You know the person. They talk about their cat's opinions on the couch, their dog's feelings about the mail carrier, and they have quietly stopped buying plants because one of the pets once took a bite out of a leaf. A plant gift for that person has to clear one bar before anything else: it has to be safe for the animals who live there.
That is the whole idea behind this list. Every pick below is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA (with one honest caveat on the staghorn fern, which we flag where it comes up), and each one comes with the practical stuff a good gift needs: how hard it is to keep alive, and which kind of person it suits.
Why pet safety comes first when you give a plant
Plenty of popular gift plants, including pothos, philodendron and peace lily, can irritate a pet's mouth and stomach if chewed. That is fine in a home with no animals and a real problem in one with a curious kitten. When the recipient is a pet owner, a safe plant is not a nice extra. It is the gift working as intended.
One note before the list: non-toxic does not mean a plant is a snack. A cat that eats a lot of any leafy plant can still end up with an upset stomach, so placement still matters. If you want ideas for putting safe plants where animals can reach them without worry, our pet-safe shelf styling guide walks through a full shelf. You can also browse the whole pet friendly plants collection if you want more options than six.
Not sure which one fits them?
If you are shopping for someone whose light and space you can only guess at, take our 1 minute quiz, Find the Perfect Plant for your Space. Answer a few questions about light, space and pets, then use the result as your shortlist.
Six pet-safe plant gifts, and who each one suits
Parlor Palm
The classic safe floor plant, and about as forgiving as a plant gets. It tolerates lower light, shrugs off the occasional missed watering, and looks like a tiny indoor palm tree. Best for a first-time plant owner or anyone with a dim living room. Starts at $12.99.
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Pilea Peperomioides, the Chinese Money Plant
Round, coin-shaped leaves on a compact, tidy plant, and a good one for people who like to share, since it throws off baby plants you can pass along to friends. Non-toxic, easy, and happy in bright indirect light. Best for the friend with a sunny shelf and a love of tiny details. Starts at $19.99.
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Peperomia Watermelon
Silver stripes across rounded leaves that look like the rind of a watermelon, on a small plant that stays desk size. Peperomias store water in their leaves, so a forgotten week is not a disaster. Best for the coworker or the person who needs a gift small enough to carry. Starts at $22.99.
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Maranta Red Prayer
Painted, patterned leaves that fold upward at night like hands in prayer, which makes it a conversation piece. It likes steady moisture and indirect light, so it suits someone who enjoys a small daily plant ritual. Listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. Best for the person who loves a plant with personality. Starts at $12.99.
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Staghorn Fern
A wall-mounted sculpture for the person who has run out of shelf space. It is generally reported as non-toxic, but we could not pull its ASPCA entry when we wrote this, so treat that as a soft yes and check before you gift it to a pet that chews. We went deeper on it in our staghorn fern spotlight. Best for the design lover who has everything.
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The Pet Friendly Subscription Box
The pick for the person you want to keep giving to. A new pet-safe plant arrives on a monthly schedule, so the gift does not end when the wrapping paper does. We keep this to one idea in the list because we have already broken down how plant subscriptions work in is a plant subscription worth it. Best for the plant collector in the making. Starts at $22.99.
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Plant gifts that earn something back
When you shop with us and join the rewards program, you earn Leaves points toward rewards, so a gift for a pet lover can also bring something back to you. See how Leaves rewards work.
What to leave off the gift list
It is just as useful to know what not to buy. Pothos, philodendron, monstera, snake plant, peace lily and ZZ plant are all great plants, and all of them can cause mouth and stomach irritation in cats and dogs. If the person you are shopping for has a pet that samples greenery, skip those for now and save them for the friend who lives alone.
The same goes for lilies in particular, which are a serious concern for cats and are best avoided in any home with one. When in doubt, check the ASPCA's plant list for the exact species, because common names are slippery and two plants that sound alike can have very different safety records.
A final tip: tuck a small card in with the gift that lists the plant's botanical name. It makes the safety check easy for the recipient, and it shows you did your homework.
How to order a plant gift that arrives on time
Start with the person and work backward. If they are a beginner, pick the Parlor Palm or the Pilea. If they are a collector, pick the Maranta or the subscription box. If you are shopping for a household with a cat that climbs everything, put a safe plant at a height where chewing is easy to notice and easy to stop.
Then plan your timing. Plants are shipped alive, so a little buffer around any date that matters keeps things stress free. Our hostess plants guide covers the ordering window for a holiday dinner, and the same logic applies here: order earlier than you think you need to. If you are shipping in colder months, check the winter shipping option at checkout.
Every plant ships straight from the greenhouse, and our 30-Day Guarantee backs your order, so you are not gambling on a gift. If you are not sure which plant belongs with which person, browse the perfect plant gifts collection for more ideas, or start with easy care plants if the recipient is new to this.
A gift that gives back
We partner with One Tree Planted to give back through tree planting, so a plant on someone's shelf can connect to trees in the ground. Read more about the partnership.
Ready to choose? Shop pet friendly plants at plantswagshop.com or browse all plants, and if you want a second opinion, the plant quiz takes about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Are all of these plants safe for both cats and dogs?
The Parlor Palm, Pilea, Peperomia and Maranta are listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs by the ASPCA. The staghorn fern is generally reported as non-toxic, but check its ASPCA entry yourself if the pet is a chewer. Even safe plants can cause mild stomach upset if a pet eats a lot of leaf.
What is the easiest pet safe plant to give a beginner?
The Parlor Palm is the most forgiving, followed by the Pilea. Both adapt to ordinary home light and do not need fussy care.
Is the pet friendly subscription box a good first gift?
It works well for someone who already knows they like plants and wants a steady supply of pet-safe ones. For a first-time plant owner, a single plant is a lower-pressure start.
Can I send a plant gift to someone else?
Yes. Check out with the recipient's address, and place the order with a little extra time before the date that matters.
