Plant guide
Perennial baby's breath
Gypsophila paniculata
Perennial baby's breath can irritate a cat's digestive tract if eaten. Vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite or low energy may follow. Keep stems and bouquets out of reach.
What this guide covers: Gypsophila paniculata, including the pictured Festival Star cultivar. Annual baby's breath, Gypsophila elegans, is a different species.
Photo:
Photo details
Gypsophila paniculata — Gypsophila paniculata 'Festival Star'
By Photo by David J. Stang
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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Photo:
Photo details
Gypsophila paniculata — Gypsophila paniculata 'Festival Star'
By Photo by David J. Stang
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
Resized and converted to WebP for display; botanical details unchanged.
This displayed image is shared under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
Baby’s breath roots
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Keep away from cats. We do not recommend this plant for a home where cats could reach it.
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Look for Gypsophila paniculata and check the selected variety. Listings and availability can change.
Plant identity
- Scientific name
- Gypsophila paniculata
- Scope
- Species
- Family
- Not recorded
- Also known as
- No reviewed aliases available
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How to grow this plant
Gypsophila paniculata, including the pictured Festival Star cultivar. Annual baby's breath, Gypsophila elegans, is a different species.
- Light
- Sunny position
Full sun.
- Watering
Avoid soggy roots; established plants tolerate drought.
- Temperature
- Temperature range not yet established
No preferred temperature range established.
- Humidity
No specific humidity target established.
- Potting
- Well-drained soil, neutral to alkaline.
- Through the year
- Avoid disturbing the fleshy roots. Check local invasive-plant restrictions before planting; this is care reference, not a planting recommendation.
Growing-guide sources
- Gypsophila paniculata ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
Gypsophila paniculata, including the pictured Festival Star cultivar. Annual baby's breath, Gypsophila elegans, is a different species.
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
- Severity
- Severity not established
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.
Sources & review
- Baby’s breath ↗Pet Poison Helpline · Accessed
Listed by the source as Gypsophila sp.. Pet Poison Helpline explicitly describes Gypsophila and other species as saponin-containing and provides a cat toxicity entry; this genus-inclusive assessment is applied to G. paniculata. The ASPCA non-toxic entry names G. elegans, so it is not substituted for this species. No numerical severity proposed.
- Gypsophila paniculata ↗NC State Extension · Accessed 2026-10-16
- Perennial baby's breath: source assessment ↗Pet Poison Helpline · Accessed 2026-10-16
Safety last reviewed .