Common houseplants ‘highly toxic’ to pets

According to an expert, there are certain houseplants which can be toxic to pets and are best avoided if you have cats and dogs inside the home. Anna Waterfield, Founder of Plant Pet Club, an indoor plant subscription box brand, told Express.co.uk: ‘We love our pets, and it’s our job to protect them. So be mindful next time you impulsively pick up Instagram trending houseplants in the supermarket labelled ‘indoor plant’. Many of the most common houseplants are considered toxic to both cats and dogs.’According to the expert, this includes the popular peace lily, Swiss cheese plant and snake plant as well as dracaenas.Peace lilies are mildly poisonous to cats, although the compounds they contain are fortunately not as toxic as those of true lilies.When a cat chews or bites into the leaves or stems, the crystals are released and can cause injury by penetrating the animal’s tissue.Although gorgeous, the Swiss cheese plant can cause symptoms including irritation of the mouth, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.READ MORE: Simple remedies to prevent black mould around windows There are several pet-friendly houseplants on the market (Image: Plant Pet Club/Getty)Similarly, the snake plant is often picked due to its low maintenance needs, but it should be kept out of the home if you have pets.Snake plants contain chemical compounds called saponins, which can result in feline nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea if consumed or chewed.The expert continued: ‘Some of us have pets at home that pay plants no interest at all. I am a lucky owner of two 15 year old cats and a toddler, who manage to navigate our dangerous household unharmed.’But if your curious critter nibbles on just about anything, you need to understand what plant toxicity is and how to minimise the risk.DON’T MISS:Homes Under the Hammer buyer adds £220,000 value with £60k [VIDEO]Experts share method to grow Japanese maples now [COMMENT]’Avoid’ towels smelling damp with 3p trick [EXPLAINER] The expert recommended the Areca palm, a striking plant covered with stinky purple hairs (Image: Plant Pet Club) Houseplants need watering when the top couple of inches of soil are dry (Image: EXPRESS)The plant expert said: ‘This prayer plant brings elegance to the prayer plant party. The signature green and red foliage of the plant will close at night and open again to greet the new day.’The peperomia hope, also known as the trailing jade, is a great option for those with pets or children in the home.According to Anna, it’s historically believed that the plant brings some good luck to the homeowner, hence the other name, dollar plant.’With glowing succulent leaves and soft stems, it is one of the easiest houseplants to grow in apartments due to their compact nature.’