Popular indoor non-toxic houseplants that clean the air and add to any decor.
Does this sound familiar? “Ughh, someone got me another house plant and I am not good at taking care of them?” or “I really want to try adding some indoor plants to my home, but where would I even begin?” or even “ What if my kids or cats get into it? What are some non-toxic houseplants?” If you answered yes, then you are in the right place!
I completely understand where you are at and don’t worry. It isn’t as bad as you think. In fact, this post is written especially for you!
We will go through every step of selecting and caring for indoor plants, and some awesome ideas for how to display them! Sound good? Let’s get started!
Indoor Plants and Their Benefits
Indoor Plants and Air Quality
Did you know there is scientific evidence that plants help purify the air inside your home or office? It’s true! In addition to providing oxygen certain types of plants have been proven to help remove common household toxins from the air we breathe every day.
Check out this study from NASA https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf
And this more recent study from the University of Georgia https://news.uga.edu/some-plants-remove-indoor-pollutants/ for more details.
Houseplants are Good for You
Reconnecting with nature is widely known to be good for stress reduction, so why not bring a little nature inside the house?
Having a green space can give you a sense of well being, reduce anxiety, and make you more productive.
Get plants that are easy to care for so they don’t add stress trying to keep them alive!
Plants Add a Nice Touch to Any Decor
Pretty pots, indoor fairy gardens, and cool accessories in addition to the plants themselves are a few ways to spruce up your space.
Choose colors that match the color scheme of your room, or something to stand out.
Whatever catches your eye. You make the rules here!
Popular Non-Toxic Houseplants that are Easy to Grow and Low Maintenance
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS WE MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND PURCHASE SOMETHING (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE DETAILS.
Here’s the thing… if you have cats, dogs and/or kids in the house you will need to be careful which plants you choose. This is because children and pets are well known for putting things they shouldn’t in their mouths, and sometimes swallowing those things.
Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that because all 16 plants listed below are non-toxic for people, cats, and dogs 🙂
Keep in mind, Non-Toxic does not mean the plants are edible; Please keep plants out of reach of children and pets. The ASPCA and Poison Control are both good resources for additional information.
Did you know you can buy houseplants and all the fun stuff that goes with them on Amazon? Well, you can! (I know, I was surprised you could buy live plants from Amazon as well).
HOT SHOPPING TIP: If you are worried about the shipping costs or how long it will take to get your items, you should consider Amazon Prime. You can get a Free 30-Day Trial of Amazon Prime, and with Amazon Prime you will get 2-day shipping for free.
Aluminum Plant – Also Known as Watermelon Plant due to distinctive markings on its leaves.
- Botanical Name: Pilea cadierei
- Light: Bright Light
- Water: Keep Soil Lightly Moist, do not over-water
- Height: Up to 12 in.
Calathea (also known as the Prayer Plant)
- Botanical Name: Maranta leuconeura
- Light: Bright, Indirect Light or Fluorescent Light
- Water: Keep Soil Evenly Moist
- Height: Up to 12 in.
Cast Iron Plant
- Botanical Name: Aspidistra elatior
- Light: Low to Moderate; No Direct Sunlight
- Water: Water Thoroughly in spring and summer, but allow soil to dry out before watering. Less watering is required in the fall and winter due to slower growth.
- Height: Up to 3 ft.
Hoya (also known as the Wax Plant)
- Botanical Name: Hoya carnosa
- Light: Bright Indirect Light
- Water: Water thoroughly spring through fall, allowing the soil to dry out in between waterings. Water sparingly in winter, just enough to keep the soil from drying out completely.
- Height: Trailing Stems can grow up to 10 ft.
Parlor Palm
- Botanical Name: Chamaedorea elegans
- Light: Low to moderately bright light; will also grow under fluorescent lights.
- Water: Water thoroughly, allowing the top 2 – 3 inches of soil to dry out in between waterings.
- Height: Up to 3 – 4 ft.
Pepper Face (also known as Baby Rubber Plant)
- Botanical Name: Peperomia obtusifolia
- Light: Bright Light, but no direct sunlight.
- Water: Keep Soil Lightly Moist in spring through fall. Allow top of soil to dry out between waterings. Water sparingly in winter.
- Height: Up to 10 in.
Friendship Plant (Also known as Moon Valley)
- Botanical Name: Pilea involucrata ‘Moon Valley’
- Light: Moderate to Bright Light, but no direct sunlight.
- Water: Water thoroughly in spring through fall allowing the soil to dry a little in between waterings. Water less in winter.
- Height: Up to 12 in.
Spider Plant
- Botanical Name: Chlorophytum comosum
- Light: Bright indirect light; keep away from direct sunlight
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist.
- Height: Grows up to 1 ft. with stems trailing up to 3 ft.; Great for hanging baskets
Areca Palm (also known as Golden Butterfly Palm, Cane Palm, Golden Feather Palm, Yellow Palm)
- Botanical Name: Dypsis lutescens
- Light: Bright Indirect Light; Keep away from direct sunlight.
- Water: Water thoroughly to wet all the roots; allow soil to dry slightly between waterings.
- Height: 6 – 8 ft.
Gerber Daisy (also known as Barberton Daisy)
- Botanical Name: Gerbera jamesonii
- Light: Bright Light to Full Sun; Put near a window where it will get some direct sun.
- Water: Water thoroughly, and allow top 1 in. of soil to dry in between waterings.
- Height: Up to 2 ft.
Boston Fern
- Botanical Name: Nephrolepsis exaltata
- Light: Bright Indirect Light; Keep away from direct sunlight.
- Water: Keep soil constantly moist, but not soggy.
- Height: 1 – 3 ft
Blue Echeveria (also known as the hen and chicks)
- Botanical Name: Blue Echeveria
- Light: Bright Light with some direct sunlight.
- Water: Lightly moist soil in spring through fall; water sparingly in winter
- Height: 2 – 4 in.
African Violet
- Botanical Name: Saintpaulia hybrids
- Light: Bright Indirect Light for 10 hours a day for maximum blooms
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist, but not soggy. Water from bottom to avoid stem rot.
- Height: Up to 6 in.
Christmas Cactus
- Botanical Name: Schlumbergera bridgesii
- Light: Bright, indirect light. Keep away from direct sunlight.
- Water: Water thoroughly, and allow surface of soil to dry in between waterings.
- Height: Up to 2 ft.
Ponytail Palm (also known as elephant’s foot)
- Botanical Name: Beaucarnea recurvata
- Light: Bright Light to Full Sun.
- Water: Water thoroughly, allow soil to dry a little in between waterings. Water sparingly in winter; just enough to keep soil from completely drying out. Avoid getting water on the stem – water by the soil instead.
- Height: Slow Growing, can take up to 20 years to reach 6 ft.
If you want to know more, reference this guide to houseplants for detailed information on indoor plants (including the ones listed above). It is a good reference for your houseplants, including tips on draining, disease prevention, fixing common issues (brown leaf tips, wilting, etc.), how often to re-pot, and more. This sight is a treasure trove for plant care.
What to Do When You Get the Plants Home
DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS WE MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND PURCHASE SOMETHING (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE DETAILS.
By now you may have chosen some plants for your house (congrats! I know it’s hard!).
Let’s go over what to do next.
First, read the care instructions that come with most plants to pick the perfect place to put it based on the amount of light it will require.
Next, let’s make sure you have the materials you will need to care for your plant.
Pots:
(Read the Care Instructions that came with your plant to find out if your plant likes the soil kept evenly moist or drier).
Plastic pots dry out slowly and are ideal for indoor plants that like their soil kept evenly moist.
House plants that prefer drier soil will do better in clay pots because they allow water to evaporate, which reduces the risk of over-watering.
Terracota Pots are great for crafting as well. Easy to personalize with paint and decorations for special occasions, to match your home decor, and do fun crafts with the kids (hand and footprint art is cute).
Any pot the plant will live in should have drainage holes to allow excess water to drain out of the soil. This applies to clay, plastic, and decorative pots.
If you found the perfect decorative pot but it doesn’t have drainage holes, don’t worry. You can still use it as an outside container.
Saucers
Place a saucer under any pot to protect surfaces from excess water and soil.
Potting Soil
This is a special mix of soil designed to nurture and grow houseplants while allowing proper water drainage. Check the bag of potting soil to see if it is formulated for the type of plant you have. There may be specific formulations for certain plants. Good quality potting soil is widely available anywhere garden supplies are sold.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer promotes good health and growth of the plants. A good fertilizer can be purchased at any store that sells gardening supplies.
Secateurs / Scissors
A good pair of sharp scissors should be sufficient for trimming smaller house plants with soft stems. Secateurs are good for pruning hardier plants.
Ideas for Displaying Indoor Plants
The next question is, how do you want to display these houseplants? Do you have an idea, or need a little more inspiration?
There are so many options it can be overwhelming, and I totally get that. I could browse stores and the internet for hours when I’m doing a home project!
But, remember not to overthink this one too much. Place your plants in a room where they will receive the proper amount of light each day, and be creative with the display part of it. You really can’t go wrong here.
If you try something and then decide you don’t like it, that is okay. You can change it later. Remember, you make the rules for this one 🙂
I put together some pictures of indoor plants displayed in different ways to give you some inspiration. Browse through them to see what catches your eye, and then take all or part of the idea for your own space. Choose some fun containers and you are on your way.
Potted House Plants – Photo by Huy Phan from Pexels 
Potted Plants on White Shelves – Photo by Jennifer Chen on Unsplash 
Indoor Plants in Colorful Pots – Photo by Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels 
Hanging House Plants Photo by Mutzii on Unsplash 
Green Leaf Plants in Various Pots – Photo by Athena from Pexels 
Potted Succulents on Wooden Shelves – Photo by Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels
Enjoy your Indoor Garden
I hope you truly enjoy creating your own indoor garden with non-toxic houseplants for your home. The benefits of cleaner air, a sense of calm, and the chance to freshen up the decor of any room are some pretty good reasons to just go for it!
If you enjoyed this article please take a moment to share it with your friends via e-mail or social media. To share on social media, simply click on on the Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter symbols.
Sharing with your friends, and/or commenting below lets me know what’s interesting to you (so I can create even more awesome content for you! 🤗💖)!
Follow me on Pinterest to get even more awesome ideas!
Love this! I’ve been obsessed with indoor plants lately. I might think about getting the spider plant. Thanks!