We are all aware of the health benefits of having fresh plants and flowers in our home, as well as the benefits of having furry companions in our life. Certain plants and flowers are toxic to cats and dogs when ingested, causing gastrointestinal stress and sometimes worse. To make sure your love of greenery and florals cause no issues for your beloved pets, it’s best to keep around only those botanicals that are non-toxic and perfectly safe for animals. Here at Evansville’s top florist shop, Zeidler’s Flowers, we love our pets as much as we love plants and flowers and have created a list of the safest varieties to have around pets.

Safe Plants & Flowers for Pets

Spider Plant

Wonderfully unique looking with thin green and yellow leaves that bend and arch from every direction, spider plants are pet-friendly and easy to grow. They make great house plants for their resilience and their air-purifying properties.

Parlor Palm

A decorative plant that spruces up any room in the home, parlor plants are pet-friendly and only need a few hours of indirect light each day.

Ponytail Palm

A charming plant with numerous thin leaves that grow up and then fall downwards, resembling a ponytail, this plant may be irresistible to your pet to play with. Don’t worry, though, as ponytail palms won’t cause any harm to your pet.

Polka Dot Plant

A great houseplant for its colorful leaves, the Polka Dot plant grows well in an area with indirect light but develops the best color when in lower light situations. The leaves have a sprinkling of dots making them very decorous but never toxic – as polka dot plants are safe for pets.

Watermelon Peperomia

The Peperomia species of plants include a lot of varieties with decorative leaves, but the Watermelon Peperomia type has one of the most striking patterns on their leaves which resemble the outside of a watermelon. Choose this one or another variety as Peperomia plants are safe for pets.

Roses

Beautiful, classic, and the most popular flower in the world, the fragrant rose and its soft petals are safe for pets. They just need to watch out for the thorny stems.

Gerbera Daisies

It’s a good thing daisies are safe for pets, as these bright and cheerful blooms make a great gift for dog owners and cat owners alike.

Sunflowers

A vase of fresh-cut sunflowers gives your kitchen or dining room an instant boost of charm. These vibrant, yellow blossoms are full of warmth and joy, and sunflowers are non-toxic to your pets.

Snapdragons

A lovely and colorful annual for your backyard garden, this bloom also looks great in a floral arraignment with other buds or in a vase just by themselves. The charming, frilly flowers of the snapdragon grow in a wide array of colors and are non-toxic to your pet.

Orchid

The elegant beauty of an orchid is beloved by many, making it a very popular houseplant. Place these exotic plants in areas with partial light and don’t worry about their striking blooms or stems, as orchids are safe for pets.

Signs of Poisoning in Pets

If your pet has ingested a toxic plant or flower, or some other toxic substance such as chocolate, raisins, avocado, prescription drugs, or rat poison, then be on the look out for signs of poisoning such as lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite, drooling, dehydration, and bleeding gums. Normally, when a pet consumes something that doesn’t agree with them, it will resolve itself within a few days. However, if you notice one or more of the above-listed conditions for more than 24 hours, take your pet to the vet as soon as possible. For a complete list of plants and flowers that are toxic to cats and dogs, visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center website.

How to Protect your Pets from Toxic Plants & Flowers

To protect your pets from harmful plants, stick the ones listed above that are safe for pets. Besides this, the best course of action is to keep your plants in a screened or cordoned-off area of your home. Even if a plant isn’t toxic to Fido or Fluffins, you still want to protect the plant from your furry friends, too. Hang them high in a planter, place them on top of bookshelves, or in a place that is out of reach to playful paws and over-enthusiastic puppies.