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Houseplants That are Pet Friendly

One of the quickest ways to liven up a room is to introduce some greenery into it. The problem can be, however, that your furry housemates can be just as interested in houseplants as you are. Not all plants are harmless when ingested, and your pets may be tempted to nibble on them. But there are many varieties of plants that are safe and nontoxic if your pet happens to ingest them. Here are a few of our favorite pet-friendly houseplants.

Goeppertia or Calathea

If you want to add some striking foliage, calathea is the genus for you. Calathea and their close cousins, maranta, really deliver with leaves that look hand painted. These plants do not enjoy being right by windows and their patterns and colors will fade if given too much light. It's best to keep these guys in filtered indirect light. They also do best when watered when 50% of the pot is dry, but do not let them get completely dried out.

Peperomia

If you find calathea to be challenging but still crave a standout plant, peperomia is a great choice. They are very forgiving. So, if you forget to water once and they appear droopy, they will bounce right back after a good drink. They won’t hold it against you. Peperomia comes in all sorts of colors and patterns too, like watermelon stripes, silver, and pink. This is also a great plant to try your hand at propagation. You can snip off a leaf and place it in water or soil and roots will grow readily. Before you know it, you will have a new plant that you can give to friends or keep for yourself.

Fern

Many pets are drawn to ferns because their long fronds are fun to play with. But you won’t have to worry if they go near it! A fern is a great addition to a bathroom with a window or it can really lend some jungle vibes to a living room. Staghorn ferns are a fun option with a Jurassic feel. These live epiphytically on trees naturally, so you can create a piece of living art with a mounted fern. Rabbit's foot ferns can also be a fun addition with fuzzy roots that creep over their pots. And some ferns are even a beautiful shade of bluish silver. And of course, you can never go wrong with a classic boston fern for a real statement piece. Whatever you decide on, make sure to give them a drink of water when the top of their soil feels dry and place them in medium light.

These are just a few examples of pet friendly plants, but hopefully they can get you started! McCaleb Homes is eager to inspire homeowners to make their houses into homes. If you need even more inspiration, stop by our gallery page!

By McCaleb Homes 10-27-2021