Two of the greatest joys in life are pets and plants. Unfortunately, there are a lot of common houseplants that can be toxic to our four-legged friends if ingested. With that being said, there’s no need to sacrifice one for the other — there are plenty of gorgeous pet-friendly plants that you can keep in your home while still making sure your furry friends are safe and sound.
To find out exactly which pet-friendly plants are safest and which are best to avoid, we spoke to some plant experts. A spokesperson from UrbanStems told us that some of the safest plants for pets include “spider plants, African violets, air plants, phalaenopsis orchids, pilea peperomioides (money tree), and some succulents like echeveria.” Other plants and herbs such as “basil, mint, rosemary, certain palm varieties (like parlor palms and ponytail palms) and certain fern varieties (including boston ferns and bird’s nest ferns),” are also considered safe for cats and dogs, according to Ellie Horn, marketing director at plant brand Modern Sprout.
Of course, pets are bound to get a little curious when it comes to any new plant friend that you bring home, so it’s important to note that even though these plants are considered generally safe for pets, “nontoxic plants can still cause an upset stomach and may result in your pet vomiting, coughing or sneezing,” said Horn. Be sure to reach out to your veterinarian immediately if you notice any unusual behavior in your pet after ingestion.
It’s also best to know which greenery is most harmful to pets, too. “Among the most harmful plants are lilies, tulip bulbs, azaleas, amaryllis, English ivy, chrysanthemum, pothos, aloe vera and cyclamen,” Horn told us. “While they are undoubtedly beautiful, these are the plants you want to avoid having around your furry family member to prevent them from potentially getting sick.”
Scroll down to check out 16 of the best pet-friendly houseplants now.
Bloomscape Spider Plant
$69 at Bloomscape
Fuss-free and easily adaptable to almost any spot in your home, the spider plant is a great addition to any space and requires low to bright indirect sunlight. Another reason to love this plant, aside from it being easy to care for and pet-friendly, is its air-purifying qualities.
Plants.com Olive Tree
$69.99 at Plants.com
If you have a bright, sunny spot that you’re looking to decorate with a new plant, this pretty olive tree is perfect for you and your pets. It requires six to seven hours of sunlight and is perfectly safe for furry friends.
The Sill Bird’s Nest Fern
From $23 at The Sill
With its long, bright green fronds, this bird’s nest fern will add a pretty pop of greenery anywhere you place it. It thrives in indirect sunlight with damp soil and is nontoxic to humans and pets.
UrbanStems The Skye Orchid
$60 at UrbanStems
This purple-speckled orchid is just as beautiful as it is safe for pets and easy to care for. Just be sure to add two ice cubes every week to keep it healthy and hydrated.
The Sill Pilea Peperomioides
From $22 at The Sill
This pretty plant with round, coin-shaped leaves is also known as the Chinese money plant and is great for propagating, as it can multiply in size overnight.
Bloomscape Calathea Freddie
$39 at Bloomscape
This gorgeous calathea plant has light and dark striped leaves that move up and down throughout the day as if in worship, earning it the nickname of a ‘prayer plant.’ But fear not — although it may catch the attention of your furry family member, it’s nontoxic to pets.
Bloomscape Bamboo Palm
$214 $199 at Bloomscape
Looking for a larger easy-to-care-for plant? This bamboo palm can grow up to 8 feet tall and is a wonderful air purifier for your home. It’s also known as the pet-friendly parlor palm.
The Sill Echeveria Lola
$32 at The Sill
One of the easiest pet-friendly plants to care for is the echeveria succulent. Its rose-like shape is stunning while it merely requires a light watering every two to three weeks when its soil dries out.
UrbanStems The Zahra Orchid
$85 at UrbanStems
This is another gorgeous and colorful display of pet-friendly orchids to add to your space. These are low-maintenance plants that only require a bit of warm water weekly.
Bloomscape Red Prayer Plant
$39 at Bloomscape
With its two-tone leaves, this small red prayer plant is anything but boring. Pet-friendly and perfect to place on a window sill near bright, indirect sunlight, this eye-catching plant requires damp soil and light misting to flourish.
Bloomscape Mini Money Tree
$49 at Bloomscape
Not only is the money tree popular thanks to its nontoxic and pet-friendly qualities, but it symbolizes prosperity and is very easy to care for — especially this one in a cute blue pot.
The Sill Bromeliad Vriesea Vogue
$55 at The Sill
It’s hard to believe that this strikingly beautiful plant is pet-friendly with its red and yellow spikes, but it’s indeed safe for cats and dogs.
The Sill Large Majesty Palm
$85 $68 at The Sill
Majesty palms, also known as cat palms, are safe for pets and thrive in humidity with bright, indirect light, making them perfect for a tropical climate.
The Sill Xerographica Air Plant
$20 at The Sill
Air plants grow in just that — air! These pet-friendly beauties don’t require soil, but do need weekly watering in order to grow. Place them in any pretty pot with indirect sunlight and you’re set.
Greendigs Watermelon Peperomia
From $35 at Greendigs
Liven up any space with this pretty peperomia. Known for its watermelon-like stripes and round leaves, it’s easy to care for and nontoxic to pets.
The Sill Peperomia Obtusfolia
From $23 at The Sill
Nontoxic to pets and has cute little raindrop-shaped leaves? Sign us up! The rubber plant has succulent-like leaves that can tolerate less watering, making this a very easy plant to care for too.
