Plants that are safe for cats and dogs
There are two things in life that we love deeply: plants and pets. The bad news is that many common plants are not safe for cats and dogs. Some plants can be toxic to pets when ingested, sometimes causing seizures, tremors, or worse. Even the most well-behaved animals have to bite a houseplant at some point, so we reached out to New Jersey veterinarian Judy Morgan for advice on how to choose ones that won't harm our four-legged friends. Lives. Check out these 21 non-toxic plants that are safe for cats and dogs, as we strongly recommend adding greenery to your home to help clean your air and improve your mood while ensuring your furry friend stays safe and healthy.
1. Rattlesnake plant
The colors, uniquely shaped leaves, and easy watering schedule make the rattlesnake plant (Calathea lanceifolia) great addition to a low-light living room. Can you imagine that funky purple on the underside of the leaves against your midcentury chair? We can.
Maintenance Instructions:
Rattlesnake plants grow best in loose, fast-draining soil that you can fertilize monthly (even if you hold off in the fall and winter). These guys thrive in an ideal temperature range of 70-80 degrees F, away from direct light. They will need watering when the topsoil feels dry to the touch; They enjoy a spritz if their leaves look dry.
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2. Spider plant
A favorite among vets, this plant is easy to grow indoors and incredibly resilient (yes, even to your black thumb!). Spider plants are also great air purifiers, so they can help rid your home of toxins.
Maintenance Instructions:
Spider plants do not like direct sunlight (it burns the leaves). Although they tolerate low light conditions, they grow best in indirect bright light at temperatures of 60-80 degrees F.
3. Parlor Palm
Since this palm only needs a few hours of indirect light a day, stick one on a credenza or nightstand that isn't too close to a window.
Maintenance Instructions:
Parlor palms are naturally slow-growing, taking several years to reach a height of three to four feet. As we said, keep this guy out of direct sunlight and keep his soil evenly moist for best results.
4. Calathea Orbifolia
If you ask us, the leaf shape of this particular Calathea is exquisite. This houseplant needs partial shade, making it perfect for a plant stand or a closet in a bedroom that doesn't get much natural light.
Maintenance Instructions:
Calatheas don't like the sun (it burns their leaves), but a regular watering schedule will ensure your plant stays healthy and hydrated, at temperatures between 60-80 degrees F (never below 55 degrees). It also enjoys adequate humidity, so keep it near a regular mist or humidifier.
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5. Ponytail Palm
Ponytail palm, aka Beaucornia recurvata, has so much personality that your pet will want to befriend it. Or swat on its raspy rasp.
Maintenance instructions:
Ponytail palms are ideal for fussy plant-phobes: they only need to be fertilized two to three times a year. They need dry soil, so don't overwater them.
6. (Certain) Succulents
Add some pet-friendly succulents like these Haworthia and Echeveria to your countertop and you're golden.
Maintenance instructions:
Although you don't have to do much to care for these popular houseplants, you should make sure they get sunlight and light watering every two or so weeks. Make sure the soil is dry before removing the watering can.
7. African Violet
If your kitchen has open shelving, these flowers are a great, colorful addition. (Make sure the plant is not near a drafty floor vent or window.) With indirect sunlight, they bloom beautifully.
Maintenance instructions:
These flowers thrive in temperatures of 73-77 degrees F when they are babies, but you can lower the temperature to 68 degrees for mature plants. They require moderate amounts of watering (try to keep water under the leaves). Since they bloom year-round, they fertilize regularly.
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8. Bird's Nest Fern
This green fern thrives in the low light and variable humidity conditions that characterize bathrooms. Your brushing routine is so beautiful.
Maintenance Instructions:
Plant your bird's nest fern in loose, fast-draining soil and fertilize monthly in the spring and summer. These plants survive comfortably in temperatures of 60-80 degrees F. When the topsoil feels dry to the touch, give yourself a thorough watering.
9. Gloxinia
Find a sunny window, and these flowers (native to Brazil) bloom in bright shades of purple, pink, red, or blue. Keep the soil moist and feed these flowers with liquid plant food every two weeks for maximum health.
Maintenance Instructions:
You should keep these flowers at a temperature of 71-75 degrees F. Allow them to sit in bright, indirect sunlight and the seeds should germinate in approximately three weeks.
10. Venus Flytrap
Not only is this plant pet-friendly, it's also very low-maintenance. Keep your Venus flytrap happy by placing it in direct sunlight for at least four hours and watering it with distilled water. For soil, choose peat moss or sphagnum moss. It is best to place the plant on a porch because it can be fed by passerby flies. It only needs one to two insects per month to sustain itself.
Maintenance Instructions:
Venus flytraps require some form of pure water, so distilled, reverse osmosis or rainwater should also work well. It's best not to let your plant dry out—the soil around its base should be moist to the touch.
Pet
11. Boston Fern
The beautiful Boston fern is also on the lower end of the maintenance spectrum, as it only needs feeding once every two months. Your kitty can nibble all he wants on the ferns and your pup can even take a bite – the plant is safe for cats and dogs.
Maintenance instructions:
Keep them in a cool place with indirect light and high humidity. For extra humidity, you may want to set the fern's pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water, as well as spray its green leaves twice a week. Make sure the soil is plenty moist!
12. Polka Dot Plant
This striking plant grows up to three feet tall outdoors in its native Madagascar. However, in a pot inside your home, the spotted beauty will grow to about 10 inches tall.
Maintenance instructions:
According to The Spruce, these exotic plants prefer bright, indirect light and moderate soil moisture at all times. Keep the temperature at 70-80 degrees F and feed once a month during the growing season.
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