How to Choose Pet-Friendly Houseplants

If you share your home with pets and plants, chances are the two are compatible. However, there are a few plants that are hazardous to pets. Here's a short list of considerations when selecting a houseplant if you have a dog or a cat.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Spray Bottles
• Plants

1. Select plants that are in good condition and free from insect pests. Examine potential indoor plants carefully before you bring them home.
2. Avoid any member of the chili pepper family. All peppers contain some amount of capsicum, the chemical that makes peppers hot. Capsicum is an irritant, both to skin and eyes.
3. Avoid some members of the aralia family. A. spinosa is toxic internally and may cause dermatitis, with blisters and inflammation.
4. Set holiday holly plants out of the reach of pets. Consuming large quantities may cause vomiting and purging.
5. Place indoor lime trees out of your pet's reach. The foliage contains terpene hydrocarbons, which may cause respiratory irritation.
6. Protect pets from the flowers of hydrangea, since they may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even coma or convulsions if ingested.
7. Keep mistletoe away from pets. It causes gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, diarrhea, hallucinations, delirium and possible death if ingested.
8. Place amaryllis out of reach. Bulbs and seeds contain alkaloids and can cause gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhea and shivering.
9. Avoid any member of the agave family. The milky sap causes itching and skin irritation, with red welts and eruptions that may last for several days.
10. Keep pets away from asparagus ferns. The foliage may cause dermatitis.
11. Put purple queen (tradescantia pallida) out of reach. The sap causes eye irritation and skin dermatitis.
12. Keep the foliage of philodendrons out of reach; chewing on it causes crystals to form in the membranes of the mouth and throat, causing intense burning.
13. Avoid dumbcane, fishtail palm and caladium plants if you have pets. They cause the same symptoms as philodendrons.

Tips & Warnings

• A simple test for most houseplants is to rub a bit of sap on your skin. If the area reddens or becomes irritated, avoid that plant.
• Train your pets to stay out of your indoor plants by using a squirt gun filled with water. When they sample a leaf, give them a squirt.
• If you see evidence of poisoning, call a qualified veterinarian immediately.

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