When you have a furry friend and want to spice up your home and bring in some clean air, finding animal safe plants for your home is important. There are many plants to choose from when you want to add some greenage to your home but not all of them are pet friendly. Many house plants contain harmful toxins that can make your pets extremely sick and can be life threatening so you want to be sure the plants you choose are pet-friendly and safe for them to be around.
Any guess as to which plants in the photo below – taken when our pup was about a year old – are animal safe plants?
If you said none of them, you would be correct! As popular as they are, snake plants are considered potentially toxic to pets – as are philodendrons (in the turquoise pot on the console). Although I moved this big snake plant low for this photo, our snake plants usually live on shelves or tables high off the ground out of our pup’s reach.
Best Animal Safe Plants
While the best way to keep your pets safe is to keep the plants out of reach, sometimes it’s not possible. Pets love to be curious and sometimes they can’t help themselves and may curiously nibble or play with the plants.
Let’s go over a few of the best animal safe plants to have in your home. For a full list of pet friendly plants that won’t harm your furry friends, the ASPCA has a complete list of toxic and non-toxic plants that are safe for pets.
American Rubber Plant (Peperomia Obtusifolia)
The American Rubber Plant is a forgiving tropical plant that loves indirect bright light and humid conditions. Typically they can grow up to a foot tall and can sometimes produce small white flowers. While the little white flowers aren’t all that impressive, this is a shelf and pet-friendly plant that can add some foliage to your home. It’s also one of the best plants for beginners because it’s so forgiving and isn’t susceptible to many pests or diseases. Just be sure to keep it out of direct light because the leaves can easily burn and to be sure it’s well-drained, so you don’t have to worry about root rot.
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans)
Known for its elegant look, the Parlor Palm is a beautiful plant that will look great in any home. You’ll often find the leaves in Palm Sunday flower arrangements because the deep green foliage can survive quite a while once they are cut from the plant. Keeping a Parlor Palm in your home is a beautiful way to add some elegance to your home but be careful because these palms are vulnerable to pests, root rot, and fungal spots.
In fact, we have had to throw out a previous parlor palm because it got mealy bugs. There are methods online to help you cleanse your plants of mealy bugs. However, one plant with mealy bugs can contaminate others, and I didn’t want to take any chances. With 54 plants, I have to be careful of contaminations!
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) – My Favorite Animal Safe Plants
Another beautiful plant to add to your home, the Ponytail Palm is considered a non toxic plant for pets. I am obsessed with all of our Ponytail Palms! We have four or five of them. You do have to have them in a bright spot to keep them happy. But they make such a statement!
Note: ponytail palms, although not considered toxic, do have leaves that can be quite sharp. My fingers have been sliced many times – in a paper cut kind of way. Beware that your little pup or kitty’s mouth could get sliced by those sharp leaves!
African Daisy (Gerbera Jamesonii)
Also known as the Gerber Daisy, the African Daisy is a colorful plant that is non-toxic to both cats and dogs and probably one of the most popular flowering houseplants. They come in a variety of different colors with purple being one of the most common, they are easy to grow, and can mature quickly.
Calathea Orbifolia
With oversized leaves that are simple but beautiful, the Calathea Orbifolia is a pet friendly houseplant that will look great in your home. The bold and designer-quality foliage of the Calathea Orbifolia can grow over a foot wide making it an impressive addition to your home. However, it is definitely not a plant for beginners or for those who want a low-maintenance houseplant. It can be tricky to grow and to keep your plant healthy and looking as beautiful as you can because it requires a high humidity level and consistent soil moisture in order to thrive.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum)
When it comes to hanging plants, the spider plant is probably one of the most popular. It’s one of those plants that looks great when placed in hanging baskets or floating shelves. The Spider Plant is also one of the hardiest houseplants and is very tolerant, according to experts.
Confession time…I haven’t been able to keep a spider plant alive yet!
Money Tree
Said to bring good luck and fortune, the Money Tree is a great houseplant that is also safe for pets. The beautiful braided brown trunk and green glossy tropical like leaves make this plant perfect for the home. Many love it for the Feng Shui look and it’s an air-purifying plant that is low-maintenance. It enjoys indirect sunlight and only needs watered when the soil is dry.
The thing about a money tree is that you have to have a great spot in order for it be happy. We have had money trees before that clearly didn’t enjoy the spot we put them in.
Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys Aurea)
While bamboo is often found outdoors in tropical areas, the Golden Bamboo can be grown indoors in large containers. The bright green canes turn a golden color as they grow, leaving you with a beautiful houseplant that gets anywhere from 2-4 feet tall. Unfortunately, bamboo can be tricky to grow because it needs just the right amount of light and humidity to thrive. You’ll also want to keep your bamboo plant on a strict watering schedule to help keep the moisture level right.
We love our bamboo plants! When we bought them at Lowe’s, they came in separate stalks. However, the plants look great whether you put them in separate vases with water or group them together in one large vase with water. Because of their height, they definitely make a statement!
We have moved our bamboo from a window spot in the south-facing kitchen to our west-facing dining room table, and the bamboo have been happy in both locations.
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis Esaltata)
Another popular houseplant that doesn’t need a lot of sunlight, the Boston Fern will be a beautiful addition to any home due to its shaggy leaves. The one downside to a Boston Fern is that you will need to keep the growing conditions just right so that the plant doesn’t get damaged. Too much shade will keep the plant from looking its best while too much sun can easily burn the leaves so keeping it in indirect sunlight is best. In other words, some might view these plants as a bit finicky!
However, when a Boston Fern is happy, he is HAPPY! These bad boys can get really big so make sure you have the space for him!
Bromeliads
Bromeliads are gorgeous tropical plants that are known for their unique and colorful foliage. Luckily, Bromeliads are an easy plant to take care of and can spice up any room. To keep your Bromeliads healthy and growing, you will want to keep them in bright light and watered regularly.
Again, the spot you put them in will make a difference in how happy they are! We love the dramatic vibes a Bromeliad brings to our home!
Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea Muscipula)
Venus Fly Traps are unique and interesting. It’s fun to see those traps snap shut and pets will definitely find them interesting. Non-toxic to both cats and dogs, these cool plants will be a great addition to your home, especially if you have some bright light coming through the windows.
Tips to Keeping Your Animals Safe Around Plants
- Use a natural or non-toxic fertilizer when planting the flowers. This will help ensure that no harmful toxins are absorbed by the plant.
- While these plants are safe for pets, when eaten, some plants can cause mild stomach aches and discomfort which will go away once the plants have passed from your pet’s stomach. If the discomfort doesn’t look like it’s passing or gets worse, a trip to the vet may be important because like humans, our pets have different reactions to different things.
- When possible, keep your plants on high shelves or tables out of the reach of pets. This would be the most simple effort to make, and it’s a wise idea no matter what type of plant you bring home! Of course, this is trickier to work around if you have cats!
Our four-legged kiddo was obsessed with our houseplants when we first brought him home – probably for the first three or four months. For the last two years, he hasn’t had interest in bothering plants anymore – like our Fiddle Leaf Fig and ZZ plants which both can be toxic if ingested. Thank goodness!
If You Enjoyed This Post on Animal Safe Plants, Check Out Some of Our Other Plant Posts!
Hopefully, you are inspired to bring in some new animal safe plants this year! If you are really feeling the plant parent vibes, check out some of our other plant posts!
Best Plants for a Dark Classroom or Office
Inspiration for Walls of Plants
Spring Rabbit Decor and Plants
Pom Pom Christmas Tour with Plants
House Plants on the Christmas Table
Inexpensive Fall Decor with House Plants
Valentine’s Home Tour with House Plants
Stacey K.
I have 2 dogs and a turtle. Pets are my life. I clean so that they can stay healthy. I honestly had no idea about “safe” vs. “unsafe” I am glad I read.
Amy
It’s interesting, isn’t it! Before I became such a crazy plant lady, I had no idea either!