Plants and Pets

Spring is now in full bloom and many plants are poking through the ground. Soon many of us will be heading out to the garden centers to get plants to beautify our homes. While there are many “pet friendly” plants out there, there are also a number of plants that are poisonous to our pets and many are quite toxic. If you are planning on purchasing new plants for your home and garden, please do so with caution and with your best friend in mind.

Here is a list of flowers and plants that are poisonous to pets:

Daffodil, Easter Lily, Star Gazer Lily, Tiger Lily, Cyclamen, Azalea, Castor Bean and Sago Palm

If you have any of these plants growing in your garden or in your home, be extremely careful that your furry friend cannot get close enough to them to chew on the leaves or flowers. It could be fatal.

There are also plants that are very toxic to pets, some of which are very common house plants. While ingesting the leaves or licking the stalks of these plants may not cause immediate harm to your pet, they are toxic and can result in various medical ailments:

Aloe, Begonia, Bird of Paradise, Calla Lily, Coleus, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Cosmos, Dumb Cane, Elephant Ear, Gardenia, Geranium, Heliotrope, Hibiscus, Hydrangea, Iris, Pansy, Peace Lily, Mother-in-law Tongue, Dianthus, Poinsettia and Primrose.

While this is not a complete list, it is some of the most common toxic plants. Care should be taken that they are kept out of your pet’s reach and are not easily accessible where they can nibble on them.

On the flip side, there are many plants that are “pet friendly” and, if your fur buddy has a little nibble, no need to worry:

Alyssum, Blue Daisy, Boston Fern, Christmas Cactus, Gerber Daisy, Gloxinia, Inpatients, Marigold, Nasturtium, Pampas Grass, Persian Violet, Petunia, Polka dot Plant, Baby Tears, Rose, Snap Dragons, Spider Plant, Sunflower Sword Fern, Viola and Zinnia

Again, this is not a complete list, but it does cover the most common of the pet friendly varieties.

So for all you pet lovers and pet parents out there, be sure to use caution when purchasing plants for your home or garden. If any do happen to be poisonous or toxic to pets, either stay away from them or be sure that your pet will not be able to get to them and cause any health issues.

Happy and safe gardening to all.