A safer starting shortlist

Pet-Safe Plants

No houseplant is a chew toy, but choosing species widely regarded as non-toxic reduces risk in homes with curious cats and dogs.

Build your knowledge

Start with the essentials

This collection brings plant profiles and care guidance together around the conditions that define pet-safe plants.

Cat-friendlier houseplantsPractical guidance connected to relevant plant profiles.

Dog-friendlier houseplantsPractical guidance connected to relevant plant profiles.

Placement and pet-proofingPractical guidance connected to relevant plant profiles.

Field notes

How to use this collection

A pet-safe list is a starting point, not a guarantee. Non-toxic means the plant is not expected to cause organ damage if chewed, but any foliage can still trigger vomiting or stomach upset in an individual animal, and treated or dusty leaves add their own risks. Match the plant to the pet: a cat that grazes daily needs tougher or hangable plants, while a dog that ignores foliage may only need the floor level considered.

Placement does most of the protective work. High shelves, hanging planters, and rooms with a closed door keep even a safe plant from becoming a habit. If a pet does chew a plant, note the species, remove access, and call your veterinarian or an animal poison-control service with the plant name ready—identification speed matters more than the plant's reputation.

Plants in this collection

34 realistic options to compare

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Spider Plant in a warm stone ceramic pot against an off-white wall

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum

Striped arching leaves and cascading plantlets in a compact, pet-friendlier package.

Parlor Palm in a warm stone ceramic pot against an off-white wall

Parlor Palm

Chamaedorea elegans

A compact palm that accepts lower light and is considered non-toxic to pets.

Cast Iron Plant with wide dark-green leaves in a dim hallway corner

Cast Iron Plant

Aspidistra elatior

Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a shade-tolerant perennial from Japan, grown for its arching, glossy, lance-shaped leaves that rise directly from a creeping rhizome. Its famous toughness - handling low light, drought, and neglect - makes it one of the most forgiving houseplants.

Grape Ivy with glossy three-lobed leaves cascading from a hanging basket

Grape Ivy

Cissus rhombifolia

Grape ivy (Cissus alata, long known as Cissus rhombifolia) is a subtropical evergreen vine in the grape family, native from Mexico to Bolivia and Trinidad. Its glossy, toothed, three-part leaves trail gracefully from a hanging basket or climb a trellis by forked tendrils.

Nerve Plant with veined green-and-white leaves in a small terrarium pot

Nerve Plant

Fittonia albivenis

Nerve plant (Fittonia albivenis) is a creeping evergreen from the tropical rainforests of South America, prized for deep olive-green leaves netted with white, pink, or red veins. It is a small, low-growing plant that thrives in humid terrariums, pots, and hanging baskets.

Prayer Plant with oval patterned leaves folding upward in soft light

Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura

Prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura) is a low-growing tropical perennial from Brazil whose leaves fold upward at night like hands in prayer, then flatten again by day. Its oval leaves are marked with striking fishbone-pattern veins and dark blotches along the midrib.

Peacock Plant with feathered leaf markings spread open on a side table

Peacock Plant

Goeppertia makoyana

Peacock plant (Goeppertia makoyana, long known as Calathea makoyana) is a tropical perennial from eastern Brazil grown for its papery, oval leaves patterned like peacock tail feathers, with dark blotches along the veins and rich purple undersides. Like other prayer plants, its leaves fold up in the evening and reopen at sunrise.

Fishbone Prayer Plant with ribbed pale-green leaves in a warm room

Fishbone Prayer Plant

Ctenanthe burle-marxii

Ctenanthe burle-marxii is a compact Brazilian prayer-plant relative grown for its fishbone-patterned leaves - pale green with dark green bands along the midrib and purple undersides. Native to Brazil's Espirito Santo, it folds its leaves up at night, tolerates lower light than many tropicals, and stays a tidy tabletop size indoors.

Calathea Orbifolia with broad round silver-striped leaves in bright filtered light

Calathea Orbifolia

Goeppertia orbifolia

Goeppertia orbifolia (long sold as Calathea orbifolia) is a broad-leaved prayer plant from eastern Brazil grown for its large, rounded, silver-striped leaves. Its wide round leaves and nightly folding habit make it one of the most striking marantas, but it asks for consistently high humidity, filtered light, and careful water quality.

Never-never Plant with dark-striped foliage in a humid kitchen setting

Never-never Plant

Ctenanthe setosa

Ctenanthe setosa, the never-never plant, is an upright Brazilian prayer plant grown for its long, velvety leaves striped silver and dark green with deep purple undersides. Larger and more vigorous than its relative Ctenanthe burle-marxii, it folds its leaves up at night and makes a graceful indoor foliage plant in warm, humid rooms.

Zebra Haworthia rosette with white-banded leaves on a sunny windowsill

Zebra Haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

Haworthiopsis attenuata, the zebra haworthia, is a compact South African succulent with dark green rosettes of pointed leaves banded in white tubercles. Slow-growing, drought-tolerant, and easily propagated from offsets, it is one of the most reliable succulents for a bright windowsill or small desk.

Mexican Snowball rosette succulent with powdery blue-green leaves in full sun

Mexican Snowball

Echeveria elegans

Echeveria elegans, the Mexican snowball, is a rosette-forming succulent from northeastern Mexico with pale blue-green leaves coated in a powdery bloom. Its tight, symmetrical rosettes, pink winter flowers, and easy propagation from offsets or leaves make it a classic for sunny windowsills and succulent collections.

Christmas Cactus with segmented stems and pink flowers in bud near a window

Christmas Cactus

Schlumbergera truncata

Schlumbergera truncata, the Christmas or Thanksgiving cactus, is an epiphytic cactus from the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil with flattened, segmented stems and vivid winter flowers. Unlike desert cacti it wants filtered light and regular moisture, and it is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Mistletoe Cactus with slender green stems trailing from a hanging pot

Mistletoe Cactus

Rhipsalis baccifera

Rhipsalis baccifera, the mistletoe cactus, is a spineless epiphytic cactus with slender, trailing green stems and small white or pale pink berries. One of the world's most widely distributed cacti, it makes an elegant hanging-basket plant that prefers filtered light and more even moisture than desert cacti.

Ox Tongue with thick tongue-shaped leaves marked with pale spots

Ox Tongue

Gasteria bicolor

Ox tongue (Gasteria bicolor) is a compact, slow-growing succulent with thick, tongue-shaped leaves mottled with pale speckles and soft bands. Native to the rocky thickets of South Africa's Eastern Cape, it forms tidy rosettes or two-ranked fans and sends up tubular, stomach-shaped flowers in late winter to spring.

Elephant Bush with small round leaves along reddish stems in bright light

Elephant Bush

Portulacaria afra

Elephant bush (Portulacaria afra) is a branching, soft-wooded succulent with small, glossy green leaves on reddish stems. Native to the thicket vegetation of southern Africa, it is grown as a houseplant and bonsai subject and tolerates drought far better than a soggy pot.

Burro's Tail with dense bead-like leaves trailing over a pot rim

Burro's Tail

Sedum morganianum

Burro's tail (Sedum morganianum) is a trailing succulent with densely packed, blue-green, bead-like leaves that cascade from hanging baskets. Native to seasonally dry cliffs in southern Mexico, it is prized for its braided 'tails' but its leaves detach at the lightest touch.

Ghost Plant rosettes with pale lavender-pink leaves on trailing stems

Ghost Plant

Graptopetalum paraguayense

Ghost plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense) is a rosette succulent with chalky, gray-green leaves that flush pink in bright light and cool nights. Native to Mexico's Tamaulipas, it trails from pots and roots readily from leaves that fall onto the mix.

Hens and Chicks rosettes clustered together in a shallow bright dish

Hens and Chicks

Sempervivum tectorum

Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) forms tight rosettes of thick, pointed leaves that multiply by offsets ('chicks') around the mother 'hen'. Native to the mountains of southern Europe, it thrives in lean, sharply drained soil and strong light, and the flowering rosette dies after bloom.

Living Stone with two stone-like fleshy leaves nestled in gritty mix

Living Stone

Lithops karasmontana

Living stone (Lithops karasmontana) is a tiny, nearly stemless succulent whose pair of fused, stone-patterned leaves blend into the quartz gravel of its Namibian home. It follows a strict seasonal cycle: it replaces its leaves each year and must be kept dry through much of its rest.

String of Hearts with heart-shaped marbled leaves trailing down a shelf

String of Hearts

Ceropegia woodii

String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is a fine, trailing succulent vine with silver-marbled, heart-shaped leaves on wiry purple stems. Native to southern Africa, it forms aerial tubers along its vines, roots wherever a node touches moist soil, and is commonly listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Ponytail Palm with a swollen caudex and cascading strap leaves on a table

Ponytail Palm

Beaucarnea recurvata

Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) is not a true palm but a caudiciform succulent from the semi-desert regions of Mexico. Its swollen, trunk-like base stores water, and a fountain of arching, strap-like leaves erupts from the top. Slow-growing and long-lived, it thrives on bright light and long dry spells between deep waterings, making it nearly foolproof. The leaves are non-toxic to pets.

African Violet in bloom with purple flowers held above fuzzy round leaves

African Violet

Streptocarpus ionanthus

African violet (Streptocarpus ionanthus, long known as Saintpaulia ionanthus) is a compact, fuzzy-leaved flowering plant native to the cloud forests of Tanzania and neighboring East Africa. Grown for its velvety, round leaves and near-continuous clusters of violet, pink, white, or blue flowers, it blooms reliably indoors when given bright filtered light and careful watering. It is non-toxic to pets.

Moth Orchid with white arching flower spikes growing from broad green leaves

Moth Orchid

Phalaenopsis amabilis

Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis amabilis) is the white-flowered species behind most supermarket 'moth orchids.' A tropical epiphyte native to Malesia and northeastern Australia, it grows on trees with arching sprays of long-lasting white flowers. Indoors it wants bright, filtered light, an airy bark mix, and watering based on root color rather than a calendar. It is non-toxic to pets.

Scarlet Star Bromeliad with a bright red bract and green strap leaves

Scarlet Star Bromeliad

Guzmania lingulata

Scarlet star (Guzmania lingulata) is a tropical epiphytic bromeliad with a rosette of glossy green strap leaves and a globular head of red or orange bracts surrounding small white flowers. Native from southeastern Mexico through tropical America and the West Indies, it keeps its showy inflorescence for two to four months.

Wax Plant with waxy green leaves and pale flower clusters on trailing stems

Wax Plant

Hoya carnosa

Wax plant (Hoya carnosa) is a trailing or climbing tropical vine with thick, waxy, dark green leaves and tight clusters of fragrant, star-shaped white-to-pink flowers with red-centered coronas. Native from southern China and Japan to Taiwan and Laos, it is a long-lived, easy flowering houseplant.

Lipstick Plant with dark green leaves and red tubular flowers at stem tips

Lipstick Plant

Aeschynanthus radicans

Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) is a trailing, epiphytic tropical vine with waxy green leaves and clusters of tubular scarlet flowers that emerge from dark, lipstick-tube-like buds. Native to Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo, it is a reliable flowering plant for hanging baskets.

Goldfish Plant with small orange blooms peeking from glossy foliage

Goldfish Plant

Nematanthus gregarius

Goldfish plant (Nematanthus gregarius) is a trailing, epiphytic tropical plant with small, glossy, fleshy leaves and bright orange, pouch-like tubular flowers that resemble tiny goldfish. Native to southeastern Brazil, it is a compact, reliable bloomer for hanging baskets.

Florist Gloxinia with large velvet bells in a bright filtered window

Florist Gloxinia

Sinningia speciosa

Florist gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa) is a tuberous flowering perennial with velvety, dark green leaves in a low rosette and large, trumpet-shaped flowers in purple, pink, red, or white. Native to southeastern Brazil, it is a showy, compact bloomer sold in pots by florists and nurseries.

Flame Violet with colorful foliage and small tubular flowers trailing

Flame Violet

Episcia cupreata

Flame violet (Episcia cupreata) is a trailing tropical perennial with oval, velvety leaves marked by pale midribs and purple undersides, and scarlet-to-orange tubular flowers with yellow throats. Native from Nicaragua to northern Brazil, it is a colorful, creeping plant for hanging baskets and terrariums.

Cape Primrose with delicate trumpet flowers above soft green leaves

Cape Primrose

Streptocarpus rexii

Cape primrose (Streptocarpus rexii) is a stemless gesneriad grown for its low rosette of quilted, velvety leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers in white, blue, and violet shades with streaked throats. Native to the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa, it blooms for months at a stretch and rewards bright filtered light with near-continuous flowers.

Zebra Plant with bold white-veined leaves and a yellow flower spike

Zebra Plant

Aphelandra squarrosa

Zebra plant (Aphelandra squarrosa) is a tropical broadleaf evergreen grown for its glossy dark green leaves striped with bold white veins and its upright spikes of golden-yellow bracted flowers. Native to the Atlantic forests of Brazil, it makes a striking small houseplant that needs bright filtered light, warmth, and steady humidity.

Eternal Flame with dark foliage and orange flowers above striped leaves

Eternal Flame

Goeppertia crocata

Eternal flame (Goeppertia crocata, formerly Calathea crocata) is a compact prayer-plant family perennial from the rainforests of eastern Brazil, grown for its glossy green leaves with maroon undersides and torch-like spikes of yellow-orange bracts. Its long-lasting flowers and pet-safe status make it a prized, if demanding, tropical houseplant.

Gerbera Daisy with a large orange bloom held above a rosette of green leaves

Gerbera Daisy

Gerbera jamesonii

Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) is a clump-forming perennial from South Africa and Eswatini, grown for its large, showy daisy flowers in red, yellow, orange, pink, and white held above a rosette of lobed green leaves. A cheerful flowering houseplant, it needs bright light, good drainage, and careful watering to keep its crown healthy.

Practical note

One useful habit

Confirm current toxicity guidance with the ASPCA or your veterinarian, and keep fertilizers and potting products out of reach.

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