Pet Friendly Houseplants
Have you ever noticed animal people are also plant people!? While this is a common theme, having pets and plants inside your home can also be challenging. Some pets, such as cats, love to chew on plants and leaves. If you are an avid plant lover, this can be problematic, as many houseplants are known to be toxic to people and animals! Continue reading to learn Jane’s favorite pet friendly houseplants!
Not Pet Friendly – Highly Toxic!
While knowing which plants are pet friendly it is equally important to know which plants are NOT pet friendly! While there are many toxic plants, here are a few that we have around Green Side Up in Fayetteville, NC, and have seen around other local garden centers: sago palm, oleander, lilies, azaleas, tulips, hydrangeas, peace lilies, pothos, sansevierias, ZZ plants, and hostas!
Calathea
Calatheas are an excellent option for homes with pets, as the entire plant is safe for animals if they like to chew! The calathea is a beautiful plant with hinges on the stem’s end where the leaves connect. This is how the plant opens and closes its leaves! Many call calatheas prayers plants as they close up at night and look like they are praying!
Money Tree
The Money Tree is another safe, nontoxic plant in your home. It is relatively easy to care for, requiring bright, indirect light and moderate water. Unfortunately, the name may lead the owner to believe it grows money. But we can assure you, it does not.
Spider Plant
The spider plant is an excellent plant to have inside! It needs low to moderate light. Additionally, this plant creates babies, which can be propagated and grown into an adult plant! How cool is that?!
African Violet
The only plant in our list that truly flowers, the African Violet is a safe plant for animals. It produces small, vibrant flowers and has soft, fuzzy leaves. While it is relatively easy to care for, it does require specific pots and watering routines.
Hoya
Also known as the wax plant, the Hoya has a waxy leaf. Because of the waxy leaf, it does not require as much water as other plants. It can handle low-light situations but will grow faster with bright, indirect light. Eventually, this plant will flower, but it can take years for wax plants to flower, depending on their growing conditions.
Air Plant
An air plant is pretty self-explanatory, as it does not require soil to live. It just needs air, a place to sit or something to hang onto, and water! Air plants can be placed on mantles, shelves, branches, etc. It should be soaked in water every 10-14 days. Again, this is another excellent option for a house with pets, as they are nontoxic!
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