Ageratum
Ageratum houstonianum
Also called Floss flower and Mexican paintbrush
Garden plant · BeddingThe dead heads go brown and stay put, and they are what makes an ageratum look tired. Rub them off with your fingers every week or so and it never does.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 3 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Once a fortnight
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Tender — no frost at all RHS H2, to 1°C
- Size
- 0.25 m tall · 0.25 m across
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Origin
- Mexico and Central America
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-03. Where a source says nothing, we say nothing.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.