Ill.: clipart-library.com, montage: laidbackgardener.blog
The following plants are considered non-toxic for humans, dogs and cats and can therefore be safely used in any indoor décor, even those frequented by children or pets.
- Abutilon spp. (flowering maple)
- Achimenes spp. (achimenes, hotwater plant, Cupid’s bower)
- Adiantum spp. (maidenhair fern)
- Adonidia merrillii, syn. Veitchia merrilli (Christmas palm)
- Aechmea fasciata (silver vase plant)
- Aeonium spp. (tree houseleek)
- Aeschynanthus spp. (lipstick plant)
- Alpinia zerumbet (shell ginger)
- Alsobia spp., syn. Episcia spp. (lace flower)
- Alternanthera spp. (Joseph’s coat, calico plant)
- Aphelandra squarrosa (zebra plant)
- Aptenia cordifolia (heartleaf iceplant, baby sunrose)
- Ardisia spp. (coralberry)
- Aspidistra elatior (cast iron plant)
- Asplenium nidus (bird’s nest fern)
- Azolla caroliniana (mosquito fern)
- Beaucarnea recurvata (elephant-foot tree, ponytail palm)
- Begonia spp. (begonia) [begonias do contain oxalic acid, not enough to harm humans under normal circumstances, but they could cause intestinal distress to dogs or cats, especially if the tuber is eaten]
- Billbergia spp. (billbergia, queen’s-tears)
- Breynia disticha (snow bush)
- Bromeliads
- Bulbophyllum spp. (bulbophyllum)
- Cactus (there are a few potentially toxic cacti, like the peyote cactus, Lophophora williamsii)
- Calathea spp. (peacock plant)
- Calceolaria spp. (slipper flower, lady’s purse, pocketbook plant)
- Callistemon spp. (bottlebrush)
- Camellia spp. (camellia)
- Camellia sinensis (tea plant)
- Canna spp. (canna)
- Cattleya spp. (cattleya)
- Celosia spp. (celosia, cock’s comb)
- Cephalocereus spp. (old man cactus)
- Ceropegia woodii (rosary vine, sweetheart vine, hearts-on-a-string)
- Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm)
- Chamaedorea seifrizii (bamboo palm)
- Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant)
- Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon)
- Cissus discolor (rex begonia vine)
- Cissus rhombifolia (oakleaf ivy)
- Clerodendrum thomsoniae (glory bower, bleeding-heart vine)
- Coleus scutellarioides, syn. Coleus blumei (coleus)
- Columnea spp. (goldfish plant)
- Crossandra spp. (firecracker flower)
- Cryptanthus bivittatus (earth star)
- Ctenanthe spp. (calathea, never-never plant)
- Cymbidium spp. (cymbidium)
- Cyrthanthus elatus, syn. Vallota speciosa (vallota, Scarborough lily)
- Cyrtomium spp. (holly fern)
- Darlingtonia californica (California pitcher plant, cobra plant)
- Davallia spp. (hare’s foot fern, rabbit’s foot fern)
- Dendrobium spp. (dendrobium)
- Dichorisandra spp. (blue ginger)
- Dionaea muscipula (Venus flytrap)
- Dizygotheca elegantissima, now Pierandra elegantissima (false aralia)
- Dypsis lutescens, syn. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Areca Palm)
- Dracaena reflexa, syn. Pleomele reflexa (pleomele, song of India)
- Echeveria spp. (echeveria)
- Echinopsis spp. (Easter lily cactus, hedgehog cactus)
- Ensete spp. (ornamental banana)
- Epidendrum spp. (epidendrum)
- Epiphyllum spp. (orchid cactus, leaf cactus)
- Episcia spp. (episcia, flame violet)
- Euphorbia pulcherrima* (poinsettia)
- Exacum affine (Persian violet)
- Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia)
- Fenestraria spp. (babies’ toes, window plant)
- Fittonia spp. (nerve plant)
- Frithia pulchra (fairy elephant’s feet, babies’ toes, window plant)
- Fuchsia spp. (fuchsia)
- Gasteria spp. (ox-tongue, cow-tongue)
- Gerbera jamesonii (gerbera)
- Graptopetalum spp. (ghost plant)
- Guzmania spp. (guzmania)
- Gynura aurantiaca (purple passion plant)
- Haworthia spp. (haworthia)
- Hemigraphis exotica (waffle plant)
- Hibiscus spp. (hibiscus)
- Howea spp. (Kentia palm, Belmore palm)
- Hoya spp. (wax plant)
- Hylocereus undatus (Queen of the night)
- Hypoestes phyllostachya (polka dot plant)
- Impatiens spp. (impatiens)
- Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato)
- Iresine herbstii (chicken gizzard)
- Ixora coccinea (flame of the woods)
- Jasminum spp. (jasmine)
- Justicia brandegeeana, syn. Beloperone guttata (shrimp plant)
- Justicia carnea, syn. Jacobinia carnea (jacobinia)
- Kohleria spp. (kohleria)
- Lachenalia spp. (lachenalia)
- Leea guineensis (West Indian holly)
- Lithops spp. (living stone)
- Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm)
- Ludisia discolor, syn. Haemaria discolor (jewel orchid)
- Mammillaria spp. (mammillaria, pincushion cactus)
- Maranta leuconeura (prayer plant)
- Medinilla magnifica (showy medinilla)
- Mikania ternata, syn. M. apiifolia (mikania, plush vine)
- Miltonia spp. (miltonia)
- Muehlenbeckia complexa (maidenhair vine, lacy wire vine)
- Musa spp. (banana)
- Nematanthus spp., syn. Hypocyrta spp. (guppy plant)
- Nepenthes spp. (tropical pitcher plant)
- Neoregelia spp. (neoregelia, fingernail plant, blushing bromeliad)
- Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston fern)
- Ocimum basilicum (basil)
- Odontoglossum spp. (odontoglossum)
- Oncidium spp. (dancing lady orchid)
- Opuntia spp. (prickly pear)
- Orchids (most are non toxic)
- Osmanthus spp. (fragrant olive, false holly)
- Pachira aquatica (money tree, money plant, Malabar chestnut)
- Palms (most are non toxic with the exception of the fishtail palm, Caryota spp.)
- Pachystachys lutea (lollipop plant, golden shrimp plant)
- Paphiopedilum spp. (slipper orchid)
- Passiflora spp. (passion flower)
- Pellaea spp. (button fern)
- Pellionia (trailing watermelon begonia)
- Pentas lanceolata (pentas, Egyptian star cluster)
- Peperomia spp. (peperomia)
- Phalaenopsis spp. (moth orchid)
- Phlebodium aureum, syn. Polypodium aureum (golden polypody)
- Phoenix spp. (date palm)
- Pilea spp. (aluminum plant, friendship plant, artillery plant)
- Pisonia umbellifera (pisonia, birdlime tree)
- Pittosporum tobira (Japanese pittosporum, mock orange)
- Platycerium spp. (staghorn fern)
- Plectranthus spp., other than P. amboinicus (plectranthus, spurflower)
- Pleiospilos spp. (split rock, mimicry plant)
- Polypodium spp. (polypody fern)
- Portulacaria afra (elephant bush, dwarf jade plant)
- Primulina spp., syn. Chirita spp. (primulina, chirita)
- Pseuderanthemum spp. (pseuderanthemum, eranthemum)
- Pterandra elegantissima, syn. Dizygotheca elegantissima (false aralia)
- Pteris spp. (brake fern)
- Punica granatum ‘Nana’ (dwarf pomegranate)
- Radermachera sinica (baby doll)
- Ravenea rivularis (majesty palm)
- Rhapis excelsa (lady palm)
- Rhipsalis spp. (mistletoe cactus)
- Rosa cvs (miniature rose)
- Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)
- Saintpaulia spp. (African violet)
- Salvinia spp. (salvinia, water moss, floating fern)
- Saxifraga stolonifera, syn. S. sarmentosa (creeping saxifrage strawberry saxifrage, strawberry begonia)
- Schlumbergera spp. (Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus)
- Sedum morganianum (donkey’s tail)
- Selaginella kraussiana (club moss)
- Sempervivum spp. (houseleek, hen and chicks)
- Serissa foetida (serissa, snowrose)
- Sinningia speciosa (gloxinia)
- Soleirolia soleirolii (baby’s tears)
- Sophronitis spp. (sophronitis)
- Stapelia spp. (carrion plant, starfish flower)
- Stephanotis floribunda (Madagascar jasmine)
- Stevia rebaudiana (stevia, sweet plant)
- Streptocarpus spp. (Cape primrose)
- Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian shield)
- Tibouchina spp. (princess flower, glorybush)
- Tillandsia spp. (air plant, tillandsia)
- Tolmiea mensziesii (piggyback plant)
- Trachelospermum jasminoides (Confederate jasmine, star jasmine, Confederate jessamine)
- Tripogandra multiflora, syn. Gibasis geniculata (Tahtian bridal veil)
- Vanda spp. (vanda)
- Vriesea spp. (vriesea, flaming sword)
*Please note that you’ll still see the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) listed on some databases of plants that are toxic to pets. However, up-to-date studies show it to be as harmless as any leafy green. Here is just one citation on that subject: “The prevalence of gastrointestinal illness after poinsettia ingestion in cats and dogs appears to be similar to that associated with ingestion of plants considered non-toxic.”
Hornfeldt, C. S.: Confusion over toxicity of poinsettia. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 1989
Would you be able to share your source for baby toes? I have seen mixed information on whether this plant is or is not toxic and have yet to find a scholarly source. Thanks!
Well, kids and pets should not go hungry.