For some pet owners, hanging plants in baskets is not always enough to keep animals safe from eating them. Trailing plants such as epipremnum aureum and philodendron are beautiful and easy to care for, but toxic to cats and dogs if their vines hang down to nibbling height. Luckily, there are options for non-toxic trailing plants you can grow at home without worrying about fallen leaves or hanging vines making your animals sick. Here are some suggestions to consider:
Hoyas are also called wax plants because of their thick, glossy leaves. There are dozens of species of hoya and most of them have trailing or climbing growth patterns. The hoya carnosa is the most commonly grown as a houseplant, both in its regular form and the various multi-colored cultivars. These vines are vigorous growers and well-loved for their ease of care and resistance to pests. They're also completely safe for pets, so you can let them trail from their planters without fear of making your animals sick.
String of hearts is a unique trailing plant perfect for pet owners. As the name suggests, this plant has heart-shaped leaves growing on delicate vines. While it won't climb on its own, it makes a great plant to train up onto a decorative trellis. Otherwise, the plant grows best when allowed to hang down from its container. String of hearts have care needs similar to succulents: water infrequently and provide plenty of bright light.
The peperomia genus contains a wide variety of favorite houseplants, all of which are safe for pets. While most have an upright or bushy growth habit, the peperomia hope is a vibrant trailing plant you can hang from baskets or allow to cascade over a shelf. Peperomia like moist soil but are very prone to root rot. Therefore, it's essential to water carefully and not plant them in too large a container. Peperomia hope's small, rich green leaves make a cheerful and easy-growing addition to your home without putting your pets at risk.
Aryn Hellmund is an Austin native and graduate of Westlake High School. Growing up as the child of a realtor exposed her to Austin’s residential real estate scene early in her life and today she still finds herself bouncing marketing ideas off of her mom.
Aryn holds a GRI* designation and brings all of her experience and valuable skills to COMPASS RE || Austin Residential Group. Working with Heather Hudson and a dedicated team of realtors who work together seamlessly to always exceed their clients’ expectations.
Although she feels comfortable assisting clients in many areas of Austin, Aryn is especially familiar with her old Westlake neighborhoods of Rob Roy, Lost Creek, Rollingwood, Thousand Oaks and Commons Ford. In addition, she has lived in and is familiar with Barton Creek, Tarrytown, Pemberton, Circle C, Northwest Hills and now lives in Southwest Austin near Bee Cave, Spanish Oaks, and Lake Travis.