Top 5 Pet Friendly, Non-Toxic Houseplants

Who says you have to compromise. Getting a new friendly fur-ball in your life doesn't have to mean giving all your favourite houseplants away. There are some great houseplants out there that aren't toxic if accidentally consumed. They might not taste great but at least they won't cause any permanent damage. 

I'm going to show you that having a pet isn't as restrictive in the plant department as you might think. Here's a little rundown of a few of my favourites.

The Calatheas

The painted marvels, as I like to refer to them. Each Calathea leaf looks meticulously hand-painted, the colours and shapes are absolutely stunning. This family originates from the Amazon rainforest region of South America, all of them loving high humidity. Bright steamy bathrooms are perfect for them to thrive! Click here to take a look at some examples of the different varieties of Calatheas.

Rhipsalis

The Rhipsalis rainforest cacti are very different from their desert cacti cousins. As well as being non-toxic they are humidity lovers and not such a big fan of direct sunlight. In the wild these guys are epiphytes, nestling themselves in tree crevices. Their South American rainforest home gives them dappled light with relatively high humidity giving you a good indication of the conditions they love. Bright indirect light with regular watering (allowing the top two inches of soil to dry between waterings). I love their hair like tubular branches, creating an unusual textured feature hanging off a shelf or ceiling.  Check them out here.

The Peperomia Family

With over 500 different plant varieties in the peperomia family there's something for every plant and pet lover. The round and oval shaped leaves are extremely pleasing to the eye and their easy care nature makes them a popular choice for a gift. Take a look at more of these mesmerising leaves here. 

Oxalis Triangularis

Inject some colour and personality into your houseplant collection with these little fellas. They are super photosensitive moving their heads towards the light at any opportunity. I love to watch them close up in the evening when it's dark and open again when the sun rises. So satisfying! They've been compared to butterflies opening and closing their wings, beautiful! 

Grown from little tubers in the soil they are surprisingly hardy. If planted outside in the UK they will die back over winter time and sprout new growth the next spring. 

If kept in the house it's worth cutting your oxalis back around December time. This is the dormancy period when you can prune to soil level. It gives the plant a new lease of live, and a chance to regain energy in my tubers, leading to fresh strong new growth the following spring. This is also a good way of eliminating bugs lurking on their leaves from Autumn. 

Pachira Aquatica

The perfect pet friendly giant! The Pachira Aquatica is a great statement piece offering a real jungle vibe while being safe and non toxic for your fur babies. 

These trees originating from Central America are fast growers but very manageable, benefiting from yearly pruning. The impressive plated trunk acts as a water store so the plant can tolerate some periods of drought. During the summer months they do get thirsty so be sure to give them a good drink. 

Have a little look at their details here. If you're interested in different sizes in this plant please pop me a message and I'll see what I can find for you. 

See, what did I say. There are loads of great pet friendly plants and these 5 examples aren't even the half of them. You can see all the non-toxic plants I have available by using the 'pet/child friendly' filter on my plant page here. Find your perfect pet plant match, you've got this!