Pets are a vital part of many people’s everyday lives. Keeping them safe, whether indoors or outdoors, sometimes involves creative solutions for your curious pets who may like to chew and sample plants. Gardening with animals requires careful plant selection, so before incorporating a new plant, make sure it isn’t harmful to your pet. To get you started, here are a few pet-friendly desert plants you can use and ones to avoid or take extra precaution.
Pet-friendly plants:
- Creosote (Larrea tridentata)
- Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera)
- Zebra plant (Haworthia)
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
- Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
- Petunia
- Spider plant (Chlorophytum)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- Texas sage (Leucophylum)
- Black dalea (Dalea frutescens)
- Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)
- Yellow bells (Tecoma stans)
- Queen’s wreath (Antigonon leptopus)
- Chuparosa (Justicia californica)
- San Marcos Hibiscus (Gossypium harknessii)
- Fairy dusters (Calliandra)
Plants to avoid or take extra precaution:
- Sago palm (Cycas revoluta)
- Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)
- Aloe vera
- Red bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
- Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
- Desert rose (Adenium obesum)
- Pothos (Epipremnum )
- Snake plant (Sansevieria )
- Lantana (Lantana )
- Oleander (Nerium oleander)
- Texas mountain laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum)
- Firesticks (Euphorbia tirucalli)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
And don’t forget to check two Desert Landscape School courses — Desert Plant Palette and Planting and Maintenance — online to assist you on how to create a pet-friendly landscape. Onsite classes will resume in September, stay tuned
