List of Non-Toxic House Plants

For households with small children and pets, it is important to keep non-toxic houseplants in case the kids or the dog become curious and chew off a leaf. While many houseplants are beautiful and help keep the air in the house clean, they can create digestive disorders and serious reactions when ingested.

Ivy

A wide range of ivy exists, some of which is harmful when eaten--but a number of non-toxic ivy plants are harmless and still provide a beautiful trail of green leaves popular in decorating. With ivy in the house such as the Wandering Jew and Swedish Ivy, homeowners won't have to worry about pets and children putting them in their mouths.

Ferns

Ferns are popular houseplants that tend to grow long and often are difficult to keep out of reach as children begin walking. Cats enjoy playing with hanging ferns, and while you may not want your cat batting the leaves around, you don't have to worry about poisoning the feline with ferns such as the Holly Fern or the Boston Fern, report doctors at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The Staghorn Fern, with its fuzzy, antler-shaped leaves, and the Australian Sword Fern are other houseplants that are safe to keep around pets and children.

Spider

The Spider Plant is a popular household plant that often attracts children and pets, especially when it sprouts new babies that just dangle in the air, waiting to be picked by curious little hands. The Spider Plant is easy to grow indoors and when the kids do pull off a new shoot, the shoot can easily be potted to create a new plant.

Palms

Palms are excellent sources of air purification and are non-toxic to animals and humans, report pet consultants at Green Pets Eco Living. Palms can grow really large or can be maintained in smaller containers. Some of the best palms to grow indoors to purify the air of carbon dioxide and other pollutants include the Dwarf Date Palm, the Cane Palm and the Bamboo Palm.

Decorative

Many flowering plants carry dangerous toxins in both the stems and the flowers. For those who like occasional color and are looking for non-toxic flowering plants, some good choices include the African Violet and the Christmas Cactus, both of which produce buds once or twice a year. The Ti Plant, or Pink Sister, and the Coleus Plant do not flower but produce beautiful colors in their leaves. Other non-toxic plants used for indoor décor include the Yucca Plant, China Doll and Dracaena.