15 pet-safe houseplants
Non-toxic houseplants that are safe for cats and dogs, organized by how much light you have — from dark corners to sunny windows.
Pets & Plants
Ponytail Palm
Not really a palm — a pet-safe succulent with a fun "hairdo". Loves sun and neglect.
Beaucarnea recurvata
Ponytail palms (Beaucarnea recurvata) with swollen trunks. Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Light
Ponytail Palm tolerates: bright indirect or some sun. Put it within a few feet of a window; a dark corner will make it weak and leggy.
Watering
Every 3–4 weeks. Its swollen trunk stores water.
Is ponytail palm safe for cats and dogs?
Non-toxic to cats and dogs. Source: ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
Size and humidity
Typical size indoors: 2–6 ft (60–180 cm) indoors. Humidity: not fussy at all.
Top tips
- Treat it like a cactus: sun and little water.
- Brown tips are normal with age; trim them.
- Grows slowly for years in the same pot.
Guides that mention the ponytail palm
