safe plants

Plants you can actually bring home.

The rest of this site tells you what to avoid. This page answers the happier question. Every plant here is on the ASPCA non-toxic list for cats and dogs, and none appear in our toxic database. Photographs from iNaturalist.

A note before you shop: "non-toxic" means a nibble should not cause serious harm. It does not mean a plant is food. Any plant can upset a stomach in quantity, and individual animals vary. This list covers cats and dogs. Some famously cat-safe plants are risky for rabbits and rodents, and we do not hold data for them. When in doubt, check with your vet.

Boston Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata

A lush true fern. Safe fronds, unlike many plants sold as ferns.

Ponytail Palm

Beaucarnea recurvata

Not a true palm. The curly leaves tempt cats and do no harm.

Calathea

Calathea orbifolia

Bold striped foliage. The whole prayer plant family is pet safe.

Prayer Plant

Maranta leuconeura

Folds its leaves at night. Safe for cats and dogs.

African Violet

Saintpaulia ionantha

Cheerful year-round flowers with no toxic parts.

Zebra Haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

A striped succulent that looks like aloe but is safe, unlike aloe.

Echeveria

Echeveria elegans

Rosette succulents that are safe, unlike jade plants.

Christmas Cactus

Schlumbergera bridgesii

Holiday bloomer with soft spineless pads.

Moth Orchid

Phalaenopsis spp.

Elegant, long blooming and completely pet safe.

Baby Rubber Plant

Peperomia obtusifolia

Not a true rubber plant, which is the point. Safe and glossy.

Watermelon Peperomia

Peperomia argyreia

Striped like a watermelon rind. Safe for nibblers.

Polka Dot Plant

Hypoestes phyllostachya

Splashy pink dots, safe for curious paws.

Chinese Money Plant

Pilea peperomioides

Coin shaped leaves on a very shareable, very safe plant.

Cast Iron Plant

Aspidistra elatior

Nearly indestructible and completely safe.

Money Tree

Pachira aquatica

A braided-trunk tree that is safe for cats and dogs.

Staghorn Fern

Platycerium bifurcatum

A mountable safe fern that doubles as wall art.

Nerve Plant

Fittonia albivenis

Veined leaves in white or pink. Dramatic when thirsty, safe always.

Bromeliad

Guzmania lingulata

Tropical color from a safe, low-fuss family.

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

A kitchen herb that is safe to grow and to share.

Thyme

Thymus vulgaris

A safe creeping herb for pots and borders.

Spider Plant

Chlorophytum comosum

The classic safe hanging plant. A cat can chew the leaves without harm, but a large meal still upsets a stomach.

Bamboo Palm

Chamaedorea spp.

A true palm. Do not confuse it with the sago palm, which is a cycad and is deadly.

Hen and Chickens Fern

Asplenium bulbiferum

A true fern. It grows small plantlets along the fronds.

Earth Star

Cryptanthus

A flat bromeliad rosette. Safe on a low shelf, where it likes the light.

Venus Fly Trap

Dionaea muscipula

Safe to keep. The traps catch flies, not paws.

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus

A common bedding flower. Safe for a curious nibble.

Busy Lizzie

Impatiens spp.

A shade bedding plant. Safe in the pot and in the border.

Pot Marigold

Calendula officinalis

The culinary calendula. The garden plants people also call marigold are a different genus and are toxic.

Common Jasmine

Jasminum officinale

True jasmine only. Night blooming jasmine and Carolina jasmine are different plants, and both are toxic.

Sage

Salvia officinalis

The kitchen herb. Safe in the herb bed and on the windowsill.

Baby's Breath

Gypsophila elegans

Safe by itself. It usually arrives in a bouquet with lilies, and lilies are lethal to cats.

Want something added or spotted a problem? Let us know. This list only grows when a plant clears both the ASPCA and our own records.