It’s winter and we’re spending more time indoors, so I wanted to buy some new plants to liven up my apartment and keep the air fresh. Finding plants that are safe for my cats was a lot more work than I expected! Many common houseplants are toxic to our pets. So, I’m writing this post on how to select plants that are safe for your dogs and cats. Research from the NASA Clean Air Study and Dr. B.C. Wolverton name certain plants that naturally remove toxic agents such as benzene and formaldehyde from the air.  I cross-referenced this data with the ASPCA's (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) database of plants that are non-toxic to dogs and cats to come up with my recommendations: 1. Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) 2. Bamboo Palm a.k.a. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)Here's my kitty checking out my new purchase 3. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis') 4. Dendrobium Orchids such as the Pink Rock Orchid (Dendrobium spp.)

While these plants do not purify the air as much as those mentioned earlier, they look great and are pet safe! I was able to find this at a home improvement store. Other Pet Safe plants include: Alyssum, Bachelors Buttons, Blue Echeveria, Burro's Tail or Lamb's Tail, Celosia Plumosa, Christmas Cactus, Cliff Brake, Common Snapdragon, Easter Daisy, Hens and Chickens, Orchids, Pearl Plant and Roses. The ASPCA suggests that even if plants are non-toxic, you should not allow your pets to chew on them, because they may cause some mild illnesses. The ASPCA lists Spider Plants as non-toxic for both dogs and cats. But, the Spider Plant attracts cats in part because it is mildly hallucinogenic. Because cats are more likely to play with the plant, they’re more likely to eat it and, therefore, suffer from an upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea.  So, I recommend that you avoid Spider Plants if you have a cat. You might be surprised to learn that common plants such as Aloe Vera, Azalea/Rhododendron, Baby’s Breath, Begonia, Chrysanthemum/Daisy, English Ivy, Lily of the Valley, and Tulips are toxic to dogs and cats.

Furthermore, Lilies are toxic to cats (not dogs). The ASPCA provides a list of the 17 most common household plants that are toxic to pets and UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine provides a list of plants most responsible for their vet visits. Clockwise From Left: Lily of the Valley, Chrysanthemum/Daisy, Tulips, and English Ivy. What to do if your pet eats a toxic plant If you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous, contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. I hope you liked the post.  Over the years there has been quite a bit of debate about whether houseplants really can filter indoor air by removing toxins and particles. NASA tests in a spacecraft packed with plants showed markedly better air, but proving that plants are efficient filters in other situations hasn’t been so easy. But houseplants can’t hurt. Not only might they take out some of the air pollution, but some think they may offer some protection against electromagnetic radiation.

But which houseplants should you pick? The New Ecologist made a list of the top 10 anti-pollutant houseplants. They rate the best as: Bringing a bit of nature indoors with houseplants is an excellent idea, both for your physical and emotional health. Honda Frv Leather Seat CoversLiving closer to nature can actually help you to live longer, and hospital patients who have a view of nature recover from illness and surgery more quickly than those who don’t.Hoover Steam Cleaner Comparison It was NASA, along with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA), that conducted the classic study on the benefits of plants on indoor air, and they reported that houseplants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours. Puppies For Sale In Buckley

They recommended using 15 to 18 “good-sized” houseplants in 6 to 8 inch diameter containers for an 1,800 square-foot house. NASA at Stennis Space Center has also constructed a BioHome that uses bioregenerative technology with the ultimate goal of providing a life support system for permanent human habitation of space. And inside the structure are common houseplants, which NASA says “serve as living air purifiers” to “absorb chemical pollutants resulting from synthetic materials in the living area.” If houseplants are capable of cleansing air in the BioHome, imagine what they can do in your home! Why Should You Be Concerned About Your Indoor Air Quality? NASA has concerns about indoor air quality for obvious reasons, but you and your family also have reason to seek to improve the quality of your home and office air. Sure, walking into an office building or typical home will probably not make you immediately sick, but over time your body will absorb any number of potentially toxic substances that exist freely in the air.

Indoor air can be up to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air, and some other potential toxic vapors that can contaminate it, aside from those listed above, include: While a high-quality air purifier can be used to help reduce toxins in your home and office air, and I highly recommend using one at that, houseplants can act as an extra buffer against air pollutants — and they have benefits that extend beyond air quality as well! House Plants Are Good For Your Health And Well-Being It really is amazing how large an impact a few potted plants can have. Here are just some of the benefits that houseplants can bring to your life: Adding a few houseplants to your home and office is truly a simple way to bring more natural, aesthetically pleasing and healthy materials into your living space. If you’d like a few ideas to get you started, How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office is a great reference. Just remember that some houseplants are poisonous, so do your homework before buying — especially if you have children or pets in your home.