Refreshing green plants, colorful flowers, and precious fur babies have all been scientifically proven to elevate our quality of life, inspire happiness, and decrease stress in our day-to-day lives. However, if your home is shared by both pets and botanicals, you know how important it is to ensure that everyone is living in toxic-free harmony. While you bring home new blooms to brighten up a room or plants to revitalize the air around you, ensure that your selections are pet-friendly. Your friends here at Breen’s Florist, the top flower shop in Houston, have compiled a short yet sweet list of the best plants and flowers that are safe to have around our furry friends.

Safe Plants & Flowers for Pets

Ponytail Palm

If your four-legged fur baby enjoys swatting or chewing your ponytail just as much as playing with their own toys, it is best to display this draped-leaf palm in a tall pot or on a high shelf. As its bulb-like trunk creates an eye-catching feature, this air purifying plant is commonly referred to as a “bottle palm tree” or “elephant foot tree.” To keep its curly leaves thriving and flourishing, ensure your ponytail palm is positioned to receive little water and an abundance of bright sunlight.

Boston Fern

While bringing home a Boston Fern for Fido to chew and play with is not recommended, you can still have peace of mind if your curious cat or playful pup sneaks a few nibbles. While their foliage is harmless to our fur babies, these natural humidifiers still do best as hanging plants. Position your Boston Fern in a humid environment with a lot of access to indirect light so it can live its life to the fullest.

Orchid

Once coveted by the wealthy in the Victorian Era, orchids were viewed as rare and exotic blooming plants. Today, these flowers are commonly found in homes, office buildings, and as decor to help celebrate weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and more. Since they can be found in an array of hues, like purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, and blue, and are non-toxic to our four-legged friends, you are sure to find the perfect orchid for your own home. 

Petunias

If their charming trumpet-shaped petals don’t capture your attention, their sweet fragrance sure will. Petunias are a top choice for homes of cats and dogs since they are non-poisonous to pets but also thrive while hanging in pots or whimsically cascading from a windowbox high above. These spring and summer blooms also make for stunning housewarming gifts, hostess gifts, or Mother’s Day gifts.

Zinnias

You may recognize zinnias by their signature round faces and bright tropical hues, like red and orange. However, when arranged with the lesser-known yet complementary pale-colored varieties, including yellow, green, and white, they create the most delightful floral design. Bring home a bouquet of pet-friendly zinnias in a variety of colors to liven up your space and lift your mood. 

How to Protect your Pets from Toxic Plants & Flowers

To protect your pets from harmful plants, stick the ones listed above that are safe for pets. Besides this, the best course of action is to keep your plants in a screened or cordoned-off area of your home. Even if a plant isn’t toxic to Fido or Fluffins, you still want to protect the plant from your furry friends, too. Hang them high in a planter, place them on top of bookshelves, or in a place that is out of reach to playful paws and over-enthusiastic puppies.