Bear paw
Cotyledon tomentosa
Also called Bear's paw
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiIT DROPS ITS LEAVES IF YOU OVERWATER, all of them, in about a week. Water only when the pot is light enough to lift with two fingers, and never onto the furry leaves.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Once a fortnightSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Bright, with some direct sun
- Feed
- Every 90 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- South Africa
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 2026-08-04. 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.