20 Non-Toxic Houseplants That Are Safe for Kids & Pets

Creating a green oasis in your home brings numerous benefits—improved air quality, stress reduction, and a connection to nature. But if you share your space with curious children or pets, safety becomes a paramount concern. Many common houseplants contain compounds that can cause reactions ranging from mild irritation to serious toxicity when touched or ingested.

Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between a vibrant indoor garden and the safety of your loved ones. This comprehensive guide explores 20 beautiful houseplants that are verified as non-toxic by the ASPCA and other reputable sources, ensuring your green additions enhance your living space without introducing health risks.

Lush Ferns: Safe and Elegant Foliage Options

Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

The Boston Fern brings a touch of Victorian elegance to your home with its gracefully arching fronds. These classic beauties are entirely safe for your children and pets, posing no risk if curious little hands or paws interact with them.

You’ll find Boston Ferns particularly well-suited to bathrooms and kitchens, as they thrive in humidity that mimics their natural tropical understory habitat. Their lacy appearance adds texture and movement to any room, while their air-purifying qualities enhance your home’s atmosphere.

Care tips: Position your Boston Fern in bright, indirect light, and maintain consistently moist soil. Unlike some ferns, Boston Ferns aren’t fussy about humidity levels, making them more forgiving for beginners. Their non-irritating nature extends to both skin contact and ingestion, giving you complete peace of mind.

Bird’s-Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)

With its striking, wavy-edged fronds that emerge from a central rosette, the Bird’s-Nest Fern brings architectural interest to low-light corners where other plants might struggle. Its lack of toxic compounds makes it a perfect candidate for children’s rooms or playrooms.

Care tips: Your Bird’s-Nest Fern will thrive in indirect light with moist but not waterlogged soil. An interesting feature that makes this plant educational for children is the spore production on the undersides of mature leaves, offering a fascinating glimpse into plant reproduction.

Tropical Palms: Elegant and Non-Toxic

Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)

Transform your living space with the tropical elegance of the Areca Palm. Its feathery fronds create a soft, airy presence while actively filtering indoor air pollutants. If you’re a busy household juggling parenting and pet care, you’ll appreciate that this palm tolerates occasional neglect.

Care tips: Position your Areca Palm in bright, indirect light, and allow the topsoil to dry between waterings. Be careful not to overwater, as root rot is the primary challenge with these palms. The Areca’s non-toxic status means you can place it prominently in living areas without concern for curious explorers.

Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

The compact, delicate fronds of the Parlor Palm have been gracing indoor spaces since Victorian times, and for good reason. This adaptable plant thrives in lower light conditions that would challenge other species, making it perfect for north-facing rooms or spaces away from windows.

Care tips: Your Parlor Palm prefers indirect light and moderate watering, avoiding soggy soil conditions. Its resilience against common houseplant pests and completely non-toxic nature makes it an excellent choice for nurseries and children’s playrooms. Cat owners will particularly appreciate that even if your feline friends brush against or nibble the foliage, they’ll remain unharmed.

Colorful Bloomers: Safe Flowering Options

African Violet (Saintpaulia spp.)

Bring year-round color into your child and pet-friendly home with African Violets. These compact bloomers produce velvety flowers in shades ranging from deep purple to pink and white, all while remaining completely harmless if accidentally ingested.

Care tips: Place your African Violets in bright, indirect light, and water from the bottom to prevent crown rot. For continued blooming, feed with a diluted houseplant fertilizer monthly. Their small size makes them perfect for end tables or desktops, and you won’t need to worry if curious toddlers or pets investigate them closely.

Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)

Unlike their desert cousins, Christmas Cacti lack sharp spines and toxic compounds, making them a safe choice for households with children and pets. Their segmented stems and spectacular winter blooms in pink, red, or white add seasonal interest to your home.

Care tips: Provide indirect light and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. To encourage those spectacular holiday blooms, give your Christmas Cactus cooler temperatures and longer nights during fall. Children often find the unique growth pattern fascinating, making this plant both safe and educational.

Orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.)

Bring sophisticated elegance to your home with Phalaenopsis orchids, commonly known as moth orchids. These striking plants produce long-lasting blooms that add a touch of luxury to any space. While ingestion might cause mild stomach upset, orchids aren’t classified as toxic plants.

Care tips: Your orchids need bright, filtered light and weekly soaking with thorough drainage. Avoid the popular but damaging practice of ice cube watering, which can shock the roots. The epiphytic nature of orchids means their roots require airflow, making them interesting specimens for mounted displays that can be positioned safely out of reach.

Safe Succulents: Drought-Tolerant and Non-Toxic Options

Haworthia (Haworthia spp.)

Often called “zebra plants” for their distinctive white striping, Haworthias are small succulents that pack visual punch without posing risks to children or pets. Their compact rosette form and striking patterns make them attractive display pieces on desks, shelves, or in terrariums.

Care tips: Position in bright, indirect light and water approximately every two weeks, allowing the soil to dry completely between waterings. Watch for “pups” forming at the base—these offsets can be separated to create new plants, making Haworthias a gift that keeps on giving.

Donkey’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)

The trailing stems of Donkey’s Tail, covered in plump, overlapping leaves, create a striking cascading effect when placed in hanging baskets. While the stems are somewhat fragile and can break if handled roughly, the plant contains no compounds harmful to children or animals.

Care tips: Your Donkey’s Tail thrives in direct morning sun and requires only sparing watering, as it’s prone to rot if overwatered. Consider placing it on high shelves or in hanging planters to showcase its trailing nature while keeping it safe from accidental damage by pets or children.

Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum tectorum)

These charming rosette-forming succulents earn their name from the way they produce offsets (“chicks”) around the main plant (“hen”). Hardy and completely non-toxic, they fascinate children with their reproductive strategy and varied textures.

Care tips: Hen and Chicks tolerate everything from full sun to partial shade, making them flexible for different home environments. They need minimal water and are extremely drought-tolerant. In temperate zones, these versatile plants can move outdoors to rock gardens during summer months.

Trailing and Climbing Varieties: Vertical Interest Without Risk

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

Few houseplants are as beginner-friendly and child-safe as the classic Spider Plant. Known for its air-purifying qualities, this adaptable plant produces long stems with baby plants (“spiderettes”) that dangle playfully from the mother plant.

Care tips: Your Spider Plant will thrive in indirect light with consistently moist soil. Consider displaying it in macramé hangers to showcase the cascading babies while keeping it elevated from curious pets. While Spider Plants contain compounds that can cause mild hallucinogenic effects in cats, these effects are harmless and often self-limiting, as most cats are deterred after initial experimentation.

Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)

Create a miniature landscape with Baby’s Tears, a groundcover that forms a dense mat of tiny, rounded leaves. This delicate-looking but resilient plant adds textural interest to terrariums or small containers and poses no risk to curious household members.

Care tips: Baby’s Tears prefers shady to partially sunny conditions with frequent misting to maintain humidity. While it’s perfect for indoor growing, be aware that it can become invasive in tropical outdoor gardens, so keep it contained.

Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus radicans)

Named for its tubular red flowers that resemble lipstick emerging from a tube, this trailing plant adds vibrant color and vertical interest to your pet and child-friendly indoor garden. Its vining habit makes it perfect for hanging baskets or high shelves.

Care tips: Provide bright, indirect light and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Increasing humidity encourages more prolific blooming. The non-toxic nature and low-maintenance requirements make this an excellent choice for busy households.

Low-Light Champions: Safe Options for Dim Corners

Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)

True to its name, the Cast Iron Plant is nearly indestructible, tolerating poor light, irregular watering, and temperature fluctuations that would kill less resilient species. Its broad, glossy leaves withstand rough handling, making it ideal for homes with active children or pets.

Care tips: Your Cast Iron Plant will survive in low to moderate light conditions and needs infrequent watering, as it’s naturally drought-tolerant. This Victorian-era favorite has stood the test of time as a reliable, safe houseplant that thrives despite neglect—perfect for busy parents or pet owners.

Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

The Prayer Plant earns its name from the way its leaves fold upward at night, resembling hands in prayer. This fascinating movement captivates children and adults alike, while the plant’s complete lack of toxicity ensures safety for pets who might investigate.

Care tips: Provide indirect light and maintain evenly moist soil. The striking foliage, often featuring red veins on patterned leaves, adds visual interest to shelves and tabletops. Different cultivars offer varied patterns, allowing you to collect several safe specimens with distinct appearances.

Peperomia (Peperomia spp.)

With over 1,000 species available, Peperomias offer incredible diversity in a single non-toxic genus. From the watermelon-patterned leaves of Peperomia argyreia to the rippled foliage of Peperomia caperata, these compact plants provide interest without risk.

Care tips: Most Peperomias thrive in indirect light and prefer to dry out between waterings. Their succulent-like leaves store water, making them forgiving if you occasionally forget to water. Leaf cuttings root easily, allowing you to expand your collection or share with friends.

Unique and Interactive Choices: Engaging and Safe

Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)

Engage your child’s wonder with the Sensitive Plant, whose leaves dramatically fold when touched, demonstrating that plants can respond to their environment. This interactive quality makes it a favorite for children’s rooms, and its non-toxic nature ensures safety.

Care tips: Your Sensitive Plant requires bright light and consistently moist soil. While completely safe indoors, be aware of its invasive potential if planted outdoors in tropical regions. Use this plant as an educational tool to teach children about plant responsiveness and gentle handling.

Air Plants (Tillandsia spp.)

Break free from traditional potting with air plants, which absorb moisture and nutrients through specialized scales on their leaves rather than roots. These soil-free wonders can be displayed in glass globes, mounted on driftwood, or arranged in terrariums—all without posing any risk to household members.

Care tips: Provide bright, indirect light and soak weekly in room-temperature water for 20-30 minutes. Create engaging projects with children by designing mounted arrangements together, teaching them about these unique epiphytic plants that grow naturally attached to trees or rocks.

Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)

The quirky, coin-shaped leaves of the Chinese Money Plant have made it an Instagram darling and a must-have for modern interiors. Safe for all household members, this conversation starter produces numerous offsets that can be shared with friends or used to expand your indoor garden.

Care tips: Position in bright, indirect light and water weekly, rotating the plant regularly to ensure even growth toward light sources. According to popular belief, this plant brings financial luck to its owner—a harmless superstition that adds to its charm.

Edible and Functional Options: Beyond Decoration

Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum)

Bring quick-growing greenery into your home with Wheatgrass, which serves multiple purposes in a child and pet-friendly environment. Often grown for juicing, this grass is completely safe and may even serve as a deterrent, keeping cats from chewing on other houseplants.

Care tips: Provide direct sunlight and daily misting. Trim frequently to encourage fresh regrowth. Consider involving young gardeners in the planting process—the rapid germination and growth provide near-immediate gratification and teach valuable lessons about plant lifecycles.

Common Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

Add vibrant color to your indoor space with Zinnias, annual flowers that are safe for all household members. Easy to grow from seed, these blooms offer an opportunity to teach children about the complete plant lifecycle from germination to flowering.

Care tips: Place in full sun and maintain moist soil. Encourage children to help care for these plants and harvest flowers for crafts or displays, fostering both responsibility and creativity.

Creating a Safe Plant Environment

While selecting non-toxic plants is essential, creating a comprehensively safe indoor garden involves several additional considerations:

1. Strategic placement: Use hanging planters or high shelves to limit access to plants that, while non-toxic, might be damaged by curious exploration.
2. Educational approach: Teach children about proper plant care and boundaries, emphasizing gentle touch and respect for living things.
3. Behavioral monitoring: Keep an eye on chewing behavior, particularly in kittens, puppies, and very young children who explore with their mouths.
4. Alternative offerings: For persistent plant chewers, especially cats, consider growing pet grass specifically for their consumption to divert attention from decorative plants.

By incorporating these 20 verified non-toxic plants into your home, you can create a refreshing, natural environment that enhances wellbeing while prioritizing safety. Remember to consult the ASPCA’s comprehensive database when considering new additions to your indoor garden, as this resource is regularly updated with safety information as new plant varieties enter the market.

With thoughtful selection and placement, your indoor garden can be a source of beauty, education, and harmony for every member of your household—regardless of age or species.