By Kate Lain Cespedes
There’s no doubt that plants and pets greatly enrich our lives. Unfortunately, many common plants are not safe for our furry companions. It can be difficult to keep a houseplant away from a pet that is determined to chew, so it’s up to us to ensure that any plants we grow in the home are safe and non-toxic to cats and dogs. Watters is here to help you keep your pets safe. Look for the paw print badge on our houseplant signage to know which plants are safe for your pet. The plants described here are recognized by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) as being non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Kate’s Pet Safe Houseplant List
- African Violet
- Air Plant
- Aluminum Plant
- Amur Maple
- Areca Palm
- Bamboo
- Bamboo Palm
- Banana Plant
- Bromeliad
- Calathea
- Canna Lilly, Garden Canna
- Cast Iron Plant
- Chinese Money Plant
- Creeping Charlie
- Cushion Aloe
- Donkey Tail
- Ferns (most ferns, but not all are pet safe): Boston, Maiden Hair, Staghorn, Button, Birds Nest, Rabbit’s Foot/Ball, Dallas, Christmas Dagger, Carrot, Bold Sword, Plumosa, King & Queen Fern
- Friendship Plant
- Goldfish Plant
- Hawothoria
- Hibiscus/Rose of Sharon
- Honeysuckle Fuchsia
- Hoya Carnosa/Wax Plant/Honey Plant
- Ice Plant
- Impatience
- Jasmin
- Kentia Palm
- Lipstick Plant
- Money Tree
- Moth Orchid
- Nerve Plant
- Parlor Palm
- Peperomia Peltfolia/ Rotundifolia/Sandersii
- Peperomia, Baby Rubber Plant, American Rubber Plant
- Platinum Peperomia/Silver Leaf Peperomia/Ivy Leaf Peperomia
- Polka Dot Plant/Baby’s Tears
- Ponytail Palm/Elephant Foot Tree/Bottle Palm
- Prayer Plant
- Rattlesnake Plant, Peacock Plant, Zebra Plant
- Spider Plant
- Star Jasmine
- Succulents (some, but not all are pet safe): Blue Echeveria, Copper Rose Echeveria, Hens and Chicks, Living Stones
- Sweet Potato Vine
If you’re ever curious as to whether a certain plant is a safe investment for your home, the ASPCA also has an extensive list of plants to avoid (including both indoor and outdoor plants).