Top 10 Pet Friendly Houseplants

10 Beautiful Houseplants that are Pet-Friendly!

Are you interested in adding some plants to your home, but nervous because you also happen to have beloved pets who may nibble on your plants? Pets are not only great companions but members of our family, and we want to make sure both our plants and our pets are safe and happy.  The SPCA website has a very comprehensive list of plants that are safe for pets, but I thought I would list my personal recommendations of unique, pet safe plants that you can have in your home, worry free!

Something to note:

Just because a plant is considered non-toxic does not necessarily mean that it won’t make your pet sick. Your cat or dog may vomit or exhibit diarrhea or even skin rashes if ingested. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian if you suspect that your cat has ingested your plants, just to be safe, and always try to keep your plants out of reach from your pets when possible.

1. Spider plant

A very classic and hardy houseplant, spider plants are excellent pet friendly houseplants for beginner plant parents. There are three primary varieties: green, variegated and “bonnie” (curly). These plants can be lower light tolerant and will even produce pups (baby plants). You can propagate and share them with friends and family!

A word about spider plants: they can produce cat-nip-like side effects if your cat ingests them. Leaf and Paw wrote an excellent article on spider plants and cats. I highly recommend giving it a read if you’re interested in learning more about this.

2. Peperomia​

Great news, plant collectors! There are over a thousand varieties of peperomia that are pet friendly houseplants that you can collect. A very diverse houseplant, there is a peperomia variety for just about everyone’s style. Vertical growers, trailing, small, large, bushy or sparse. They can be medium to lower light tolerant, but the majority enjoy bright, indirect light. Just be wary of overwatering, as they have very delicate roots and are susceptible to root rot. Here is a full deep dive into peperomia care if you’re interested in learning more!

3. Calathea and Prayer Plants

If you are into striking foliage plants and don’t mind putting in the extra effort, consider a maranta and calathea. They’re nicknamed “prayer plants” for the way that their foliage with rustle and fold upwards to the changes in light. These are no doubt real statement plants and would make a beautiful addition to any home! While most calathea varieties are considered safe by the SPCA website, make sure to do your research on particular varieties. 

Both Calathea and Maranta prefer moist soil, humid tropical conditions, and dislike cold or harsh waters and chemicals. Because of this, they have garnered a reputation of being temperamental or challenging. Depending on your plant care habits, I assure you that they are well worth the effort! Be sure to check out my blog posts on Prayer Plant Care and Calathea 101.

4. Ponytail Palm

This plant is a very stylish and striking pet friendly option. I will warn you: cats LOVE these palms, and will most certainly eat this plant down to a stump if you are not careful! These palms are very easy to care for as long as they get consistent, bright light. They require minimal watering as they store their water reserves in their large, thick trunk.

I have a full ponytail palm care tips guide coming soon if you are interested in learning more about this unique pet friendly option.

5. Moth Orchid

This is a great pet friendly houseplant option for the flower lovers out there! This happened to be the houseplant that really kickstarted my plant journey, and one of the first houseplants that came into my home. Bloom and Grow Radio has an excellent podcast on orchid care that I cannot recommend enough! They are definitely not as difficult to care for as they appear to be. Low to medium light tolerant, they prefer a chunky soil mix or moss, as they are epiphytic plants.

6. Pilea Peperomioides

A very trendy and fun houseplant that was formerly very difficult to come by that is now thankfully readily available in most areas. This plant is also known as the Friendship Plant or the Pancake Plant, and is pet safe with very straightforward care needs. They will even produce little pups that you can split from the mother plant and share with your friends.

7. Haworthia

The Haworthia is a particular favourite of mine. Also called the zebra plant, its dark green with white striped foliage may look similar to the aloe vera, but they are quite different. Unlike the aloe vera, which is considered very toxic, haworthia are considered pet safe by the SPCA website. Haworthia are also medium to low light tolerant, unlike their cousin aloe.

8. Lipstick Plant

A great hanging plant, the lipstick plant produces brilliant red flowers through the year for the bloom lovers that want a bushy hanging plant similar to a trailing philodendron, but also pet friendly. They prefer bright indirect light and will tolerate their soil drying out between waterings, making their care pretty straight forward and easy.

9. Goldfish Plant

A cousin of the popular lipstick plant, goldfish plants are aptly named for their cute orange blooms that resemble the popular pet.  These are also pet safe, and have cute chubby leaves resembling a peperomia or a hoya. Their care is fairly identical to the lipstick plant, and equally as straightforward.

10. Echeveria (Succulent)

I know there are a ton of succulent-lovers out there! Good news! Many succulent houseplants are pet-friendly! One of the most common succulent varieties with that traditional look is the echeveria. This houseplant is pet friendly! Check with the ASPCA website for other specific succulent varieties. On the whole, their thick rubbery foliage is not appealing to many pets, and generally they leave them alone.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @plantyquirkyblogger to follow my plant journey!