8 Pet-Friendly House Plants That Even You Can't Kill
Longing for a happy relationship between you, your house plants and your pet? Here's how you can have both plants and pets
Are you a pet parent looking for a way to incorporate some nature in your home, but not sure if that is a good combination? Make sure you keep both your pets and plants safe by knowing the best pet and plant pairings. These plants will add colour and texture to your decor, and even survive with little care, while keeping your cats and dogs safe and happy.
The pet–plant relationship
Many pets will become less interested in plants as they get older, but initially a little help will be required to make them get into a habit of not seeing your plants as toys. For this, make sure that your pets get plenty of exercise (a tired dog is a good dog!) and have plenty of entertainment opportunities with their own chew toys and treats.
Here are the ideal plant partners for your pets:
Many pets will become less interested in plants as they get older, but initially a little help will be required to make them get into a habit of not seeing your plants as toys. For this, make sure that your pets get plenty of exercise (a tired dog is a good dog!) and have plenty of entertainment opportunities with their own chew toys and treats.
Here are the ideal plant partners for your pets:
1. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
A favourite among veterinarians, this plant is easy to grow indoors and is incredibly resilient. Spider plants are also great air purifiers, so they can help get rid of your home’s toxins. It’s also super simple to grow more spider plants from the babies that the mother plant produces.
Sun: Medium to bright indirect sunlight. The spider plant grows best in bright, indirect light, but it can tolerate low light, too.
Water: Every alternate day.
Soil: A mix of garden soil and some compost with good drainage.
Fertiliser: Spray it monthly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal proportions).
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A favourite among veterinarians, this plant is easy to grow indoors and is incredibly resilient. Spider plants are also great air purifiers, so they can help get rid of your home’s toxins. It’s also super simple to grow more spider plants from the babies that the mother plant produces.
Sun: Medium to bright indirect sunlight. The spider plant grows best in bright, indirect light, but it can tolerate low light, too.
Water: Every alternate day.
Soil: A mix of garden soil and some compost with good drainage.
Fertiliser: Spray it monthly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal proportions).
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2. Staghorn fern (Platycerium superbum)
The staghorn fern looks very much like deer antlers, hence the name. It can be potted, mounted on a wall, or hung in a basket, which makes it easy to be out of reach of your pets. If you place it in a bathroom, you’ll need to water and mist it only every three weeks.
Sun: Medium to bright indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight as it can burn the fronds easily.
Water: Depending on the weather and humidity, you can water it every one to three weeks. The more the humidity, the less you need to water it.
Soil: A mix of coconut shells, moss and compost
Fertiliser: Spray it monthly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (equal proportions).
Pro tip: Leave the dead shield fronds on your staghorn because they help it regulate water and create humus..
The staghorn fern looks very much like deer antlers, hence the name. It can be potted, mounted on a wall, or hung in a basket, which makes it easy to be out of reach of your pets. If you place it in a bathroom, you’ll need to water and mist it only every three weeks.
Sun: Medium to bright indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight as it can burn the fronds easily.
Water: Depending on the weather and humidity, you can water it every one to three weeks. The more the humidity, the less you need to water it.
Soil: A mix of coconut shells, moss and compost
Fertiliser: Spray it monthly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (equal proportions).
Pro tip: Leave the dead shield fronds on your staghorn because they help it regulate water and create humus..
3. Bromeliad (Guzmania linguata)
Add a tropical vibe to your table top with bromeliads, which have blooms that can last up to a few months. They can liven up any room you put them in. They need plenty of air flow, so look for an open area with windows and indirect sunlight, such as a living room, kitchen or bedroom.
Sun: Indirect light or moderate shade. Do not expose to direct sunlight.
Water: Water sparingly during winters and moderately at other times.
Soil: Fast-draining garden soil. You can also use a ready orchid mix or a soilless potting mix available in the market.
Fertiliser: Bromeliads do not require a lot of nutrition, spray only during growing season (spring) with a diluted water-soluble NPK fertiliser.
Add a tropical vibe to your table top with bromeliads, which have blooms that can last up to a few months. They can liven up any room you put them in. They need plenty of air flow, so look for an open area with windows and indirect sunlight, such as a living room, kitchen or bedroom.
Sun: Indirect light or moderate shade. Do not expose to direct sunlight.
Water: Water sparingly during winters and moderately at other times.
Soil: Fast-draining garden soil. You can also use a ready orchid mix or a soilless potting mix available in the market.
Fertiliser: Bromeliads do not require a lot of nutrition, spray only during growing season (spring) with a diluted water-soluble NPK fertiliser.
4. ‘Rattlesnake’ plant (Calathea lancifolia)
The colours, distinctly shaped leaves and relaxed watering schedule make the rattlesnake plant a great addition to a low-light living room.
Bonus: This plant has some fascinating leaf movements that are triggered by a flux of water pressure in the nodes at the base of its leaves, it raises and lowers them from day to night! So, when you are ready to go to bed, so is your rattlesnake buddy.
Sun: Filtered light. Select a window sill with dappled afternoon light or diffuse it with some curtains. A bright spot in a well-lit room away from the direct light will work well too.
Water: Keeping the soil moist is important. Frequent small watering rounds rather than deep watering works better.
Soil: Well-drained soil with equal proportions of soil, sand and clay
Fertiliser: Spray it monthly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (equal proportions). For boosting foliage, try a nitrogen rich foliage booster.
The colours, distinctly shaped leaves and relaxed watering schedule make the rattlesnake plant a great addition to a low-light living room.
Bonus: This plant has some fascinating leaf movements that are triggered by a flux of water pressure in the nodes at the base of its leaves, it raises and lowers them from day to night! So, when you are ready to go to bed, so is your rattlesnake buddy.
Sun: Filtered light. Select a window sill with dappled afternoon light or diffuse it with some curtains. A bright spot in a well-lit room away from the direct light will work well too.
Water: Keeping the soil moist is important. Frequent small watering rounds rather than deep watering works better.
Soil: Well-drained soil with equal proportions of soil, sand and clay
Fertiliser: Spray it monthly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (equal proportions). For boosting foliage, try a nitrogen rich foliage booster.
5. Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
The beautiful Boston fern is also on the lower end of the maintenance spectrum since it requires food only every two months. Your kitty can bat at the ferns all he wants and your puppy can even take a bite – this plant is safe for cats and dogs. Also, they love humidity. So, if you’re keeping it indoors, you can either display it in your bathroom so it can absorb all that steam, or in your balcony with a simple bird-bath water bowl for company.
Sun: Medium indirect light. Too much shade can result in sparse, dull foliage, and too much sun can burn it. So both outdoors and indoors, make sure direct sunlight won’t hit your plant.
Water: Daily light watering keeps the soil lightly moist and not soggy, which the Boston fern loves.
Soil: Keep soil consistently moist by adding some sphagnum moss to it.
Fertiliser: Boston ferns are not heavy feeders. During growing season (spring), spray with water-soluble NPK fertiliser once a month.
The beautiful Boston fern is also on the lower end of the maintenance spectrum since it requires food only every two months. Your kitty can bat at the ferns all he wants and your puppy can even take a bite – this plant is safe for cats and dogs. Also, they love humidity. So, if you’re keeping it indoors, you can either display it in your bathroom so it can absorb all that steam, or in your balcony with a simple bird-bath water bowl for company.
Sun: Medium indirect light. Too much shade can result in sparse, dull foliage, and too much sun can burn it. So both outdoors and indoors, make sure direct sunlight won’t hit your plant.
Water: Daily light watering keeps the soil lightly moist and not soggy, which the Boston fern loves.
Soil: Keep soil consistently moist by adding some sphagnum moss to it.
Fertiliser: Boston ferns are not heavy feeders. During growing season (spring), spray with water-soluble NPK fertiliser once a month.
6. Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.)
Few plants lend such an air of elegance as does an orchid. They are not demanding, and in the right conditions, they will display showy blooms for months. Luckily, you can add one to your home without posing a threat to your pet. Like the staghorn fern, orchids are also epiphytes (growing on the surface of trees), so make sure to plant them in hanging baskets with lateral holes for the roots to be exposed to air like they are in natural conditions.
Sun: Good light is required for Phalaenopsis but make sure that no direct sunlight falls on them. Placing them in an east window or a shaded southern or western window will work. Also, they will do well under common grow lights positioned about a foot from the plant.
Water: To water, take down your hanging basket, immerse it in a bucket of water for about 10 minutes, and hang it back. You can also spray it with water, but the key is to ensure that water never enters the stem of the plant.
Soil: Moist, bark-like potting media, with perlite, sphagnum moss, charcoal or coconut husk chips mixed in to help with water retention.
Fertiliser: Spray it weekly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (equal proportions), or a special orchid fertiliser from the nearest garden shop.
Pro tip: A well-grown plant will have darker green leaves on top and streaks of red or burgundy on the undersides.
Few plants lend such an air of elegance as does an orchid. They are not demanding, and in the right conditions, they will display showy blooms for months. Luckily, you can add one to your home without posing a threat to your pet. Like the staghorn fern, orchids are also epiphytes (growing on the surface of trees), so make sure to plant them in hanging baskets with lateral holes for the roots to be exposed to air like they are in natural conditions.
Sun: Good light is required for Phalaenopsis but make sure that no direct sunlight falls on them. Placing them in an east window or a shaded southern or western window will work. Also, they will do well under common grow lights positioned about a foot from the plant.
Water: To water, take down your hanging basket, immerse it in a bucket of water for about 10 minutes, and hang it back. You can also spray it with water, but the key is to ensure that water never enters the stem of the plant.
Soil: Moist, bark-like potting media, with perlite, sphagnum moss, charcoal or coconut husk chips mixed in to help with water retention.
Fertiliser: Spray it weekly with a water-soluble NPK fertiliser (equal proportions), or a special orchid fertiliser from the nearest garden shop.
Pro tip: A well-grown plant will have darker green leaves on top and streaks of red or burgundy on the undersides.
7. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
A fast-growing ornamental grass, lemongrass is as handsome waving in the summer breeze as it is appetizing in your soups, stir-fries and teas.
Sun: At least six hours of direct sun per day will meet the plant’s energy needs. Plants growing in shade will be sparse and may attract pests.
Water: Every alternate day.
Soil: A mix of garden soil and some compost, with good drainage.
Fertiliser: As a grassy plant, lemongrass needs a nitrogen-rich fertiliser for its best growth.
A fast-growing ornamental grass, lemongrass is as handsome waving in the summer breeze as it is appetizing in your soups, stir-fries and teas.
Sun: At least six hours of direct sun per day will meet the plant’s energy needs. Plants growing in shade will be sparse and may attract pests.
Water: Every alternate day.
Soil: A mix of garden soil and some compost, with good drainage.
Fertiliser: As a grassy plant, lemongrass needs a nitrogen-rich fertiliser for its best growth.
8. Herbs
Basil, rosemary and thyme are great kitchen herbs that are totally safe for your pet to snack on. They love direct light, so leave them to hang out by a window all day long. Place herbs in a sunny window that gets at least four or five hours of direct sunlight every day, and water when the top inch of soil is dry.
Basil, rosemary and thyme are great kitchen herbs that are totally safe for your pet to snack on. They love direct light, so leave them to hang out by a window all day long. Place herbs in a sunny window that gets at least four or five hours of direct sunlight every day, and water when the top inch of soil is dry.
Added tip: While lemon juice is completely safe for both your plants and your pets, the smell of citrus is a natural deterrent for your pets. Spray your plants with diluted lemon juice, or even drop some lemon or orange peels in the pots to keep them safe.
Bonus: Peels also add important nutrients to your plants and keep them happy.
Read more:
6 Most Common Houseplant Problems & How to Treat Them
How to Grow a Herb Garden
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Bonus: Peels also add important nutrients to your plants and keep them happy.
Read more:
6 Most Common Houseplant Problems & How to Treat Them
How to Grow a Herb Garden
Tell us:
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it and share your thoughts in Comments below. Join the conversation!
Pet-friendly plants are simply plants that are non-toxic, meaning they cause no harm if consumed. Toxic chemicals occur naturally in many plants, and in some cases can be harmful for one but beneficial for another.
Take for example, our favourite: aloe vera. The aloe vera plant is revered by humans for its medicinal properties, but can be toxic (although mildly) if consumed by animals such as cats and dogs.
What about animal instincts?
The instinct to chew on plants is something that cats and dogs imbibed long before they were domesticated. Although cats and dogs are primarily carnivores, in the wild they also nibble on plants for added nutrients or fibre, or perhaps just because they like the taste…
For example, in the home environment, they sometimes eat houseplants out of boredom, or because they’re attracted to the leaves fluttering in the air currents. The aroma of herbs such as thyme and rosemary is deeply attractive to cats.
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