It can be challenging to anticipate the potential dangers to our pets from seemingly harmless items in the home. One category of particular concern is houseplants. Fortunately, there are many houseplant varieties that are known to be pet-safe.
Please note, all of the following plants are considered to be non-toxic and pet-safe to cats and dogs according to the ASPCA. We always recommend that you consult your pet’s veterinarian prior to bringing any new houseplant home, however, to be sure that it is safe for your pet.
Pet-Safe Flowering Houseplants
Among the more popular types of houseplant is those of the flowering variety. The very blooms that attract us to flowering houseplants, however, are often the most dangerous part of the plant to our pets.
Some safe flowering houseplants for homes with cats and dogs include:
| Bromeliads
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Daisies
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| Aregelia / Ossifragi Vase (Neoregalia spp.)
Blushing Bromeliad (Neoregelia carolinae) Earth Star (Cryptanthus bromeliad) Flaming Sword (Vriesea Splendens) Flaming Torch (Billbergia pyramidalis) Medusa’s Head ( Tillandsia Caput Medusae) Queens Tears (Billbergia Nutans) Scarlet Star ( Guzmania Lingulata) *Note: All bromeliads are generally safe for cats and dogs, however, they will cause gastric upset if ingested. |
African Daisy (Osteospermum)
Barberton Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) Blue Daisy (Felicia amelloides) Blue-eyed Daisy (Arctotis stoechadifolia) Blue-eyed African Daisy (Arctotis stoechadifolia) Easter Daisy (Townsendia sevicea) Gerber Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) *Note: Not all daisies are safe for cats and dogs. |
| Flowering Succulents, Semi-Succulents and Cacti
|
Irises
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| Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)
Cocks Comb (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) Dinteranthus Vanzylii (Dinteranthus) Living Rock Cactus (Pleiospilos bolusii) Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera) Old Man Cactus (Cephalocereus senilis) Purple Baby Tears (Frithia pulchra) Shrimp Cactus (Schlumbergera russelliana) *Note: Not all flowering succulents, semi-succulents, and cacti are safe for cats and dogs. |
Butterfly Iris (Iris spruria)
*Note: Not all irises are safe for cats and dogs. |
| Jasmine
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Lily-like plants |
| Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
Jasmine (Jasminium species) Madagascar Jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda) Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides *Note: True jasmine is safe for cats and dogs, however, some plants named “jasmines” are not. |
True lilies are toxic to cats. However, there are some plants that have word “lily” in their common name and have lily-like flowers:
Bead Lily / Bride’s Bonnet / Queencup (Clintonia uniflora) Canna Lily (Canna generalis) Easter Lily Cactus (Echinopsis multiplex) Mariposa Lily (Calochortus gunnisonii) Resurrection Lily / Peacock Plant (Kaempferia) Scarborough Lily (Vallota speciose) Sego Lily (Calochortus gunnisonii) Star Lily (Leucocrinum montanum) |
| Orchids
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Violets
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| Brazilian Orchid (Sophronitis)
Cattleya Labiate (Cattleya labiate) Christmas Orchid (Cattleya trianaei) Cocktail Orchid (Cattleya forbesii) Dancing Doll Orchid (Oncidium flexuosum) Easter Cattleya (Cattleya mossiae) Easter Orchid (Cattleya mossiae) Fiery Reed Orchid (Epidendrum ibaguense) Florida Butterfly Orchid (Epidendrum tampense) Ghost Leafless Orchid (Polyrrhiza lindenii) Golden Lace Orchid (Haemaria discolor) Golden Shower Orchid (Oncidium sphacelatum) Jewel Orchid (Haemaria discolor) Lace Orchid (Odontoglossum crispum) Leopard Orchid (Dendrobium gracilicaule) Lily of the Valley Orchid (Odontoglossum pulchellum) Mosaic Vase (Guzmania musaica) Old World Orchid (Bulbophyllum appendiculatum) Orange Star (Guzmania lingulata minor) Pansy Orchid (Miltonia roezlii alba) Phalaenopsis Orchid (Phalaenopsis sp.) Rainbow Orchid (Epidendrum prismatocarpum) Scarlet Orchid (Epidendrum tampense) Spice Orchid (Epidendrum ibaguense Tailed Orchid (Masdevallia) Tiger Orchid (Haemaria discolor) Winter Cattleya (Cattleya trianaei) *Note: All orchids are generally safe for cats and dogs, however, they will cause gastric upset if ingested. |
African Violet (Saintpaulias)
Flame African Violet (Episcia reptans) German Violet (Exacum affine) Kenya Violet (Santpaulia confuse) Usambara Violet (Santpaulia confuse) *Note: Not all violets are safe for cats and dogs. |
| Other
|
|
| Achira (Canna indica)
Aluminum Plant / Watermelon Pilea (Pilea cadierei) Anthericum Comosum / Ribbon Plant / Spider Ivy / Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Camellia / Common Camellia (Camellia japonica) Canterbury-bell (Gloxinia perennis) Cape Marigold (Dimorphotheca pluvialis) Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus spp.) China Aster (Callistephus chinensis) Chocolate Soldier / Episcia / Lace Flower Vine (Episcia dianthiflora) Coral Bells (Heuchera Americana) Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) Crossandra (Crossandra species False Aralia (Dizygotheca elegantissima) Giant Aster (Townsendia sericea) Gloxinia (Sinningia speciose) Gold Bloom / Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Impatience Plant / Tangerine Impatience (Impatiens spp.) Iron Cross Begonia (Begonia masoniana) Japanese Aralia (Fatsia japonica) Jungle Geranium (Ixora javanica) Kahali Ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) Lance Pleomele (Dracaena thalioides) Metallic Peperomia (Peperomia caperata) Miniature Maranta (Calathea micans) Moss Campion / Mossy Campion (Silene acaulis) |
Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata)
Natal Plum (Carissa grandiflora) Patient Lucy / Patient Plant (Impatiens spp) Peace Begonia (Begonia rex ‘peace’) Petunia (Solanaceae) Porcelain Flower (Hoya carnosa) Prickly Bottlebrush (Callistemon Brachyandrus) Purple Velvet Plant (Gynura aurantiaca) Queensland Arrowroot / Tous-les-mois (Canna edulis) Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea Lancifolia) Red Edge Peperomia (Peperomia clusiifolia) Red Veined Prayer (Maranta leuconeura) Rose (Rosa Species) Saffron Spike Zebra (Aphelandra squarrosa) Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea) Silver Heart (Brunnera macrophylla) Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) Thea Japonica (Thea japonica) Umbrella Plant (Cyperus alternifolius) Variegated Wandering Jew (Tradescantia flumeninsis) Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina) White Ginger (Hedychium coronarium) Zinnia (Zinnia species) |
Non-Toxic Non-Flowering Houseplants
In addition to flowering houseplants, many homeowners choose to display non-flowering houseplants. One of the benefits of such plants is that their vast leaf surface area absorbs more pollutants from the air, resulting in cleaner air in the home. As with flowering houseplants, though, many non-flowering plants can be toxic to pets.
Some non-toxic non-flowering plants for homes with cats and dogs include:
| Ferns
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Moss
|
| Bold Sword Fern / Sword Fern / Western Sword (Polystichum munitum)
Boston Fern / Roosevelt Fern / Dwarf Palm / Feather Palm (Nephrolepis exaltata) Dallas Fern / Tall Feather Fern / Verona Fern / Verona Lace Fern / Whitman Fern (Nephrolepis biserrata) Duffii Fern (Nephrolepsis cordifolia ‘duffii’) Dwarf Whitman Fern (Nephrolepsis cordifolia plumose) Fish Tail Fern (Nephrolepis falcata ‘Furcans’) Hare Fern / Rabbit’s Foot Fern (Davallia fejeensis) Japanese Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) Parsley Fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) Silver Table Fern (Pteris sp.) *Note: Not all ferns are safe for cats and dogs. |
Club Moss (Lycopod)
Cushion Moss (Leucobryum) Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus) Japanese Moss (Aegagropila linnaei) *Note: Little research has been done on the toxicity of other moss variations to cats and dogs. |
| Palms
|
Succulents, Semi-Succulents, and Cacti
|
| Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea costaricana) Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis) Dwarf Palm / Good Luck Palm / Parlor Palm / Reed Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) Dwarf Royal Palm (Veitchia merrillii) Forster Sentry Palm (Howea belmoreana) Golden Butterfly Palm (Dypsis lutescens) Kentia Palm (Howea forsterana) Lady Palm (Rhapis Excelsa) Miniature Fish Tail (Chamaedorea metallica) Paradise Palm (Howea forsteriana) Pony Tail (Beaucarnea recurvata) *Note: Not all palms are safe for cats and dogs. |
American Rubber Plant (Ficus elastic)
Baby Rubber Plant / Blunt Leaf Peperomia / Pepper Face (Peperomia obtusifolia) Blue Echeveria / Maroon Chenille Plant / Painted Lady (Echeveria derenbergii) Chickens and Hens / Mexican Snowballs (Echeveria elegans) Copper Rose (Echeveria multicaulis) Cushion Aloe (Haworthia attenuata) Ghost Plant (Monotropa uniflora) Leather Peperomia (Peperomia crassifolia) Little Zebra Plant (Haworthia subfasciata) Mexican Firecracker (Echeveria setosa) Mother of Pearl / Pearl Plant (Senecio rowleyanus) Pearly Dots (Haworthia margaritifera) Plush Plant (Echeveria harmsii) Thimble Cactus (Mammillaria gracilis fragilis) Variegated Wax Plant (Echeveria sp.) Zebra Haworthia (Haworthia fasciata) *Note: Not all succulents and semi-succulents are safe for cats and dogs. |
| Other
|
|
| Baby’s Tears (Helxine soleirolii)
Bamboo (Bambusoideae) Bloodleaf / Chicken-Gizzard / Yellow Bloodleaf (Iresine herbstii) Caeroba (Calathea insignis) California Pitcher Plant (Darlingtonia californica) Christmas Dagger (Polystichum acrostichoides) Copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana) Fingernail Plant / Marbled Fingernail / Miniature Marble Plant (Neoregelia spectabilis) Freckle Face / Pink Splash (Hypoestes phyllostachya) |
Friendship Plant / Panamiga (Pilea involucrate)
Ivy Peperomia (Peperomia griseoargentea) Joseph’s Coat (Alternanthera spp.) Maranta (Maranta leucoreura) Measles Plant (Hypoestes Sanguinolenta) Moss Fern (Selaginella pallescens) Red Palm Lily (Cordyline rubra) Variegated Laurel (Aucuba japonica) Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula) Watermelon Begonia (Peperomia argyreia) |
Edible Pet-Friendly Plants
Flowering and non-flowering houseplants are the most common types of plant found within the home. Edible houseplants tend to get overlooked, however, they can also pose a significant threat to pets. These types of plant can include herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
Some pet-friendly edible houseplants include:
| Herbs
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Fruit Plants
|
| Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Sage (Salvia officinalis) Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) *Note: Not all herbs are safe for cats and dogs. |
Strawberry Plant (Fragaria ? ananassa)
*Note: Not all fruit plants are safe for cats and dogs. |
