Experts reveal the most pet-friendly houseplants

Houseplants are a great way to bring a sense of the outdoors into your home. Research has suggested that houseplants can have a positive impact on your mental health, as well as improving productivity. Although houseplants have an array of benefits, they’re not always as beneficial to pets.

With a number of houseplants being harmful to our four-legged friends, it’s important you’re clued up on the best plants to have within your home. With this in mind, our experts wanted to share a number of insights on the most pet-friendly houseplants and the types you should be avoiding.

Here is a list of 10 pet-friendly houseplants you may want to consider:

Ponytail Palm

This popular houseplant has all of the characteristics to make your pets intriguing nature come to life. This plant doesn't have the standard leaves you might find on a houseplant, so allow your pet to be inquisitive with this plant's unusual appearance.

Venus Flytrap

A plant which has been used in homes across the globe for decades, the Venus Flytrap is one of the most pet friendly houseplants you can find. As well as its fascinating appearance, the most appealing factor of this plant is its ability to feed on flies and insects.

Boston Fern

Although its name may not sound familiar to you, the Boston Fern is one of the most popular houseplants to own, as it requires very little maintenance. The leaves on this plant offer the perfect opportunity for your cat or dog to let their senses run wild.

Parlour Palm

Often used as a feature in the corner of any room within the home, the Parlour Palm is one of the best plants to bring a taste of the outdoors into your home. This plant is perfectly safe for pets, but be warned, it should be kept out of direct sunlight to give it the best chance of survival.

Spider Plant

Known for being easy to grow indoors and requiring little maintenance, the Spider Plant is a great option if you have a shelf or an empty space above ground level which you’d like to fill. As well as being pet-friendly, the Spider Plant helps purify the air around you, helping to eliminate toxins.

African Violet

A large number of houseplants are usually green or a similar shade of tone. If you’re wanting to add a splash of colour into your home, as well as not compromising on space, then the African Violet is a great solution.

Bird’s Nest Fern

Adding plants to a bathroom is growing in popularity and the Bird’s Nest Fern is the perfect place to start. This unique plant has leaves with a soft and squidgy texture and only needs a small amount of light to thrive.

Watermelon Peperomia

You only have to glance at the leaves on this plant to understand why it’s called Watermelon Peperomia. It’s unique appearance is one of its most appealing factors, but it also doesn’t need much TLC either, as it’s recommended to only water this plant every so often.

Orchid

Arguably one of the most favoured houseplants across the country, the orchid produces beautiful leaves and can survive around four months. This agile plant needs more attention than some of the others we have mentioned, so make sure you do your research before purchasing one.

Baby Tears

The distinctive trail of leaves attached to this plant are sure to intrigue your cat or dog. As well as appealing to pets, Baby Tears is a great place to start if you're new to the world of houseplants and want to build up your confidence. As long as you keep the soil moist and water when the plant is starting to look dry, you can’t go far wrong.

Which plants aren’t pet friendly?

Aloe

Aloe is a popular houseplant for many people, but what you may not know is that it’s not the most pet-friendly plant you can opt for. It’s suggested that Aloe plants should be kept away from pets, as the toxins within the plant can cause vomiting and a lack of appetite.

Dieffenbachia

This variety of plant can often be popular amongst homeowners due to the low level of maintenance it requires. Unfortunately, this plant isn’t ideal to have around pets, as it can cause severe side effects if consumed, such as intense burning and vomiting.

Jade Plant

Also known as the ‘money plant’, this popular variety of houseplant doesn’t need large amounts of attention and can have a long lifespan. If you have a pet then it’s best to steer clear from this plant or make sure it’s well out of reach, as it can cause your pet to feel nauseous and experience retching.

How to care for houseplants

There are an abundance of houseplants on offer, all of which range on the maintenance scale. To begin with, it’s important to research the type of plant you’d like. For example, if you don’t want to spend large amounts of time caring for your plant, then opt for a variety such as the Boston Fern.

Secondly, it’s important to understand how much natural light your house plant needs. Not all plants need to be in direct sunlight, as this can cause them to wilt and shorten their lifespan. If you’re unsure on what variety of plant is best for you, then speak to an expert at your local garden centre.

Liam Lapping, from Flowercard comments:

“Houseplants are a great way to bring the outdoors into your home and they can provide an endless number of benefits for you and your pets. With that being said, it’s extremely important you understand which variety of plants are pet-friendly and which ones can do more harm than good.”