Pet Friendly Houseplants: “When Blooms Abound”

With the houseplant craze in full swing, many people are jumping on the bandwagon of introducing plants into their homes.  One of the many questions we get, in addition to those questions on how to care for these plants, is; will these plants be toxic to my pet(s)?

While plant toxicity is not something that we worry too much about here, many wish to err on the side of caution.  Since that is the case, we present to you a series of blog articles filled with foliage plants that are totally safe for your furry friend.

On the list of pet-friendly plants that are “high light” are a surprising number of blooming options.  From African Violets to Bromeliads, all the way to Orchids, every one of these blooming “staples” is safe for your pet!

AFRICAN VIOLETS:

African Violets hail from, you guessed it, Africa!  Hailing mostly from forested regions in the country of Tanzania.  Bright but indirect light is best for African violets.  Offering them good light will reward you with a dramatic show of blooms almost continually.  Violets are heavy feeders and should be fertilized regularly during times of active growth.  Water when the top of the soil becomes dry to the touch.  Take care not to let these plants dry out too much!

BROMELIADS:

For bromeliads, we have to “hop across the pond” to South America.  In the greater Bromeliaceae, nearly everything in this greater plant family is known as “New World” plants.  There WERE No Bromeliads in Africa, Asia, or other tropical regions until they were first introduced by people years ago.  Also in this group are the ever-popular Air Plants.  Or tillandsia as they are sometimes called.  

The light and water needs of plants in this family often vary more dramatically.  But again, all of them will bloom in the right conditions.  Something of note for bromeliads however is that they only bloom ONCE.  After that time the “parent” will not flower again.  Though it may not, the parent will often develop new “pups” along the base of itself and those NEW generations will flower!  Pay attention to the proper light and water needs of plants in this group.  Plants with more green leaves benefit from darker or indirect light environments, while bromeliads with silver foliage can tolerate practically direct sunlight for longer periods of time.

ORCHIDS:

Lastly in the blooming category are Orchids.  While the first two groups are easy to isolate as far as their region of origin, the category of Orchids is more than vast.  The plant family Orchidaceae is comprised of nearly 26,000 species!  These species are distributed nearly worldwide!  Though extremely diverse, orchids bear a similarity in habit and growth to those in the bromeliad group.  As epiphytes, these plants are used to shallow, quick draining, yet fertile soils.  They are also often used for filtered or indirect light, making them fantastic choices for houseplants!  Unlike bromeliads, orchids CAN bloom multiple times in their life, though they struggle to do so indoors.  Once they have flowered, they often take a rest.

Remember that few things flower continually all throughout the year.  All of these blooming plants take a rest period from time to time.  Pay attention to the plant’s cycle to determine what care requirements might be.  Plants in dormancy generally require less water than plants that are actively growing.