Plants are a wonderful addition to both your garden and indoors. If you’ve got a furry friend, however, you’ll need to be careful about the types of foliage you have in your home. Pets tend to like to chew on various things so knowing which types of greenery are OK to have on your property and knowing where to store them will ensure they don’t cause harm.

Many beautiful houseplants are actually toxic to animals. Furthermore, insecticides and garden products are also a danger and need to be carefully used where small animals are concerned. If you use gardening products, ensure they are out of reach of animals and wait a day after using them before letting your animals outside.

If you’re unsure as to whether a plant is poisonous or not then follow the general rule that if the plant has berries, is a lily or is from a bulb then it will likely be toxic to animals. It’s also wise not to feed a small animal like a rabbit any plant or leaf from your garden as it may cause them ill health.

How to keep pets safe around plants

  • Keep plants out of reach of animals.
  • Remove dangerous plants from your garden or put a wire around them so they can’t be reached.
  • Remove fallen leaves and plants/seeds.
  • Don’t feed animals, plants from your garden.
  • Keep garden products out of reach – storing in a locked garden shed is highly recommended.
  • If small pets are going outside, create a small run for them and remove plants from the area.

Toxic plants

Some common toxic plants include:

  • Lilies, tulips, daffodils, iris, crocus
  • Bird of paradise, sweet pea, geranium, chrysanthemum
  • Holly, citrus tree, apple tree, cherry, gardenia
  • Tomato, leek, onion, grape
  • Aloe, snake plant, desert rose

Safe plants

Plants that are safe to have at home include:

  • Orchid, spider plant, cucumber, melon
  • Mulberry, magnolia, rose, bamboo
  • Sunflower, gerber daisy, fern, ginger

 

 

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