Ferns have been popular houseplants for decades. Despite their reputation for being picky about indoor conditions, ferns are easy to care for when given the right conditions. A great advantage to many ferns is their lack of toxicity, making them safe for households with pets. If you're interested in growing ferns at home, varieties like the bird's nest fern are perfect additions to your houseplant collection. Here are some other pet-safe ferns to consider:
Boston Fern
Boston ferns are an iconic houseplant found in homes around the world. These round, bushy plants are perfect for hanging baskets or tall pedestals. They prefer bright light and warm temperatures, and grow quickly when given the perfect conditions. Boston ferns make great plants for pet owners because while their long, feathery fronds might be tempting for animals to chew on, they're completely non-toxic.
Maidenhair Fern
Maidenhair ferns produce fluffy mounds of delicate leaves. While they don't require much light, they are more picky than other ferns about humidity, and will get crispy and brown if it's too dry. Maidenhair ferns are great candidates for bathrooms with moderate light, or with a nearby humidifier to keep the air moist. Tiny versions of this plant are popular picks for terrariums due to their high-humidity demands, but no matter where you grow them at home, they pose zero risk to your pets.
Crocodile Fern
Crocodile ferns offer vivid color and striking texture to a home environment. Their leaf pattern and texture is what inspired their name, resembling reptile scales. These ferns like to have evenly moist soil and indirect light but are more forgiving than some other ferns with humidity. Crocodile ferns can grow very large indoors if given the perfect conditions, some reaching five feet in height and diameter. If a pet decides to take a bite of this fern, you don't need to worry about their health. While ingesting an entire leaf might cause intestinal distress, the plant is completely non-toxic and safe to grow around animals.
About the Author
Linda Cappello, Broker, GRI, ABR
Linda A. Cappello, Owner/Broker of Cappello Realty Shoreline Properties. Cappello Realty is a full service boutique Real Estate firm that specializes in 06855 - East Norwalk, and services all of Norwalk and Fairfield County, CT. Linda has been in the Real Estate business for 20+ years, spending 18 of them as a Owner/Broker. Being a Broker adds a lot responsibility to her job. She is responsible for overseeing every transaction and agent in the office. This is a challenge that she looks forward to and takes very seriously. She is constantly taking continuing education classes and attending seminars to keep abreast of the ever changing market as well as the industry standards, rules and regulations.
She is a native to East Norwalk, and has an in-depth knowledge of the city that she loves, as well as the intricacies of the many unique neighborhoods and areas that Norwalk offers. Linda offers her clients a network of professionals ranging from Attorneys, Mortgage Brokers, Home Stagers and Home Inspectors to any and all pros that you may need for a successful transaction and for the convenience of her clients.
"My job doesn't end at the closing table. It goes far beyond that, keeping in touch and staying friends who refer their family and friends. A lot of my business is referral business which is the greatest accomplishment and honor of all. Earning my clients trust."
