Dog-Friendly Plants: A List Of 25 Indoor And Outdoor Plants That Look Great And Won’t Harm Your Dog
While some plants are not safe for dogs, there are many that are! This post will discuss 25 dog-safe plants that you can grow in your yard or your home, without worrying that they will harm your dog.
Many plants are toxic to dogs and can cause a variety of health problems ranging from minor illnesses to death.
There is no way that you will remember all the different types of poisonous plants out there or know if one has been planted in your yard by mistake. This list includes 25 safe choices that you can be sure won’t put your dog at risk.
I adore plants and I’m lucky to have a dog who doesn’t try to eat them – at least, she doesn’t try to eat them any more! When she was a puppy she was a terror. I would often find an empty plant pot in one spot and the remains of the poor shrivelled-up plant elsewhere, or I’d catch her digging holes and rooting up my plants in the veggy patch.
You might be reading this thinking “That sounds like my dog!”. If so, you’ll probably also be wondering which plants are dog-safe. Let’s take a look at some beautiful plants that can grace your home and garden AND be harmless to your dog if she decides to chow down on them!
It’s important to note that whilst a plant might be listed as dog-friendly, it’s still not a good idea for your dog to eat them.
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DOG FRIENDLY INDOOR PLANTS
When you are decorating your home, it is always a good idea to include plants. Plants make a room feel alive and can provide us with better air to breathe. Plus, they’ve been proven to be good for our physical and mental health, not to mention they’re good looking! Having some dog-friendly plants around is good for everyone!
You may already have some house plants that you’ve discovered are NOT safe for dogs. If you’re determined to keep them (totally understandable, plants are wonderful things), find a spot to put them where they’ll be way out of Rover’s reach. Place them on the top shelf of a tall bookshelf for instance, above cupboards, or in hanging pots so that they can’t be nibbled at.
Here are some houseplants that are not only dog-safe, they’re also easy to maintain. Let’s hope, for the plant’s sake, that Fido doesn’t get to them though!
DOG-SAFE HOUSEPLANTS
Polka Dot plant. (Hypoestes phyllostachya) If you are looking for a pretty plant to put on your indoor windowsill, the polka dot plant is a popular option. This cute little thing loves bright, indirect light conditions, and regular watering. It has spotty, pink or white leaves.
Boston fern. (Nephrolepis Exaltata) These plants are very happy in darker rooms so if you have a shady spot in your home, this is a good plant to choose. They like moist soil and high humidity, so get the mister out to keep this plant at its happiest. It’s also an air purifying plant.
Whilst researching this article, I solved a puzzle about my own Boston fern. For some time it’s had brown edges on some of the leaves. I mist it every day, so I knew it couldn’t be a lack of humidity. It turns out that Boston ferns don’t like to be touched! I have a habit of not only talking to my plants, but I’ll sometimes ‘stroke’ them too. So, if you get a Boston Fern, don’t stroke it as if it were your dog!
UK readers can get super healthy, bushy Boston Ferns from Crocus.co.uk
Prayer plant (Calathea Orbifolia) This is another humidity loving plant. It comes in lots of different colours and patterns so there’s sure to be one that would fit in perfectly with your decor. It’s also an air purifying plant. Prayer plants can grow quite big if you look after them well!
UK readers can shop a wide range of different Prayer Plants at crocus.co.uk
Lipstick plant (aeschynanthus) This is possibly my favourite plant in my house – and I have LOTS of plants. The lipstick plant is a hanging plant, and I have it hanging up in the bathroom where it can get lots of humidity, which it loves. Everyone who uses the bathroom comments on how beautiful this plant is! It likes bright, but indirect light. It doesn’t like shade. It’s an air purifying plant too.
See the the different Lipstick Plants available at crocus.co.uk. The Lipstick Plant in the picture below is my own Lipstick Plant Aeschynanthus japhrolepis.
Banana plant (Musa Dwarf Cavendish) If you’re looking for a large, architectural plant that is also dog-safe, this is a fantastic option. It likes to be misted regularly and can cope with light shade, though it prefers plenty of light. It’s also an air purifying plant.
Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) This is a super easy to keep house plant. It’s very forgiving if you sometimes forget to water it. It will grow in most light / shade settings, though it will grower faster if it gets bright, indirect light. I have several around the house, some in hanging pots and others in standing pots.
Orchids (Phalaenopsis Orchid) Another personal favourite, this flowering houseplant is the gift that keeps on giving. I have some orchids that I picked up very cheaply from the supermarket and they still flower every year.
FAKE IT!
Perhaps you’ve decided that real plants are not a practical addition to your home, so fake it!
Artificial plants have come a long way in recent years – some of them are so realistic you’d swear they were real plants!
Afloral.com produces beautiful artificial flowers and plants, like this fantastic, ‘natural touch’ fake pothos plant.
GARDEN AND YARD PLANTS THAT ARE SAFE FOR DOGS
Keeping dogs away from poisonous plants can be a little more complicated outside.
I moved house recently and had to put up a temporary fence to stop my dober-daughter eating *something* in the garden that doesn’t agree with her. I still haven’t worked out what it is, but I know she sometimes throws up after spending time at the bottom of the garden, by the stream. So, I put up a simple barrier to stop her going down there.
If you do have poisonous plants in your garden, perhaps you could relocate them all to one area and fence that area off so you can still enjoy the plants without them posing any risk to your dog.
So what outdoor plants are safe for dogs? If you’re not sure which plants your dog can safely enjoy at home or in the garden, take a look at this list of beautiful outdoor plant ideas.
DOG-SAFE SHRUBS:
Camellias are a popular evergreen plant and are also known as wild roses. They grow well in containers and they flower in the cold seasons, when most plants haven’t even got buds on them yet. They thrive in shade and can grow to several feet tall. Check out the wide range of Camellias at crocus.co.uk
Roses. Thank goodness that roses are not toxic to dogs. However, rose thorns can pose problems to curious dogs, so you might still want to keep your rose bushes or trees protected from Rover, and vice versa. See the incredible selection of beautiful roses at crocus.co.uk
DOG-SAFE CLIMBING PLANTS
As well as climbing roses, there are other, fragrant climbers that you can safely add to your garden without putting your dog at risk.
Jasmine plants smell divine, have pretty flowers and make great cut flowers too. There are lots of varieties in the jasmine family so you’re sure to find something you like. If you’re in the UK, crocus is bound to have the perfect jasmine plant for you
Honeysuckle grows quickly, covering unattractive walls or fences in no time. It also smells lovely. There are different varieties of honeysuckle, from palest yellow through to fiery red. Check out the offerings at crocus.co.uk
Virginia Creepers don’t offer a sweet fragrance like the honeysuckle or jasmine, but they make up for it with colour. In the autumn the leaves turn into incredible crimsons and oranges. It’s also a very easy to maintain plant, thriving in most conditions. UK shoppers will be delighted with crocus’ different varieties of Virginia Creeper
DOG-FRIENDLY TREES
Red Maple Trees (Acer rubrum)
The acer tree has beautiful red coloured foliage in the fall. Together with the Virginia Creeper, these 2 plants bring a garden to life with their fiery colours. UK shoppers can get one from crocus.co.uk
Crepe Myrtle Trees (Lagerstroemia indica)
This can be trained as a tree but it’s more commonly grown as an evergreen shrub. It has masses of long-lasting, ‘crepe-like’ flowers. They come in many colours, can be grown in pots, and are relatively easy to keep. They even withstand the frosts in the UK so are suitable for most UK gardens – take a look at the Crepe Myrtle stock at crocus.co.uk
Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) Magnolia trees are so beautiful and this particular one has such pretty star-shaped flowers that bloom in spring. Shop for UK stock at crocus
DOG-SAFE HERBS AND FRUIT
Strawberry, raspberry and blueberry are all fantastic, dog-safe additions to a fruit and veg patch or orchard. I regularly add these fruits to my dog’s food and treats – get recipes here.
Likewise, basil, mint, rosemary and thyme are not only dog-friendly, they’re also great plants to have in the garden to add a little flavour to your cooking. Avoid English Pennyroyal mint which can be toxic to dogs, but spearmint and peppermint are fine.
FLOWERING PLANTS THAT ARE DOG-FRIENDLY
Cornflower. (Centaurea)These pretty annuals are easy to grow and come in lots of different colours. They often self-seed too so you should get them returning year after year. They also make lovely cut flowers to pop in a vase and enjoy indoors.
Calendula. Another pretty annual that will self-seed and come back to grace your garden year after year.
Warning: I’ve noticed that in response to the question ‘Are hostas poisonous to dogs?’ some articles claim that hostas are dog-friendly, but they are not dog-safe. They contain saponins that are toxic to dogs.
CONCLUSION
In this article, we have explored a few options of dog-safe plants for both indoors and outdoors. There are so many different types of plants to choose from that it can be hard to know which ones will work best in your home or garden space. We hope these tips help you find a plant that matches your needs and keeps your dog safe!
REFERENCES
ASPCA comprehensive list of plants that are toxic, or non-toxic to dogs