Not All Houseplants Are Pet-Safe, but These 7 Are

As winter has set in across the US and the skies remain grey in many areas of the country, you may feel the need to add some color into your home. Houseplants are a great way to do this. Plus, they can even help purify the air as an added bonus. Unfortunately though, some of the most popular houseplants can be quite toxic to your pets, so you'll want to ensure that any new ones you bring into your home are as safe for your cats and dogs as they are for you. 

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that toxic exposure to plants and fungi was responsible for 8.1% of calls to its animal poison control center in 2023. To prevent you from having to make one of those phone calls yourself, we spoke with Joe Ferrari, owner of plant store and garden shop Tend Greenpoint, to learn about nontoxic plants he recommends for pet parents. 

Here's everything you need to know about mixing plants with pets, so you can add some greenery to your home today, worry free.

What are some houseplants that are nontoxic to cats and dogs?

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Money Tree

Money trees are thought to bring good luck and fortune to their owners, hence the name. According to the New York Botanical Garden, the often-braided plants can grow anywhere from 3 to 6 feet tall indoors, and they don't pose a risk to pets.

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True ferns

Many ferns are nontoxic to pets, including Boston ferns, moss ferns and staghorn ferns. However, some plants with “fern” in the name aren't actually true ferns and can be toxic to cats and dogs, including the asparagus fern, according to the ASPCA, so you should ensure that you're purchasing a true fern before exposing your pet to one.

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Spider plant 

Spider plants are low maintenance, fast growing and, in my personal experience, they're one of the easiest plants to propagate. They're also one of the best plants for air purification and low-light environments. 

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Bamboo

Like a true fern, bamboo is nontoxic to pets if it's a true bamboo plant. Despite their nicknames, both sacred bamboo and lucky bamboo, which can be popular houseplant options, aren't true bamboos and are toxic to cats and dogs.

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Hoya

There are numerous species of hoya plants, and they're all pet-safe. They're also plants that flower in multiple lively colors and they're often nicknamed wax plants.

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African violet

African violet plants can also grow flowers in multiple colors — commonly purple — and they have appealingly fuzzy leaves, making them a fine addition to any home.

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Haworthia

These popular succulents come in many varieties. Haworthia fasciata, commonly called a zebra plant, grows in a striped pattern and requires minimum maintenance. They're a great option for beginner plant owners and people with pets.

Though these seven are great houseplants to start with, the list doesn't end there. Ferrari said a couple of additional nontoxic plants he likes are the lady palm, which can thrive in indirect sunlight, and the ponytail palm, which is best in direct sunlight. 

What makes a houseplant toxic to pets?

“On the whole, the makeup of the plant material determines whether a plant is considered toxic,” Ferrari said. “Things like certain salts, proteins or chemicals can all cause irritation to cats, dogs or even humans.”

Ferrari said the negative reaction cats and dogs can experience from toxic plants can happen after ingestion, but also that “some plants contain chemicals in their sap that will cause a reaction on contact.” 

When in doubt, you can check the ASPCA's website, which has an extensive list of plants with details on whether they're toxic or nontoxic to cats, dogs and even horses. 

“If we can't find a reference to a plant's toxicity through [ASPCA], we won't recommend it to our customers,” Ferrari said. “It's a great resource for anyone researching the plants they already have.”

If you think your cat or dog may have ingested a toxic plant, call the ASPCA's 24/7 poison control center at 888-426-4435 or your veterinarian as soon as possible. 

What's the easiest pet-friendly houseplant to take care of?

Spider plants are a great option for beginners with pets because they're nontoxic and low maintenance. Plus, they grow large, and you can easily propagate them from the “babies” that grow from trailing stems.

Ferrari said his personal pet-friendly pick is the hoya genus. 

“There are so many leaf forms and growth habits,” he said. “I love the long wispy stems that grow and twine before leaves, and eventually flowers, grow along them. They don't require much water in general and just love a bright space without fully direct sunlight.”