Mar252008
Moderncat-friendly Plants: Sansevieria
Filed under Gifts & Miscellaneous by moderncat at 10:38 pm on Mar 25 2008
I have been on the lookout for indoor plants that are modern looking, as well as safe for cats. One of my favorites is sansevieria, a sturdy plant that grows long, vertical leaves. I found it on a list of plants that are non-toxic to cats. (It is very important to make sure that your houseplants are not on the list of toxic plants.) Sansevieria (also spelled sanseveria or sanseviera) looks great in a modern interior and I’ve found that even my worst plant-chomping cat is not interested in this one.
There are many different species of sansevieria and it can be found at most nurseries, as well as at Home Depot and IKEA. (Beware! This is one of the only cat-safe plants that I’ve found at IKEA, at least in the southwestern U.S.)
I’d love to hear about other modern-looking, cat-friendly plants that you have found!
1 Jasonon 26 Mar 2008 at 10:09 am
Sansevieria is also called “mother-in-law’s tongue” or “snake plant.” They’re indestructible, they thrive on neglect, and yes — they’re perfect for a modern cat’s household.
2 Katon 26 Mar 2008 at 11:48 am
I’ve seen this plant listed on toxic and non-toxic lists for cats. I’ve avoided purchasing one in the past as I thought it better to err on the side of caution.
3 Annaon 26 Mar 2008 at 3:08 pm
We have one, too, and I love it. :c) Our cats don’t eat plants, so I’ve happily kept my Ficus bonsai tree and my Zamioculcas - which I adore. I also have African violets - wonder if they’re poisonous or not? I consider myself blessed - the only plant that has obviously been tasted was a lavender plant, which made the poor kitty drool for a couple of days. :c/
4 dawnon 26 Mar 2008 at 5:30 pm
Jason is right, they are great easy plants. Be careful not to over water as they can easily rot out. Make sure the plant has good drainage- house plants should always be planted in pots with holes for drainage and can be left in the grower’s pot for years- just place them inside a decorative pot and put dried moss on top to hide the grow pot.
There’s some really cool new varieties of Sansevieria out there these days, some even look like some kinda aloe or succulent but don’t need as much light. Bright indirect light is best for them, too much sun and they’ll turn pale and yellow. Too little light and they’ll get skinny and leggy looking.
Also check out the “Cast Iron Plant” or “Aspidistra”- another good hearty plant that tolerates low light and little water. I just bought a “Milky Way” variety that has white spots on the dark green leaves. It’s also on the non-toxic list.
If anyone needs help with plants in Los Angeles, that’s what I do for a living :).
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6 Kurt In Tampaon 22 Aug 2008 at 10:44 pm
It is on this list as being toxic to cats: http://www.cattraining.com/toxic_plant_list.htm