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Houseplants are a great way to add some color and life to your home, but if you have a cat or dog, you want to make sure the plant you buy is safe for them too.
Although it may sound strange, some of the most beautiful and popular houseplants can be quite dangerous to our pets. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that exposure to poisonous plants and fungi accounted for 8.1% of calls to its animal poison control center in 2023.
To find out which plants are best for your furry family members, we asked Joe Ferrari, owner of Care for Greenpointa plant shop and garden store, for his input. Ferrari has been running his Brooklyn plant shop since 2018 and has experience researching pet-friendly plants and marking the plants in his shop that are non-toxic.
Here’s everything you need to know about combining plants with pets.
Which plants are not poisonous to cats and dogs?
1. Money tree
Money tree species usually consist of multiple trunks that are intertwined.
It is believed that money trees bring luck and fortune to their owners, hence the name. According to the New York Botanical GardenThe often braided plants can reach a height of 90 to 180 cm indoors.
2. Real ferns
True ferns are not poisonous to cats and dogs.
Many ferns are non-toxic to pets, including Boston ferns, Moss ferns And Staghorn fernsSome plants with “fern” in their name are not actually true ferns and can be poisonous to cats and dogs, including the Asparagus fernaccording to the ASPCA.
3. Spider plant
Spider plants have slender and narrow leaves
Spider plants are low maintenance and fast growing. They are also one of the best plants for air purification and low light environments.
4. Bamboo
True bamboo grows best in soil, not on rocks or pebbles.
Like ferns, bamboo is not poisonous to pets if it is true bamboo. Despite their nicknames, both are Sacred Bamboo And Lucky Bamboo are not true bamboos and are poisonous to cats and dogs.
5. Hurrah
The flowers of the houseplant Hoya carnosa are usually white and pink, as shown in this close-up photo.
There are numerous varieties of Hoya plants and they are safe for pets. They are also a plant that blooms and are often called wax plants.
6. African Violets
African violets should be watered about once a week.
African violet plants can also grow flowers in a variety of colours, especially purple, on the leaves, making them a perfect addition to any home.
7. Haworthia
Haworthias belong to the succulent family.
These popular succulents have many varieties. Haworthia Fasciata, commonly known as a Zebra plantgrows in a striped pattern and requires minimal maintenance.
The list doesn’t end there. Ferrari said there are a few additional, non-toxic plants Dame Palmwhich thrives best in indirect sunlight and Ponytail Palm, which thrives best in direct sunlight.
Why is a houseplant poisonous to pets?
“Overall, the composition of the plant material determines whether a plant is considered toxic,” Ferrari said. “Things like certain salts, proteins, or chemicals can all cause irritation in cats, dogs (or even humans!)”
Ferrari said the negative reaction cats and dogs can experience from poisonous plants can occur after ingestion, but also that “some plants contain chemicals in their sap that cause a reaction upon contact.”
If in doubt, check the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website, which contains an extensive list of plants with details on whether they are poisonous or non-poisonous to cats, dogs and even horses.
“If we cannot find a reference to the toxicity of a plant by [ASPCA]we won’t recommend it to our customers,” Ferrari said. “It’s a great resource for anyone doing research on the plants they already have.”
If you think your cat or dog has eaten a poisonous plant, call the ASPCA’s 24/7 Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or your veterinarian.
Which houseplant is easiest to care for as a pet?
Spider plants are a great option for beginners with pets because they are non-toxic and low maintenance. They also grow large, and you can easily propagate the spider plant “babies” that grow from the stems.
Ferrari said his personal pet-friendly choice is the Hoya genus.
“There are so many leaf shapes and growth patterns,” he said. “I love the long, thin stems that grow and twine before the leaves and eventually the flowers grow along them. They generally don’t need much water and just like a bright space without direct sunlight.”
