Indoor plants are amazing to have in your home! They are beautiful to look at and clean the air as they grow. Yet making sure that the plants you want don’t hurt the pets you love is a huge factor in which ones you end up purchasing!
Check out our list below to find the right plants for your home (and your level of ability at keeping plants alive)!
Article Summary
Parlor Palm
Chamaedorea Elegans
This first plant we have on our list can grow over six feet tall! The Parlor Palm is native to the tropical regions of America and is in the same family as the coconut tree. They like bright indirect light, need watering every 1-2 weeks, and do not need to be repotted for years! Perfectly safe for cats and dogs alike.
Spider Plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Spider plants are perfect for anyone with a not-so-green thumb— and they are safe for pets like cats and dogs! They can tolerate tons of abuse, from lack of sunlight to too much water, they are sure to be able to bounce back. With well-draining soil and the occasional pruning, this plant can grow long spider-leg-like leaves and sometimes even beautiful flowers!
Ponytail Palm Tree
Beaucarnea recurvata
Here’s the funny part, the Ponytail Palm tree is not a tree nor is it in the palm family! This gorgeous plant is actually characterized as succulent. The easy to care for Ponytail Palm enjoys bright light and dry soil, perfect for someone who might miss a watering day or two!
African Violet
Saintpaulia
Although this plant demands a little more detailed care, the flowers that bloom are far worth the trouble. The African Violet is extremely picky about how they like their water. They will thrive with lukewarm water given at the base and do not like to have dry soil. Treat these plants right and their purple flowers can brighten up any space!
Lucky Bamboo
Dracaena sanderiana
You don’t need any luck to keep this plant alive! Lucky Bamboo is virtually indestructible (trust me, my mom has one and she normally kills plants only weeks after buying them, but this one has lasted years), so if you don’t have a green thumb, this might be the plant for you. Lucky Bamboo is also said to bring fortune to its owners, especially if it was given to them as a gift.
This plant prefers to be in standing water, pebbles, or moist soil to keep the roots wet and red.
Donkey’s Tail
Sedum morganianum
This succulent is a slow grower, but that doesn’t make the teardrop shape leaves any less stunning. Those trundles of leaves can grow up to four feet long and may even bloom if kept outdoors. Though this plant is not toxic to pets, the leaves fall off very easily and may become more of a dog toy for bored pups if left in an area they can reach.
Gloxinia
Sinningia speciosa
One of the prettiest pet-friendly houseplants, Gloxinias produce tons of blue or purple flowers for about two months out of the year. They are annual plants so they need to be replanted once the flowers fade and have left the bloom cycle. This is because they spend so much of their energy focused on the flowers so they do not have strong roots that are able to keep them alive outside of the flowering months! This plant is great for a season change up in the kitchen or study room so they are in bright indirect light.
Venus Flytrap
Dionaea muscipula
This plant is well known for its carnivore eating habits! Inside of the “mouth,” there are hairlike structures called trichomes that sense when animals let out carbon dioxide and touch the trichomes. When they sense an insect is inside of the trap they close tightly and interlock the trichomes, preventing anything from escaping. The Venus flytrap gains nutrients from the soil, sun, water, and living insects. When trapping, it can often go months between meals so don’t be worried if it closes for a long time! Try to keep pups and other curious animals away from them, they are not toxic, but pets may set off the trichomes and waste energy!
Watermelon Peperomia
Peperomia argyreia
This small plant can grow up to 12 inches tall and grow leaves that look like the skin of a watermelon (hence the name)! These are great plants for beginners that don’t want to have succulents. They prefer bright indirect light, peat-based soil, and enough water where the roots are moist, but the top level of the soil is dry to the touch.
Boston Fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Boston Ferns are a common sight to be seen hanging from front porches and near windows, especially in the south! Besides being gorgeous indoor plants, Boston ferns are safe for pets. They thrive on high humidity, bright indirect light, and cooler weather. The soil should remain damp to prevent germs from drying out and dying, which is the main cause of death for these ferns.
Orchid
Orchidaceae
Orchids are one of the harder plants to keep alive, as they require very specific care and nutrients. Once you learn how to care for them, it becomes easier and you’ll be able to keep them tall and absolutely breathtaking.
Cast Iron Plant
Aspidistra elatior
Also known as a ballroom plant, the cast iron plant is great for people that don’t have a lot of time to put into caring for plants but still want a plant for their office. Low light is best for them, so putting them in a study room is plenty of sunlight for their growth. Certain types of Cast Iron plants can also be planted outside to make up for areas that may not get enough sun for grass or spaces that just need a little more color. They are perfect for filling in corner areas where top grasses for dogs may not reach. Cast Iron plants are non-toxic so they are safe for outdoor pets, as well.
Prayer Plant
Maranta leuconeura
This plant is native to Brazil and named for Bartolomeo Maranta, who was an Italian botanist. During the day, the leaves lay flat in order to absorb sunlight, but during the night they fold up and look similar to praying hands. Unlike some of the previously listed plants, the Prayer plant prefers partial or full shade. Too much sun can cause harm to the colorful leaves and give them brown spots.
Baby Tears
Soleirolia soleirolii
Baby Tears are an easily kept, pet-friendly plants. They have long vines and leaves start going down from the hanging planter as they grow. They do well in low light conditions, are a fast-growing plant, and can spread over 36 inches. Baby Tears can also be planted outdoors due to their quick spreading and they can almost become invasive if planted outside and not cut back! Be careful not to allow them to get too cold or dry out, as this will cause the growth to come to a harsh stop and poorly affect the plant.
Areca Palm
Dypsis lutescens
Tall and beautiful, the Areca Palm has come back from being endangered to become one of the most popular large house plants on the market. Thanks to them being nontoxic and easy to care for, they are able to build a reputation as the perfect living decoration and air purifier! If planted outdoors, they can grow to almost 30 feet tall and 15 feet wide. When potting indoors, ensure the pot and soil are draining well to prevent root rot since the trunk and roots have a lot of top weight to hold on to.
Haworthia
Haworthiopsis attenuata
Ah, yes, everyone loves a succulent! One common misconception about succulents is that they need very little water but often, this is not the case! Most succulents thrive when the soil is allowed to be fully saturated and then fully dry out before the next watering. Specifically, Haworthia does well in direct light and is fine living in the average home temperature. Perfect to add a pop of color to any windowsill!
Staghorn Fern
Platycerium alcicorne
The Staghorn Fern is definitely a unique house plant! These plants are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants when in the wild. They are easy to grow, require only low to medium light, and should be mounted to a piece of wood or planted in a basket. If you start this plant outright, it is sure to last you a long time.
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Basil prefers hotter weather and should be planted two weeks after the last spring front annually. They can be planted in garden beds outside or in planting pots indoors near windows. Water deeply to get the leaves to grow big and flavorful!
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
When the purple flowers bloom on rosemary, they can be a great pop of color but it is the green leaves that give off the amazing aroma. Rosemary likes full sun and well-draining soil.
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
Thyme is a great herb to use when cooking! It brings a new level of clover flavor that can elevate a home-cooked dish. If you forget to water them, it will be okay! Thyme is drought resistant and can be grown inside or out.
Other herbs may be toxic to pets. Can dogs eat peppermint? Most definitely not, so double check before having an indoor herbs garden with your furry family.
Key Plant Care Tips!
Once you learn a little bit about the plants you are taking care of, plant care becomes so much easier! Do a little research before picking a plant to make sure it will do well in your environment as well as your level of care ability.
- Feeling the soil with your finger can tell you a lot about the water level of the plant
- Low light and indirect light plants do well in bathrooms
- It is better to slightly underwater plants rather than overwater them
- Moving plants, even to a different room, can slow their growth
- Pruning your plants can actually help them grow better
- Most plants do well in high humidity. Placing a lot of plants close together can actually help them create a natural area that is more humid
- Dust your leaves!! Getting the dust and dirt off leaves allows them to take in more sunlight
Signs of Poisoning
Although you may have worked super hard to ensure your house was safe from toxic plants for your dog, sometimes they may get ahold of toxins anyway. Plants may grow through the fence, they may grab a nibble on a walk, or they may be playing in a field and wander across plants that are not as safe as the ones we listed above! Here are some of the most common signs of poisoning in dogs.
- Trouble breathing
- Gum discoloration
- Strange behavior
- Sores inside their mouth
- Seizures
- Upset stomach
- Facial swelling
Be on the lookout for toxic plants in the areas that your pets play [1]!
Beautiful Choices!
Whichever plants you may pick to fill your home with, double-checking that they are safe for your pets can save their life and save you the hassle of trying to keep plants out of their reach.
Choose well and don’t overwater!
