Seven Best Indoor Plants for Pet Owners

1. The Regal Haworthia (Haworthia attenuata)

This striking succulent, with its spiky green leaves adorned with white stripes, is a visual treat. Even better, it's non-toxic to pets and thrives on neglect - they are often recommended for beginners, because they are easy to grow.

They are also therapeutic, and can help relieve stress. In some cultures, Haworthia plants symbolise resilience and adaptability, and can also represent calm and purity.

Care: Give it bright, indirect light and water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings.

2. The Playful Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

Add a touch of whimsy to your home with the Prayer Plant.

Its leaves fold up at night, resembling praying hands, and unfurl during the day.

In some cultures, prayer plants symbolize gratitude and are given as gifts to express thanks. Others see the plant as a symbol of new beginnings, inspired by the phrase "to turn over a new leaf". Some cultures also believe the plant can protect against negative energy or bring good fortune.

Safe for curious animals, this beauty prefers moderate, indirect light and slightly moist soil.

Care: Prayer plants are easy to care for and can be planted indoors year-round. They have shallow root systems, so they can be susceptible to overwatering, but this also makes them easy to propagate by division.

3. The Air-Purifying Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

This classic houseplant is a champion at cleaning the air and producing adorable spiderettes (baby plants).

Spider plants have several nicknames, including "airplane plant" and "spiderettes". The "airplane plant" nickname comes from their popularity as souvenirs for travellers, and "spiderettes" refers to the plantlets that grow along runners, giving the plant a spidery look.

It's non-toxic to pets and relatively easy to care for.

Research suggests that adding spider plants to hospital rooms can help surgical patients recover faster. Patients may require less pain medication, have lower blood pressure and heart rate, and experience less anxiety and depression.

Some folklore considers spider plants to be tokens of good fortune, believed to bring prosperity and positive energy into homes.

Care: Provide bright, indirect light and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.

4. The Majestic Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)

Bring good fortune (and pet-friendly greenery) into your home with the Money Tree.

This attractive plant, with its braided trunk and lush foliage, is non-toxic to pets.

In East Asian cultures, the money tree is believed to bring good fortune and luck, especially in financial matters. It's often seen in businesses, sometimes with red ribbons or other decorations.

Care: Money Tree prefers bright, indirect light and infrequent watering, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings.

Money trees are easy to care for and make good gifts for new beginnings. You should repot your money tree every two to three years in the spring, replacing the entire substrate and planter once the root ball has grown through the soil.

5. The Friendly Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

For a touch of classic elegance, you can't go wrong with the Boston Fern.

This non-toxic plant thrives in humidity and indirect light, making it perfect for bathrooms or kitchens. Just be sure to keep its soil consistently moist.

Ferns are some of the oldest living plants on Earth, dating back over 350 million years, long before dinosaurs! Some ferns are epiphytes, which means they can grow on other plants without harming them, similar to moss and algae.

Unlike most vascular plants, ferns reproduce using spores instead of flowers or cones. The spores need water to travel so that fertilization can occur, which is why ferns grow well in damp, moist areas.

Care: Water newly planted ferns regularly for the first year, and then only water them more during dry spells. Water the roots, not the fronds or crown, to avoid rot. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, especially in hot weather.

6. The Tropical Calathea Orbifolia (Calathea orbifolia)

Make a statement with the Calathea Orbifolia's large, round leaves adorned with striking silver stripes. This non-toxic beauty prefers moderate, indirect light and consistently moist (but not soggy) soil.

Care: Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and water frequently with distilled, filtered, or rainwater. Avoid letting the plant sit in water, and check the soil every few days. In the winter, water less and keep the soil just moist.

Calathea orbifolia plants prefer bright, indirect light, and can tolerate some shade, but direct sunlight can cause the leaves to fade and burn.

You can also try putting your plant outside in the shade during the summer, as long as it gets at least 750 to 2000 lux of light.

7. The Elegant Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)

Bring a touch of the tropics indoors with the Areca Palm. This graceful plant, with its feathery fronds, is non-toxic to pets and acts as a natural humidifier. It thrives in bright, indirect light and prefers slightly moist soil.

Care:

Areca palms prefer bright, indirect sunlight, such as from an east or west-facing window. Direct sunlight can burn the leaves, so shield the plant from the afternoon heat.

If your home doesn't get enough natural light, you can use LED grow lights. Water your areca palm regularly during the growing season (spring and summer) so the soil is consistently moist (but not soggy).

In the winter, let the soil dry out slightly before watering again.

Areca palms are sensitive to overwatering and root rot, so make sure excess water drains away.

Areca palms also don't like tap water, which can contain chemicals that brown and crisp their leaves. Instead, you can use distilled or rainwater.