Nontoxic Houseplants for Kids, Cats and Dogs

Finding out exact information about poisonous plants is very difficult, largely because it’s something you simply can’t test. You’re not going to give a leaf of an unknown plant to someone and say, “Here, eat this and we’ll see how it goes.” Nor would you want to try a similar experiment on a family pet.

Instead, much of the evidence is anecdotal. Someone or something ate the plant and got sick. Fine, but was it because of the plant or some fungus or bacteria on the plant? Or had the planted been treated with a pesticide? Are we really sure it really was the plant cited? (Emergency room doctors aren’t botanists after all and can easily mistake one plant for another.) Maybe the person had an allergic reaction, and that really isn’t toxicity. After all, a lot of people are allergic to shellfish and peanuts, but we don’t consider them to be poisonous.

And how much was consumed? A lot of plants are only toxic if prodigious amounts are eaten, but if so, again, should they really be considered toxic? If you eat too much spinach, for example, you could end up in the hospital, as it contains oxalic acid (toxic when consumed in large quantities), yet almost no one considers spinach poisonous. Rice and kale are other examples of common foods that are poisonous if eaten in large quantities.

Whether a plant is poisonous or not can also depend what part is eaten. Potato leaves, stems and flowers are poisonous, but humans can safely eat the tubers. The fleshy fruits of cherries, plums and peaches are edible, yet their leaves and pits contain deadly cyanide. Tomatoes, rhubarb, apples, asparagus, elderberries, almonds, etc. are just a few other examples of plants that have both edible parts and poisonous parts.

Also, a plant can be inedible without being poisonous. Plant parts can be very bitter or cause stomach upset or diarrhea without necessarily containing any notable levels of toxicity.

And yes, what is poisonous to humans may not be to other animals. And vice versa. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, onions and garlic to cats. And horses have a whole range of plants they can’t eat, but that other animals can.

Better Safe Than Sorry

You may also be surprised to learn that many plants appearing on lists of toxic plants have never actually poisoned anything or anybody. They’re simply “under suspicion”.  They appear there because they are related to plants that are known to be poisonous and just might have the same effect. After all, under the circumstances, better safe than sorry is the wisest attitude to take. However, once a plant has been listed as poisonous, it is very unlikely it will ever be dropped from the lists of poisonous plants. Note the 100 year struggle of the poinsettia (proven non poisonous to humans) to reestablish its good name!

People, Cat and Dog Friendly Plants

What follows is a list of houseplants that are safe for three different species: humans, cats and dogs. A sort of a typical household, in other words. The idea is to reassure parents and pet owners, or people who might occasionally have children over or care for someone else’s pets, to choose safe plants to grow in their home.

And do note that this list does not necessarily apply to canaries, hamsters, potbelly pigs, goldfish or any other pet: for information on how another creature might react to any plant, you’ll have to do some digging on your own.

The plants listed below are considered nonpoisonous for humans, cats and pets: touching these plants or eating moderate quantities of them is unlikely to cause illness. That said, a warning: any plant might cause a reaction in certain sensitive individuals. Also, a child or pet can choke on even nontoxic plant parts. Finally, plants with thorns and other spines might also cause physical injury. It’s therefore best to keep all plants out of reach of cats, dogs, and small children.

1. Abutilon spp. (flowering maple)
2. Achimenes spp. (achimenes, hotwater plant, Cupid’s bower)
3. Adiantum spp. (maidenhair fern)
4. Adonidia merrillii, syn. Veitchia merrilli (Christmas palm)
5. Aechmea fasciata (silver vase plant)

   

6. Aeonium spp. (tree houseleek)
7. Aeschynanthus spp. (lipstick plant)
8. Alpinia zerumbet (shell ginger)
9. Alsobia spp., syn. Episcia spp. (lace flower)
10. Alternanthera spp. (Joseph’s coat, calico plant)
11. Aphelandra squarrosa (zebra plant)
12. Aptenia cordifolia (heartleaf iceplant, baby sunrose)
13. Ardisia spp. (coralberry)
14. Aspidistra elatior (cast iron plant)
15. Asplenium nidus (bird’s nest fern)
16. Azolla caroliniana (mosquito fern)
17. Beaucarnea recurvata (elephant-foot tree, ponytail palm)
18. Begonia spp. (begonia) [begonias do contain oxalic acid, not enough to harm people under normal circumstances, but they could harm dogs or cats, especially if the tuber is eaten]
19. Billbergia spp. (billbergia, queen’s-tears)
20. Breynia disticha (snow bush)
21. Bromeliads
22. Bulbophyllum spp. (bulbophyllum)
23. Cactus (there are a few potentially toxic cacti, like the peyote cactus, Lophophora williamsii)
24. Calathea spp. (peacock plant)
25. Calceolaria spp. (slipper flower, lady’s purse, pocketbook plant)
26. Callistemon spp. (bottlebrush)
27. Camellia spp. (camellia)
28. Camellia sinensis (tea plant)
29. Canna spp. (canna)
30. Cattleya spp. (cattleya)
31. Celosia spp. (celosia, cock’s comb)
32. Cephalocereus spp. (old man cactus)
33. Ceropegia woodii (rosary vine, sweetheart vine, hearts-on-a-string)
34. Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm)
35. Chamaedorea seifrizii (bamboo palm)

    

36. Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant)
37. Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon)
38. Cissus discolor (rex begonia vine)
39. Cissus rhombifolia (oakleaf ivy)
40. Clerodendrum thomsoniae (glory bower, bleeding-heart vine)
41. Columnea spp. (goldfish plant)
42. Crossandra spp. (firecracker flower)
43. Cryptanthus bivittatus (earth star)
44. Ctenanthe spp. (calathea, never-never plant)
45. Cymbidium spp. (cymbidium)
46. Cyrthanthus elatus, syn. Vallota speciosa (vallota, Scarborough lily)
47. Cyrtomium spp. (holly fern)
48. Darlingtonia californica (California pitcher plant, cobra plant)
49. Davallia spp. (hare’s foot fern, rabbit’s foot fern)
50. Dendrobium spp. (dendrobium)
51. Dichorisandra spp. (blue ginger)
52. Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap)
53. Dizygotheca elegantissima, now Pierandra elegantissima (false aralia)
54. Dypsis lutescens, syn. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Areca Palm)
55. Dracaena reflexa, syn. Pleomele reflexa (pleomele, song of India)
56. Echeveria spp. (echeveria)
57. Echinopsis spp. (Easter lily cactus, hedgehog cactus)
58. Ensete spp. (ornamental banana)
59. Epidendrum spp. (epidendrum)
60. Epiphyllum spp. (orchid cactus, leaf cactus)
61. Episcia spp. (episcia, flame violet)
62. Exacum affine (Persian violet)
63. Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia)

    

64. Fenestraria spp. (babies’ toes, window plant)
65. Fittonia spp. (nerve plant)
66. Frithia pulchra (fairy elephant’s feet, babies’ toes, window plant)
67. Fuchsia spp. (fuchsia)
68. Gasteria spp. (ox-tongue, cow-tongue)
69. Gerbera jamesonii (gerbera)
70. Graptopetalum spp. (ghost plant)
71. Guzmania spp. (guzmania)
72. Gynura aurantiaca (purple passion plant)
73. Haworthia spp. (haworthia)
74. Hemigraphis exotica (waffle plant)
75. Hibiscus spp. (hibiscus)
76. Howea spp. (Kentia palm, Belmore palm)
77. Hoya spp. (wax plant)
78. Hylocereus undatus (Queen of the night)
79. Hypoestes phyllostachya (polka dot plant)
80. Impatiens spp. (impatiens)
81. Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato)
82. Iresine herbstii (chicken gizzard)
83. Ixora coccinea (flame of the woods)
84. Jasminum spp. (jasmine)
85. Justicia brandegeeana, syn. Beloperone guttata (shrimp plant)
86. Justicia carnea, syn. Jacobinia carnea (jacobinia)
87. Kohleria spp. (kohleria)
88. Lachenalia spp. (lachenalia)
89. Leea guineensis (West Indian holly)
90. Lithops spp. (living stone)

    

91. Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm)
92. Ludisia discolor, syn. Haemaria discolor (jewel orchid)
93. Mammillaria spp. (mammillaria, pincushion cactus)
94. Maranta leuconeura (prayer plant)
95. Medinilla magnifica (showy medinilla)
96. Mikania ternata, syn. M. apiifolia (mikania, plush vine)
97. Miltonia spp. (miltonia)
98. Muehlenbeckia complexa (maidenhair vine, lacy wire vine)
99. Musa spp. (banana)
100. Nemathanthus spp., syn. Hypocyrta spp. (guppy plant)
101. Nepenthes spp. (tropical pitcher plant)
102. Neoregelia spp. (neoregelia, fingernail plant, blushing bromeliad)
103. Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston fern)
104. Ocimum basilicum (basil)
105. Odontoglossum spp. (odontoglossum)
106. Oncidium spp. (dancing lady orchid)
107. Opuntia spp. (prickly pear)
108. Orchids (most are non toxic)
109. Osmanthus spp. (fragrant olive, false holly)
110. Pachira aquatica (money tree, money plant, Malabar chestnut)
111. Palms (most are non toxic with the exception of the fishtail palm, Caryota spp.)
112. Pachystachys lutea (lollipop plant, golden shrimp plant)
113. Paphiopedilum spp. (slipper orchid)
114. Passiflora spp. (passion flower)
115. Pellaea spp. (button fern)
116. Pellionia (trailing watermelon begonia)

     

117. Pentas lanceolata (pentas, Egyptian star cluster)
118. Peperomia spp. (peperomia)
119. Phalaenopsis spp. (moth orchid)
120. Phlebodium aureum, syn. Polypodium aureum (golden polypody)
121. Phoenix spp. (date palm)
122. Pilea (aluminum plant, friendship plant, artillery plant)
123. Pisonia umbellifera (pisonia, birdlime tree)
124. Pittosporum tobira (Japanese pittosporum, mock orange)
125. Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern)
126. Plectranthus scutellarioides, syn. Coleus blumei (coleus)
127. Plectranthus spp., other than P. amboinicus (plectranthus, spurflower)
128. Pleiospilos spp. (split rock, mimicry plant)
129. Polypodium spp. (polypody fern)
130. Portulacaria afra (elephant bush, dwarf jade plant)
131. Primulina spp., syn. Chirita spp. (primulina, chirita)
132. Pseuderanthemum spp. (pseuderanthemum, eranthemum)
133. Pterandra elegantissima, syn. Dizygotheca elegantissima (false aralia)
134. Pteris spp. (brake fern)
135. Punica granatum ‘Nana’ (dwarf pomegranate)
136. Radermachera sinica (baby doll)
137. Ravenea rivularis (majesty palm)
138. Rhapis excelsa (lady palm)
139. Rhipsalis spp. (mistletoe cactus)
140. Rosa cvs (miniature rose)
141. Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)
142. Saintpaulia spp. (African violet)
143. Salvinia spp. (salvinia, water moss, floating fern)
144. Saxifraga stolonifera, syn. S. sarmentosa (creeping saxifrage strawberry saxifrage, strawberry begonia)
145. Schlumbergera spp. (Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus)
146. Sedum morganianum (donkey’s tail)
147. Selaginella kraussiana (club moss)
148. Sempervivum spp. (houseleek, hen and chicks)
149. Serissa foetida (serissa, snowrose)
150. Sinningia speciosa (gloxinia)
151. Soleirolia soleirolii (baby’s tears)
152. Sophronitis spp. (sophronitis)
153. Stapelia spp. (carrion plant, starfish flower)
154. Stephanotis floribunda (Madagascar jasmine)
155. Stevia rebaudiana (stevia, sweet plant)
156. Streptocarpus spp. (Cape primrose)
157. Stroblianthes dyerianus (Persian shield)
158. Tibouchina spp. (princess flower, glorybush)
159. Tillandsia spp. (air plant, tillandsia)
160. Tolmiea mensziesii (piggyback plant)
161. Trachelospermum jasminoides (Confederate jasmine, star jasmine, Confederate jessamine)
162. Tripogandra multiflora, syn. Gibasis geniculata (Tahtian bridal veil)
163. Vanda spp. (vanda)
164. Vriesea spp. (vrisea)

Poisonous Houseplants

For a list of list of potentially poisonous houseplants, go to 200 Poisonous Houseplants.