Adding greenery to your home is a great way to uplift the mood and freshen up the air. However, pet owners need to ensure that their furry friends are safe around houseplants. Many plants contain calcium oxalate which if ingested can be toxic for pets. Therefore, it becomes necessary to do proper research before bringing home a plant in a house with curious pets around. 

Here are the top 10 pet-friendly plants that will brighten up your home and keep your pets safe as well.

1.Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Boston fern is one of the most popular indoor ferns and is pet friendly as well. Its characteristic pale green arching fronds can reach up to a length of 4 ft. This plant requires medium indirect sunlight and well-ventilated space for proliferating. This moisture-loving plant thrives well in moisture-retaining soil rich in peat and compost. Grow them either in pots or hanging baskets, to give your home a vibrant look.

2. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Spider plant is one of the easiest plants to grow indoors and is safe for pets. Its long curly green leaves with white or yellow strips, look like spiders and may grow up to a length of 2 ft. This plant produces ‘pups’ or baby plants that can be easily propagated into new plants. Keep the plant in bright indirect sunlight and water it occasionally for the best growth.

3. Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.)

The Moth orchid is an easy-to-care-for indoor plant and is pet-friendly. Orchids have gained a lot of popularity because of their blooms that grow on a single stalk in varied colors. Its long-lasting, gorgeous blooms can liven up any dull space in your house. It requires indirect sunlight of 6-8 hours and a moderate temperature ranging between 19–30 °C. Watering should be done only when the potting mix is completely dry. It requires bright sunlight for blooming.

4. Calathea spp.

Calatheas are beautiful indoor plants that are grown for their colorful foliage. Be it your home or office, they can brighten up any dull space with their broad leaves with vividly colored strips and veins. Because of these colorful patterns, these plants are often called rattlesnake plants or peacock plants. They require indirect sunlight and moist well-drained soil for their growth. Feel free to add them to your collection of indoor plants if you have pets, as they are non-toxic. 

5. Wax Plant (Hoya carnosa)

Wax plant as the name suggests has waxy green leaves that look great indoors. It can be grown in small pots or tied to a bamboo trellis. It produces star-shaped flowers, in parachute-shaped clusters. It thrives well in bright indirect sunlight and needs watering only when the top soil is dry.  Frequent misting is the key to keeping them healthy during hot and dry conditions.

6. Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)

The Christmas cactus is not a cactus but a beautiful succulent. It blooms in the winter; therefore, it’s commonly called Christmas or Holiday cactus. It has flat green stems which look like elongated leaves. Beautiful large flowers bloom at the tips of these stems, in vivid hues colors of pink, purple, red, yellow, and white. It can survive even in low-light conditions. Since it’s a succulent watering is required once in 2-3 weeks only when the soil is completely dry. It’s a non-toxic plant.

7. Peperomia spp.

Peperomia is a widely sort after indoor plant owing to its colorful foliage. It is yet another easy-to-maintain plant that is considered pet safe. Its beautiful leaves come in various shapes, colors, and textures. Although it looks like a succulent because of its thick leaves, it requires a little more care in terms of watering and sunlight. Peperomia loves partial sunlight, as direct bright sunlight can damage its fronds. It requires frequent watering and misting to keep it in good shape.

8. Howarthia spp.

Haworthia is a succulent that belongs to the Aloe family and is often confused with cactus. Its spine-like leaves form rosettes in the ground, and look tough and supple. They require bright sunlight and well-draining soil. Water them once in 2-3 weeks only when the soil is completely dry. These plants are non-toxic and are completely safe for pets.

9. Fittonia spp.

Fittonia is popularly known as a nerve plant because of its colorful delicate veins, which look like nerves. It has oval-shaped dark green leaves with veins in different colors like white, silver, pink, and green. It’s a sensitive plant, and it must be grown at home. It hates direct sunlight and its soil needs to be kept moist. Frequent misting proves useful during hot, and dry months, otherwise, its leaves tend to wilt.

10. Air Plant (Tillandsia)

Air plant as the name suggests grows in air and doesn’t require soil. It’s an epiphyte, i.e., it grows on other trees that belong to the bromeliad family. Its leaves are silvery green in color and absorb moisture from the air. It’s an easy-to-maintain plant that requires bright indirect sunlight for 3-6 hours daily. It needs to be dipped in water once a fortnight for about 30 minutes and requires frequent misting for its growth. It’s a non-toxic plant and suitable for homes with pets.

Here are some other blogs which make your Green Space Greener!

1. Gardening Calendar Blogs
2. Sustainable Gifting Ideas
3. Gardener Stories
4. Garden Care Blogs
5.  Miniature Garden Decor
6. Gardening Workshops

Have a look at some amazing Videos of Gardening that might help you!

1. Tips on planting homegrown plants and creating art with them as a beginner.
2. How to preserve, plant, and grow flower seeds in monsoon, winter, and other seasons.
3. Growing different vegetables, winter vegetables especially, and tips and tricks to preserve.
4. Preserve fruits such as strawberries, Papaya, watermelon, muskmelon, etc.
5. Know all about microgreens using examples such as microgreen spinach, microgreen sunflower, microgreen mustard, microgreen flax, etc.
6. Using gardening tools such as pots, trays, growing bags, moss sticks, watering cans, etc.

Here are some Workshops that might help you if you are new to Gardening!

1. Learn how to take good care of your flowering plants.
2. Understand the importance of Sustainable Gardening.
3. How to have grown vegetable plants at home.

Happy Gardening!