It’s finally Spring, the time of year where we are inspired to plant beautiful gardens to bring life to our home and yard. I started to research dog FRIENDLY plants for our blog, and I noticed there was a lot of information on toxic plants, some of which we have covered in a previous blog: Common Plants That Are Harmful To Dogs. It’s great to know what plants to avoid, but I couldn’t find very much information for us Texan pup-parents on what we CAN plant. I want to provide you with the most accurate information, so I reached out to the experts on plants. Rainbow Gardens is a dog-friendly nursery with two San Antonio locations, and that’s where I met with Marshall, the store manager at their Bandera location. He brought up a great point that I wanted to mention, the plants we are suggesting below are generally non-toxic to dogs, but this is not to say that dogs or people won’t have a reaction. Please do your research through reputable sources and talk with your vet if you have a pup who likes to taste test your plants. Now, here are some safe plants for dogs!
Can you share with me a few dog friendly house plant options?
The popularity of house plants has increased over the past few years. House plants that are dog friendly would be Boston Fern, Asparagus Fern, Pony Tail Palm, Parlor Palm and Spider Plant.
What about an herb garden, what are some herbs that pup-parents can plant?
Herbs are wonderful in the garden, a few varieties of herbs that are dog-friendly would be Parsley, Oregano, Peppermint, Basil, Rosemary, Fennel, Dill and Sage.
Now talking about the landscape, if I were looking for Texas Natives that are pup-friendly, what would you suggest?
We are limited in native pup-friendly plants. A great tip to remember when researching for your dog friendly landscape is that if the plant is labeled “deer resistant”, it’s most likely going to be toxic to dogs. If the deer don’t prefer to eat it, it may not be safe to have around dogs. Dog-friendly natives would be the Prickly Pear, both the pad & fruit are safe on the Prickly Pear, and there are thorn less varieties of the Prickly Pear for you to choose. Salvia (Scarlet Sage) which would attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your landscape, and the Mesquite tree is also dog-friendly. Mesquite tree pods are not toxic but are high in fiber and can cause gastrointestinal upset if consumed in large quantities.
Visiting Rainbow Gardens with my pup was very enriching for his senses. He saw squirrels, sniffed the roses, listened to the wind chimes and was given belly rubs by their team members. I highly suggest supporting a fellow San Antonio small business for your gardening needs!
Until next week…Well Wishes and Puppy Kisses!
XOXO,
Baelyn
At Pawderosa Ranch we welcome all dogs to come play and stay with us! Each rancher is cared for by a specialized staff who understand the benefits of dog daycare and lodging and who are passionate about making Pawderosa Ranch the best dog boarding in San Antonio. We can’t wait to see your pup!
