Plants Listed as Non-Toxic to Pets

African Violet

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Saintpaulia spp. record. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

African Violet is a windowsill bloomer that rewards steady, small-pot care.

Areca Palm

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; non-toxic does not mean edible or establish safety of pesticides, fertilizers, or concentrated products.

Areca Palm is a cane-form indoor palm for bright filtered light and lightly damp soil, especially…

Baby Rubber Plant

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats

Plant material; non-toxic does not mean edible or establish safety of pesticides, fertilizers, or concentrated products.

Baby Rubber Plant is a compact Peperomia with glossy, water-storing leaves and upright fleshy…

Basil

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats

Plant material; ASPCA and NC State list sweet basil as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Neither rates horses, and the listing does not cover concentrated oils.

Basil is a tender annual that turns a warm season into armfuls of soft leaves, as long as it goes…

Beet

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; ASPCA lists beets (Beta vulgaris) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses and notes that large mature leaves contain oxalic acid. Not an edibility or serving-size claim.

Beet care starts with one unusual fact. Each seed ball can make several seedlings, so the crop…

Boston Fern

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats

ASPCA Boston fern listing for plant material; not an edibility claim or clearance for pesticides or every plant called fern.

Boston fern grows best with usable indirect light, a moist but aerated root ball, and protection…

Bottlebrush

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; ASPCA lists Callistemon species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses and warns not to confuse it with bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora), which is toxic. NC State tags Melaleuca citrina (syn. Callistemon citrinus) non-toxic for cats, dogs and horses. Not an edibility claim.

Bottlebrush is a sun-and-drainage shrub with a warm-climate bloom job.

Calathea

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA lists Calathea spp. as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. This is not an edible-plant claim and does not cover pesticides, fertilizers, or every unrelated plant sold as a prayer plant. Confirm botanical identity and current synonyms.

Calatheas combine patterned foliage with leaves that change position through the day.

Calathea Orbifolia

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; NC State lists Goeppertia orbifolia, formerly Calathea orbifolia, as non-toxic to cats and dogs, and ASPCA lists Calathea spp. as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

Calathea Orbifolia is grown for huge round silver-green leaves that make dry air, hard water, and…

Moderate

Camellia

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA Camellia japonica listing for the plant material. It does not cover Camellia sasanqua, tea products, or anything sprayed on the shrub.

Camellia is a cool-season flowering evergreen for sheltered acidic sites, not a dry-shade filler.

Cantaloupe

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; ASPCA lists true cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and NC State tags Cucumis melo non-toxic for all three. Not an edibility or serving-size claim.

Cantaloupe is won by timing warmth, not by babying plants forever.

Carrot

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA garden carrot record (listed as Daucus carota var. sativa) for the plant and root. ASPCA notes psoralens that can irritate skin. It does not cover wild carrot look-alikes such as poison hemlock.

Carrots are decided underground long before harvest. The bed has to be deep, fine, and stone free…

Cast Iron Plant

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; non-toxic does not mean edible or establish safety of pesticides, fertilizers, or concentrated products.

Cast Iron Plant shrugs off low light and irregular watering better than almost any other…

Christmas Cactus

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, listed by ASPCA as Schlumbergera bridgesii; Iowa State identifies the synonym. Not edible or evidence about concentrated products or treated plants.

Christmas cactus has trailing, rounded stem segments and winter flowers.

Cilantro

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; this listing does not establish safety of concentrated oils, pesticides, or ingestion as food.

Cilantro and coriander are one plant at two stages, and the two crops need different spacing from…

Crepe Myrtle

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per the ASPCA listing. The listing does not cover plants treated with insecticides, such as root-zone drenches used for bark scale.

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica, often spelled crape myrtle) is a summer-flowering shrub or…

Cucumber

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; ASPCA lists cucumber (Cucumis sativus) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and NC State tags it non-toxic for all three. Not an edibility or serving-size claim.

Cucumber pays back fast when you make the right structural choice before planting: trellis or…

Dill

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; ASPCA notes dermatitis with prolonged contact from the essential oils. The listing does not establish safety of concentrated oils or pesticide-treated plants.

Dill reaches two and a half to five feet, which the small pot it is sold in does not prepare anyone…

Donkey Tail

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA lists this species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. This is not an edible-plant designation or a guarantee that eating plant material causes no illness.

Donkey Tail grows dense, heavy trails of leaves that detach easily.

Forsythia

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; NC State tags Forsythia x intermedia non-toxic for cats, dogs and horses, and ASPCA's Golden Bells record (common name forsythia, family Oleaceae) lists it non-toxic to all three. Not an edibility claim.

Forsythia is worth growing for one reason first, bright yellow flowers before the rest of the yard…

Hoya Carnosa

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

NC State lists Hoya carnosa as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. ASPCA independently lists Hoya carnosa 'krinkle kurl' for dogs and cats only. Neither establishes edible use, harmless sap contact, or safety of every Hoya species or treated plant.

Hoya carnosa grows as a climbing or trailing vine with waxy leaves and repeat flower clusters.

Knock Out Rose

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Rosa species record. It does not cover thorn injuries or roses treated with systemic insecticides or fungicides.

Knock Out Roses are landscape shrub roses bred for repeat bloom, compact habit, and better disease…

Majesty Palm

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA lists the species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. This does not establish edible use, safety of pesticides or potting materials, or freedom from every reaction to chewing plant material.

Majesty palm needs bright filtered light, consistent root moisture, and humid air.

Nerve Plant

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA lists plant material under the synonym Fittonia verschaffeltii as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. This is not an edibility claim or clearance for potting materials or pesticides.

Nerve plant care depends on keeping its shallow root ball moist while allowing excess water to…

Norfolk Island Pine

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

NC State lists this species as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses. This is a plant-material listing, not an edible-use recommendation or evidence covering fertilizers, pesticides, potting materials, decorations or every possible reaction.

Norfolk Island pine is a frost-tender conifer with a central upright leader and tiered side…

Parlor Palm

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats

Plant material; non-toxic does not mean edible or establish safety of pesticides, fertilizers, or concentrated products.

Parlor Palm is a slow understory palm with slender stems and soft pinnate fronds.

Petunia

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Petunia species record and NC State's Petunia x hybrida entry. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

Petunias are warm-season annuals grown for months of trumpet-shaped flowers in containers, hanging…

Phalaenopsis Orchid

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Phalaenopsis Orchid record. It does not cover bark mix, fertilizer residue or pesticides.

A Phalaenopsis orchid stays healthy when you read its roots instead of following a calendar.

Pilea Cadierei

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Aluminum Plant record and NC State's Pilea cadierei entry. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

Pilea Cadierei, commonly called aluminum plant, grows a compact canopy of green leaves marked by…

Pittosporum Tobira

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per the ASPCA listing. It does not cover pesticide residues on treated plants.

Japanese pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira) is a salt- and drought-tolerant evergreen for hedges and…

Easy

Polka Dot Plant

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA lists plant material as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses but notes possible mild vomiting or diarrhea. This does not establish edibility or safety of potting materials and treatments.

Polka Dot Plant has pink, red, or white patches across soft leaves.

Ponytail Palm

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA Bottle Palm entry names Beaucarnea recurvata as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. This is not an edible-plant claim and does not cover mechanical injury, choking, or products applied to the plant.

Ponytail palm is a slow-growing succulent with a swollen water-storing stem and long, arching…

Pumpkin

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; NC State tags Cucurbita maxima non-toxic for cats, dogs and horses, and ASPCA lists Hubbard squash (Cucurbita maxima) as non-toxic to all three. Moldy, painted or waxed fruit is not covered, and this is not a serving-size claim.

Grow Pumpkins by choosing the fruit job first, giving vines real ground, keeping water steady…

Rattlesnake Plant

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Calathea spp. record. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

Rattlesnake Plant is a Calathea with long wavy leaves, dark oval markings, and purple undersides.

Rose

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; this listing does not establish safety of concentrated oils, pesticides, or ingestion as food.

Garden roses range from compact landscape shrubs to climbers, hybrid teas, old garden roses, and…

Rose of Sharon

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per the ASPCA listing. It does not cover tropical hibiscus species or plants treated with insecticide.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a woody hibiscus that flowers on new shoots from July into…

Rosemary

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; this listing does not establish safety of concentrated oils, pesticides, or ingestion as food.

Rosemary is an evergreen shrub that dies far more often from wet roots and cold winters than from…

Sage

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Sage record and NC State's Salvia officinalis entry. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

Sage is sold as a herb but grows as a small evergreen shrub that spreads wider than it grows tall…

Spider Plant

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats

Plant material; non-toxic does not mean edible or establish safety of pesticides, fertilizers, or concentrated products.

A spider plant is a forgiving, pet-safe houseplant that sends out runners with baby plantlets when…

Staghorn Fern

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Common Staghorn Fern record. It is a plant-material listing, not an edibility claim, and it does not cover pesticides, fertilizers or concentrated products.

A staghorn fern is a pet-safe epiphytic fern grown on a mount, basket, or plaque.

Strawberry

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Fragaria spp. record and NC State's Fragaria x ananassa entry. It does not cover moldy fruit or beds treated with pesticides.

Strawberries are low perennial fruit plants that reward good bed prep, correct crown depth, steady…

Sweet Potato

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

ASPCA sweet potato vine listing for the plant. It is a pet listing, not an edibility rating, and it does not cover other Ipomoea species such as morning glory.

Sweet Potato grows from rooted slips rather than seed tubers, hides its entire crop under a vine…

Thyme

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material, per ASPCA's Thyme record and NC State's Thymus vulgaris entry. Neither covers other Thymus species or concentrated thyme oil.

Thyme is sold beside the soft herbs but it is a small evergreen shrub, and it lives or dies on…

Watermelon Peperomia

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats

ASPCA lists Watermelon Peperomia as Peperomia argyreia, a synonym recorded by NC State for Peperomia argyraea. The listing covers plant material and dogs/cats, not horses, human edibility, potting materials or treatments.

Watermelon Peperomia forms a low rosette of round leaves striped silver and dark green above red…

Zucchini

Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats, horses

Plant material; ASPCA lists Cucurbita pepo (acorn squash, and zucchini squash) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and NC State tags Cucurbita pepo non-toxic for all three. Not an edibility or serving-size claim.

Plant zucchini after frost in warm soil, give each crown full sun and open space, and keep the…