Placing houseplant is a new trend for home decoration. Using the different types of houseplant and planter may help us create the home styles we are longing. However, if your pet living inside your house too, you have to pay extra attention to those houseplants you have selected. It is because some of the houseplants may cause fatality to your pet if your pet accidently biting and chewing the houseplants. 

Those houseplants which are toxic to pets are contain insoluble calcium oxalate. The insoluble crystal of calcium oxalate called as raphites is use for against predator mechanism for plants. Through chewing and biting by the predator, the insoluble crystal oxalates will stabbing the sensitive tissues of the tongue, gums and throat and resulting in tissue injuries of the oral cavity. Poisoning of calcium oxalate will cause swelling of the lips, tongue, oral cavity, upper airway, drooling, vomiting of the pets

Besides that, some of the plants itself is poisonous, it is safe to touch and not dangerous at all if you place it in your house. However, if the pet accidently eating the houseplants it will cause abnormal heart rate, nausea, drooling, vomiting, dilated pupils, tremors or even life threatening. For examples the Kalanchoe flower, it is beautiful but poisonous. It is safe for touching and smelling but not safe for eating.

Besides that, some of the plants are not poisonous but may cause allergic reactions in pets. Those plants may cause the red and itchy skin of pets. For example, Callisia species plants, Callisia fragrans (Inch plant) and Callisia repens (turtle vines).

  
Example of the houseplants which are toxic to your pets:

Toxic to pet

• Anthurium

• Aglaonema (Chinese Evergreen)

• Callisia spp.

• Dieffenbachia (Dumbcane)

• Epipremnum aureum (Pothos plant)

• Ficus Elastica (rubber plant)

• Ficus lyrata

• Hedera helix (English Ivy)

• Kalanchoe 

• Sansevieria (Snake plant)

• Monstera deliciosa

• Philodendron 

• Plectranthus (Swedish Ivy)

• Spathiphyllum (Peace lily)

• Tradescantia (Wandering Jew)

• Zamioculcas zamifolia

Because we cannot monitor our pets 24 hours a day. Therefore, avoid placing the above-mentioned houseplants in the place where can reached by our pets easily. Besides that, we may choose others varieties of houseplant that are totally safe for our pets. Even our pets accidently biting or chewing it, it is safe for them.

The list of Houseplants Which are Pet friendly/Non-Toxic Plants

• Adiantum (Maiden Hair Fern)

• Asplenium nidus (Birdnest Fern)

• Chlorophytum comosum(spider plant)

• Dischidia

• Fittonia (Nerve Plant)

• Maranta leuconeura (Prayer Plant)

• Nephrolepis exaltata (Boston Fern)

• Peperomia

• Pilea spp (Aluminum Plant)

Using houseplants as a home decoration is the best idea for everyone to create a comfortable, practical and relaxing space at home. However, we should pay extra attention what types of the houseplant we placed and where we placed it to avoid the houseplant become a risk factor for our pets at home.