10 Houseplants Safe for Dogs and Cats
Is this plant safe for dogs or cats? That’s one of the questions we’re asked most at the Horticultural Society. Fortunately, the folks at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) offer a long list of toxic and non-toxic plants for dogs and a similar list for cats. They also share tips for keeping your home and garden safe for pets, so if you have a puppy or kitty or even a mature animal with a taste for horticulture, check it out.
Here are 10 common indoor plants that are safe for both dogs and cats:
1. African violets (Saintpaulia spp.), with the right care (keep those leaves dry!), will flower off-and-on all year and are pet friendly.
2. Polka Dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is a native of Madagascar and likes indirect bright light and a monthly feeding to keep healthy and looking their best.
3. Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) brings a touch of the tropics to our homes in winter. They do need humidity and indirect light, making them the perfect plant for your bathroom.
4. Echeveria, one of the most common types of succulents, have a rose shape and come in a variety of colors and forms, and are not poisonous to cats or dogs.
5. Burro’s tail (Sedum) are a cute, fun succulent to grow. While cats may find them to be a fun toy, they are not poisonous.
6. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is another houseplant we can’t promise your pet won’t play with, but it is easy to grow and non-toxic. Don’t overwater them and give them bright light. Before you know it, you will have plenty of spider-plant babies.
7. Orchids (Phalaenopsis sp.) won’t poison your pet, according to the ASPCA, though eating the flowers is not a good thing for cats and dogs.
8. Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) is one of the most popular houseplants in the North because it bursts into bloom in time for the holiday season. Fortunately, this easy-care succulent is non-toxic.
9. Trailing peperomia (Peperomia prostata) is one of many peperomia that are non-toxic, including P. hederifolia, P. rotundifolia, P. peltfolia and others. Peperomia are very easy to care for and like low light and not too much water. They are the perfect plant for the office.
10. Friendship plant (Pilea involucrata), named after its ability to root easily from cuttings, is the perfect plant to share with friends. It has fuzzy foliage and, if you are lucky, it will occasionally send up a small pink bloom.
Houseplants (and gardens) and pets can mix well as long as you observe your pet’s habits and choose plants accordingly. When in doubt, check with the ASPCA.
Mary Lahr Schier is a longtime Minnesota garden writer and speaker. Follow her on Instagram at @mynortherngarden_mary.
Always see list of plants you should not have with pets. Nice to see the positive, what I can have. But then you are the Horticultural Society so of course you give us positive plant options. The comment on the end of the article about observing your animals habits was a good heads up also.
Thanks for your nice comment! We try to be positive here.
Are ZZ plants safe for pets?
It’s not on the ASPCA website, but this houseplant nursery says it is poisonous. https://pistilsnursery.com/blogs/journal/poisonous-houseplants-10-indoor-plants-for-pet-owners-and-parents-to-avoid
Be careful where you buy your plants. We kept spider plants because our cats liked to eat them, and the vet approved. When they completely devoured the plant, we bought a replacement at a big box home improvement store. The cats ate it, and two died. In hindsight, we should have at least washed the plant. Even better, grow spider plants from “babies”.
That’s great advice! Thanks for sharing.