Plants improve your home décor and boost the air quality indoors. However, if you live in a home with pets, purchase houseplants that are safe for dogs and cats. Some varieties are harmful to animals and small children. Here are a few non-toxic houseplants for homes with pets.
Popular Non-Toxic Houseplants
1. African Violets
African violets are small, colorful plants perfect for windowsills and tabletops. This pet-safe houseplant can bloom in purple, red, pink, and blue throughout the year. African violets enjoy damp soil but don’t get water on their leaves. They like a humid environment with bright, indirect sunlight.
2. Orchids are Common Non-Toxic Houseplants
Orchids are attractive plants with blooms that last up to 4 months indoors. If you want to add bold color to a room, an orchid is a great option. They are pet-friendly, and orchids require minimal water. They survive easily with indirect sunlight.
3. Pet-Safe Succulents
Some succulents are dangerous for animals. However, others, such as Haworthia and Echeveria, are beautiful and non-toxic. The Zebra Haworthia can survive in areas with low light and low humidity. Its green leaves with white stripes make it an attractive and interesting option. The “burro’s tail” plant grows quickly and has a unique draping habit that makes it attractive in hanging baskets. There are few varieties of holiday cactus that can survive in poor soil conditions and with relatively low light. These produce colorful blooms and are non-toxic to pets.
4. Bird’s Nest Fern
This green fern loves low light and can be a great addition to your bathroom. It is essential to keep your bird’s nest fern in fast-draining soil and add plant food every month. This plant prefers very lightly damp soil and temperatures between 68-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Non-Toxic Houseplants: Bromeliad
Bromeliads are a tropical, pet-safe houseplant that is best for open spaces as they require quite a bit of airflow. These plants have colorful blooms and prefer bright, indirect sunlight and a well-draining potting soil mixture.
6. Baby Tears
Known for its tendrils of tiny leaves, this pet-safe houseplant looks great in a hanging basket. They thrive with damp soil and indirect sunlight.
7. Friendship Plant
The friendship plant (Pilea involucrata) has an interesting and detailed leaf pattern. They are related to stinging nettles but won’t harm you. These plants are easy to grow, preferring indoor temperatures between 65 – 75 degrees and bright, indirect light. Water your friendship plant when the top inch of the soil is dry.
8. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Some palms are toxic to animals, but the graceful parlor palm is pet-safe. They are popular and attractive houseplants. This palm thrives in indirect light and typically grows to between four and six feet tall.
9. Non-Toxic Herbs Grown as Houseplants
Herbs such as basil, rosemary, and thyme can be a great addition to your kitchen countertops. These herbs are easy to grow indoors and safe enough for pets to take a bite.
10. Prayer Plant
The prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) sets itself apart from plain green houseplants with eye-catching leaves. It prefers bright, indirect sunlight and well-drained soil and requires high humidity to thrive.
If you enjoy caring for plants in your home, these non-toxic options are great for households with pets.
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