Pets and plants don’t always go together. My ‘Border Terrorists’, Ogmore and Dylan, are notorious for chomping foliage. Whilst they mainly graze on Dog Mercury and other outdoor weeds, they have also unleashed their rasping tongues on my once elegant Bamboo Palm ( Dypsis lutescens), leaving it looking as though it has been attacked by a giant slug. Fortunately, Bamboo Palm is entirely non-toxic to pets, but other plants are best kept away from your furry friends. Our panel of Thompson & Morgan pooches and pussycats have put aside their differences and got together to guide you through the best pet-friendly plants.

Non-Toxic Houseplants for Pets

Palms

Hello! My name is Hamish. I’m two and a half years old and my favourite hobbies include shredding cardboard, having my ears groomed and stealing people’s seats as soon as they stand up.

Being a graceful Cocker Spaniel, I like to luxuriate amongst elegant palms. Bamboo Palm (Dypsis lutescens), Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana) and Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) are all pet friendly houseplants. With gracefully arching stems and slender foliage, these palms make striking specimen plants as well as functioning as tall backdrops in group arrangements. They bring a tropical ambience and relaxing mood into the home. All enjoy bright light but will tolerate some shade.

Do avoid Cycas revoluta, the Sago Palm, as it can be lethally poisonous to dogs.

Ferns

Hello I’m Buddy. I’m one and a half years old. My favourite hobbies include stealing clothes from the laundry basket, playing on the beach and cuddling under my blanket on cold days.

I love the soft, lush foliage of ferns. But do make sure you select true ferns and beware of plants pretending to be them such as ‘Asparagus fern’ which is not a fern at all but a member of the highly toxic lily family. Ferns like The Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium) and Maidenhair (Adiantum raddianum) are great for bathrooms as they will tolerate lower light levels whilst benefitting from the additional humidity. I love lounging beside the radiator but ferns won’t. Place them in a cool spot out of strong, direct sunlight and keep the compost moist but not wet.

Calathea

Hello, my name is Dylan. I’m a sophisticated canine with an appetite for country pursuits such as fox-chasing and tug-o-war. I spend my leisure hours in deep meditation whilst having my tummy scratched.

My houseplant recommendation is Calathea. Perfectly safe for pets, they are stylish and exotic foliage plants which come in a wide choice of sophisticated patterns and colouring. They will also tolerate lower light levels.

Succulents

Hello, my name is Ogmore, but my friends call me Ogg. My chief pastime is looking for food and the rest of the day is spent eating it. Also known as The Omnivorous Ogmore, I have successfully eaten giant holes in all my owner’s pockets thus rendering them useless. I can’t say as I’m terribly interested in plants, unless they’re edible, but I’m drawn to succulents as they sound edible to me.

The majority of succulents are pet-friendly but there are a few toxic species to avoid.  The most common are : Aloe, Jade Plant (Crassula ovata), Kalanchoe, Sanseviera, Senecio and Euphorbia.

The rest are great plants for households with pets. Easy-going and tolerant of neglect, their neat, sculptural forms are always crowd-pleasers and they look especially good when grown as collections.

Pilea and Polka Dots

Hello, I’m Teddy. I’m six months old. Whilst I look like a little angel, I’m anything but! My favourite hobbies include constantly crying for food, not listening and giving sass. I like cheeky little plants and my favourites are the Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides) and the Pink Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) which unlike me, are very well-behaved. Both have fun foliage which will add cheer to a bright window sill.

 

Spider Plant

Hello, my name is Dougie, I’m nearly 3 years old. My favourite hobbies include destroying soft toys, cuddling with humans and going on walks with my doggy friends.

I like the deservedly popular Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum). Like me, it’s easy-going and very friendly, so friendly that it will readily produce numerous little plantlets which you can pot up and give as gifts to your friends.

 

A-Z of Pet Friendly Houseplants

African Violet (Saintpaulia)
Aspidistra elatior
Bamboo Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Pony Tail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Birds Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Bromeliad
Calathea
Chinese Money Plant (Pilea Peperomioides)
Echeveria
Haworthia
Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum raddianum)
Maranta
Orchid
Pachira aquatica
Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Peperomia Pilea (all species)
Pink Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum ‘Variegatum’)
Tillandsia
Venus fly trap

Houseplants which are toxic to pets

Hello I’m Zippy.  As an indoor tortoise and a dedicated vegetarian, I’m an expert on houseplants. I don’t hibernate, but just get particularly grumpy and lazy at this time of year. Just for you, I have accumulated my many years of wisdom to compile this curmudgeonly list of poisonous plants.

A-Z List of Houseplants Toxic to Pets

Aloe vera
Amaryllis
Arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum)
Asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus)
Begonia
Cordyline fruticosa
Devils Ivy/Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
Dracaena
Elephants Ear (Alocasia)
Geranium
Ivy
Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
Kalanchoe
Lilles
Ornamental Pepper Plant
Pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli)
Philodendron
Poinsettia
Rubber plant (Ficus all species)
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Senecio species
Snake plant (Sanseviera)