poison Helpline has a review of a recent article on this problem published in the journal Vet Human Tox. http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com.
Another good review was prepared by veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and appears at http://www.vin.com.
Finding special willow
A neighbor purchased a tree last spring at our local Home Depot. The only name she refers to it as is “shrimp willow.” I searched for that online and came up with nothing. She says it was referred to as “shrimp willow” because its spring flowers resemble the shape of shrimp. It is a beautiful weeping tree and I would love to get one for my back yard. But I need to know, most likely, its botanical name. Can you help me – or direct me to someone who can?
Kat, Coeur d’Alene
Yes, this does point out the importance of botanical names. I checked with a couple of people who would know if this exists and a botanical guide that weighs about 30 pounds and came up empty, too. The “willow” part of this is a little inconsistent with there being a flower, though. Willow flowers are fuzzy catkins that could look like a shrimp, I suppose, but only a few are even close to pink.
One thing it might be, is the dappled willow (Salix integra “Hakuro Nishiki”) also referred to as the Niko willow. This is a 6-foot shrub that has an arching growth habit that may make it look like it weeps. It has salmon pink stems and buds and its 4-inch leaves can be light green, cream and pink in color. It is a handsome, rather aggressive, shrub for a larger space in the garden.
(We sent Kat in Coeur d’Alene a picture of the dappled willow and she was ecstatic that Pat was able to find it.)