Are Kumquat Trees Harmful to Dogs?

Most dogs do not chew on trees, even kumquat trees, although they do like to eat the fruit. But it is always good to know what trees and plants you have that might be dangerous for your pets.

Kumquats trees belong to the Fortunella genus of the citrus species. The name comes from a Chinese word meaning "orange gold."

Kumquat trees grow up to 15 feet tall and have white flowers. The kumquat fruit are round with golden-yellow to reddish-orange colored peel.

Kumquat trees are grown mainly in California, Florida and Texas. They are grown for ornamental use and for fruit.

The wood of the kumquat tree is toxic to birds. Ingesting large quantity is toxic to horses. It is not listed as toxic for dogs but caution should be used if your dog is eating a lot of wood because of impaction or gut perforation issues.

The fortunella group is not toxic to eat for humans or dogs. But the fruit has a relatively high level of magnesium and ingesting a large quantity can have a laxative effect.