State of Houseplant Toxicity 2026: what 5,561 species reveal

Key findings

1. 63.8% of catalogued species are harmful to pets. Of every three plants you could bring home, roughly two carry at least some toxicity risk for a cat or dog — 3,550 of 5,561 species (1,921 toxic + 1,629 mildly toxic). Only 36.2% are classified pet-safe.
2. 34.5% are directly toxic — not merely irritating. More than one in three plants in the typical nursery range is classified directly toxic to cats or dogs. This is the figure most directly grounded in ASPCA listings and genus-level rules backed by veterinary toxicology.
3. 12 of the 15 most popular houseplants are toxic. The bestseller shelf is the riskiest shelf. Monstera, pothos, snake plant, peace lily, philodendron, anthurium, dracaena, ZZ plant, fiddle leaf fig, aloe vera, jade plant and begonia are all ASPCA-grounded toxic flags. Only spider plant, calathea and prayer plant clear the bar as pet-safe.
4. 5,561 species — about 5× the ASPCA public list. Growli’s catalogue covers 5,561 species with structured toxicity classifications — roughly five times the ~1,024 entries in the ASPCA’s own public plant list (which the ASPCA itself calls "not all-inclusive"). It is one of the largest structured houseplant toxicity catalogues publicly available.

The bestseller shelf is the riskiest shelf

We checked the 15 most-kept houseplants against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists. Twelve are flagged toxic to cats and/or dogs. Only three are pet-safe.

Which plant categories carry the most risk

Grouping all 5,561 species by plant type, tropical foliage has the highest share of pet-toxic species. But a higher proportion of toxic species does not make a category more clinically dangerous — danger depends on the specific toxin, the dose and the animal’s size.

The most acutely dangerous plants for cats — true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis), sago palm (Cycas revoluta) and autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) — span multiple categories. “Toxic” in this study ranges from mild mouth irritation (calcium oxalates, most Araceae) to, in a handful of species, acute organ failure. Always confirm a specific plant against the ASPCA database before placing it in a home with pets.

The most toxic genera by species count

Genus-level league table. Each count reflects an ASPCA genus or representative-species listing applied across the species we catalogue in that genus — see the methodology note below on how genus-wide classification works.

Methodology

Growli researchers classified 5,561 plant species across three tiers — toxic, mildly toxic and pet-safe — using primary data from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database, which lists approximately 1,024 plant entries across cats, dogs and horses. Where the ASPCA lists a genus by name (e.g. “Begonia spp.”, “Dracaena spp.”), we applied that verdict across every species in our catalogue belonging to that genus — consistent with how the ASPCA itself frames genus-wide toxicity. Where the ASPCA lists only a representative species (e.g. Anthurium scherzeranum), we applied the verdict genus-wide where corroborated by NC State Extension, University of Florida/IFAS, the Pet Poison Helpline or the Merck Veterinary Manual.

Our “mildly toxic” tier is an editorial classification, not an ASPCA designation: it covers species where available evidence points to mild gastrointestinal upset rather than systemic harm. Because toxicity can vary within a plant family, genus-inferred ratings are conservative estimates, not species-confirmed verdicts. The ASPCA notes its own list “is not meant to be all-inclusive.” Species the ASPCA does not individually list should always be verified directly at aspca.org or with a veterinarian before assuming safety. The full underlying dataset is available as an open CC-BY download. Do not rely on this catalogue alone for clinical decisions.