Best Pet-Safe Plants

Non-toxic picks for gardens shared with curious dogs and cats.

40 plants, every one native to North America, routinely available from nurseries, and photographed. Grouped from the largest structure down, so you can plan a whole bed rather than pick one plant. Traits are quoted from USDA PLANTS, never estimated — how we source this. The Plant Finder searches the full catalogue, including plants that miss this bar.

1. 
   'ohi'a lehua Metrosideros polymorphaZone 9+ · full sun · 65 ft · native
2. 
   American basswood Tilia americanaZone 2+ · shade · 100 ft · native
3. 
   American beech Fagus grandifoliaZone 2+ · shade · 80 ft · native
4. 
   American elm Ulmus americanaZone 2+ · part shade · 120 ft · native
5. 
   American holly Ilex opacaZone 5+ · shade · 40 ft · native
6. 
   American hornbeam Carpinus carolinianaZone 3+ · shade · 30 ft · native
7. 
   American mountain ash Sorbus americanaZone 3+ · part shade · 40 ft · native
8. 
   American sycamore Platanus occidentalisZone 3+ · part shade · 100 ft · native
9. 
   American witchhazel Hamamelis virginianaZone 4+ · part shade · 20 ft · native
10. 
    Antilles calophyllum Calophyllum antillanumZone 10+ · part shade · 65 ft · native
11. 
    arborvitae Thuja occidentalisZone 3+ · part shade · 50 ft · native
12. 
    Arizona cypress Hesperocyparis arizonicaZone 4+ · shade · 50 ft · native
13. 
    Arizona sycamore Platanus wrightiiZone 6+ · full sun · 80 ft · native
14. 
    Arnold hawthorn Crataegus ×anomalaZone 2+ · full sun · 30 ft · native
15. 
    arroyo willow Salix lasiolepisZone 7+ · full sun · 35 ft · native
16. 
    Atlantic white cedar Chamaecyparis thyoidesZone 3+ · part shade · 50 ft · native
17. 
    bald cypress Taxodium distichumZone 5+ · part shade · 130 ft · native
18. 
    balsam fir Abies balsameaZone 2+ · shade · 60 ft · native
19. 
    balsam poplar Populus balsamiferaZone 1+ · full sun · 80 ft · native
20. 
    beach pine Pinus contortaZone 4+ · full sun · 50 ft · native
21. 
    bigcone Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga macrocarpaZone 5+ · full sun · 75 ft · native
22. 
    bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentataZone 2+ · full sun · 65 ft · native
23. 
    bigtooth maple Acer grandidentatumZone 3+ · part shade · 38 ft · native
24. 
    bitternut hickory Carya cordiformisZone 2+ · full sun · 75 ft · native
25. 
    black ash Fraxinus nigraZone 2+ · full sun · 65 ft · native
26. 
    black locust Robinia pseudoacaciaZone 3+ · full sun · 60 ft · native
27. 
    black oak Quercus velutinaZone 4+ · part shade · 80 ft · native
28. 
    black spruce Picea marianaZone 1+ · shade · 65 ft · native
29. 
    black willow Salix nigraZone 1+ · full sun · 100 ft · native
30. 
    blackgum Nyssa sylvaticaZone 5+ · shade · 95 ft · native
31. 
    blackjack oak Quercus marilandicaZone 5+ · full sun · 25 ft · native
32. 
    blue spruce Picea pungensZone 3+ · part shade · 75 ft · native
33. 
    boxelder Acer negundoZone 2+ · shade · 60 ft · native
34. 
    bristlecone pine Pinus aristataZone 3+ · full sun · 40 ft · native
35. 
    California wax myrtle Morella californicaZone 9+ · full sun · 33 ft · native
36. 
    Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensisZone 3+ · part shade · 23 ft · native
37. 
    Carolina ash Fraxinus carolinianaZone 7+ · shade · 39 ft · native
38. 
    cedar elm Ulmus crassifoliaZone 6+ · part shade · 90 ft · native
39. 
    Chamisso's manfern Cibotium chamissoiZone 11+ · part shade · 10 ft · native
40. 
    chinquapin Castanea pumilaZone 5+ · part shade · 20 ft · native

Every plant here is drawn from the USDA PLANTS database; the traits behind this list are quoted from it, not estimated. See data & sources.

Want plants matched to your exact zone and conditions? Use the Plant Finder.