Plant guide
Japanese holly fern
Cyrtomium falcatum
Japanese holly fern is non-toxic to cats. Despite its name, it is a fern, not a holly shrub with a different safety assessment.
Non-toxic does not mean edible. Eating plant material can still upset your cat’s stomach.
What this guide covers: Cyrtomium falcatum only. Check the botanical name; a photograph alone cannot establish identity.
Photo:
Photo details
Cyrtomium falcatum — Fronds
By Stan Sheb
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
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Photo:
Photo details
Cyrtomium falcatum — Fronds
By Stan Sheb
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
Japanese holly fern
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Non-toxic does not mean edible. Chewing plants can still upset your cat’s stomach.
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Look for Cyrtomium falcatum and check the selected variety. Listings and availability can change.
Plant identity
- Scientific name
- Cyrtomium falcatum
- Scope
- Species
- Family
- Not recorded
- Also known as
- No reviewed aliases available
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How to grow this plant
Cyrtomium falcatum only. Check the botanical name; a photograph alone cannot establish identity.
- Light
- Varies by type
Part to full shade, or dappled light.
- Watering
Keep the soil moist without waterlogging.
- Temperature
- Temperature range not yet established
Outdoor foliage may be damaged by frost; no indoor temperature interval proposed.
- Humidity
No specific humidity target established.
- Potting
- Humus-rich, well-drained soil.
- Through the year
- Remove frost-damaged fronds if needed. Routine heavy pruning is unnecessary.
Growing-guide sources
- Cyrtomium falcatum ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
Cyrtomium falcatum only. Check the botanical name; a photograph alone cannot establish identity.
Growing advice reviewed 2026-10-16. Plant safety is assessed separately.
Reviewed safety information
- Toxic principle
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
- Reported signs
- Not recorded in the reviewed evidence
Missing information is unknown. It should not be interpreted as an absence of risk.
Safe alternatives
No verified alternative recommendations are available for this guide.