Pet safety
3ASPCA non-toxic look-alikes — a similar plant, safe for cats & dogs.
Arrowhead plant is listed as mildly toxic to pets to cats and dogs on the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List. Each plant below is ASPCA non-toxic and chosen to echo Arrowhead plant's look, habit, or growing conditions — tap through to its full pet-safety and care guides before you buy. Prefer to keep Arrowhead plant? See its full toxicity detail and symptoms.
Maranta is the closest swap: a bushy tropical with boldly patterned, often pink/red-veined leaves that scratches the same colourful-foliage itch as the arrowhead's pink and variegated cultivars. Verified in data: toxicity is 'pet-safe' (ASPCA lists Maranta leuconeura as non-toxic to cats and dogs).
Shared with arrowhead plant: Tropical patterned/coloured foliage; bushy compact tabletop habit; 20-30 cm size (matches a young arrowhead); medium indirect light; same decorative-houseplant use-case
Calathea is the canonical pet-safe stand-in for patterned tropical aroids, delivering even more striking decorative leaf patterns in a similar clumping bushy form. Verified in data: toxicity is 'pet-safe' (ASPCA lists Calathea as non-toxic to cats and dogs), described as one of the safest tropicals for pet households.
Shared with arrowhead plant: Tropical patterned decorative foliage; clumping bushy habit; 40-60 cm mature size (overlaps the arrowhead's 60 cm bushy form, slightly larger); medium indirect light; tabletop houseplant use
Peperomia is a forgiving compact foliage plant in the same tabletop class as a young arrowhead, with variegated and trailing cultivars that echo the look, though its glossy semi-succulent leaves lack the arrowhead's pink/arrow-shaped drama, so it reads as a habit/use-case substitute rather than a close visual twin. Verified in data: toxicity is 'pet-safe' (ASPCA lists Peperomia species as non-toxic to cats and dogs).
Shared with arrowhead plant: Compact bushy/trailing habit; 20-30 cm size (matches a young arrowhead); glossy decorative foliage with variegated cultivars; medium indirect light; desk/tabletop houseplant use
Yes. The ASPCA lists Arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum) as mildly toxic to pets to cats and dogs. ASPCA lists Syngonium podophyllum as toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalates. Chewing causes oral irritation, drooling, and rare vomiting. If you keep it, site it well out of reach; otherwise the non-toxic alternatives below give a similar look without the risk.
Prayer plant is the closest pet-safe swap — Maranta is the closest swap: a bushy tropical with boldly patterned, often pink/red-veined leaves that scratches the same colourful-foliage itch as the arrowhead's pink and variegated cultivars. Verified in data: toxicity is 'pet-safe' (ASPCA lists Maranta leuconeura as non-toxic to cats and dogs). For a full set of options, every plant on this page is ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Yes — each alternative is classified by the ASPCA as non-toxic to cats and dogs, and every one links to its full ASPCA-sourced pet-safety guide so you can confirm it before you buy. Non-toxic means it will not poison a pet, though no plant is food — large amounts of any foliage can cause mild, brief stomach upset.
Most share Arrowhead plant's light level and growth habit — that is why they read as look-alikes — but care is never identical. Each card notes the shared traits, and every alternative links to its full care guide so you can match it to your space before buying.
Remove any plant material from your pet's mouth and take the plant away, note how much was eaten and when, and do not induce vomiting unless told to. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 and follow their advice. A leaf or photo helps the vet treat it correctly.