Pet-friendly plants: Houseplants of the Month for October

Lovely to look at, beautifully green and no cause for panic if your dog or cat has a nibble on them: these are ideal plants for people with pets.

Every cat and dog owner knows that plants have an irresistible appeal for pets. There isn’t a cat in the world that won’t vigorously shove something green in a pot off the windowsill in order to be able to keep an eye on what’s going on whilst lounging in the sun. And there isn’t a dog that doesn’t see a plant as a potential digging project. We can’t do anything about that, but with spider plant (Chlorophytum), umbrella plant (Cyperus), cat grass (Hordeum), elephant’s foot (Beaucarnea) or bamboo (Banbusa) you can at least be sure that they won’t suffer any ill effects. And they’re also attractive to look at, even if you don’t have a pet.

The worst that can happen with these plants is that your furry friend 🐶 / 😻 / 🐰 / 🐦  finds it a little too tasty

Introducing…
Spider plant Long wide pale green leaves with white stripes amongst which new ‘babies’ constantly emerge.
Umbrella plant Tall stems topped with a crown that is reminiscent of a parasol or umbrella.
Elephant’s foot Sturdy trunk crowned by a cheerful curly top of narrow green strips
Bamboo Green leaves grow sideways out of sturdy trunks with a broad crown at the top.
Cat grass Fresh green and soft, this is extremely decorative roughage for your cat #hairball

Bamboo’s study trunk can also serve as a scratching post for a 😻

Multicultural and safe
The selection of Pet-friendly plants has an international background. The spider plant originates from southern Africa. Elephant’s foot grows wild in Texas, California and Mexico where can reach a height of 5 to 6 metres. The umbrella plant grows on the banks of the Nile in Egypt. Bamboo originates from China, and cat grass is actually barley from the Middle East.

Go Green!

• All Pet-friendly plants likes a light spot, but not in full sun.
• The plants like to drink, so do not allow the soil to dry out.
• A bit of plant food once a month keeps them strong and healthy.
• If your pet has developed an excessively close bond with the plant, damaged leaves can be cut away. Your green friend will produce new ones of its own accord.

 😻 usually find cat grass so irresistible that they leave other plants alone.

How to display them
All Pet-friendly plants will benefit from a sturdy pot so that they’d don’t topple over too quickly when prodded by an inquisitive nose. Spider plants look best as a hanging plant: if you’re placing it on a shelf a heavier pot is also advisable. Because all the Pet-friendly plants are green, they can benefit from some livening up with their container, such as pots in cheerful colours, with eye-catching reliefs or attractive patterns.

For more information see: www.thejoyofplants.co.uk

Published on: 20 September 2018