7 Pet Safe Alternatives to Traditional Holiday Flowers

The holidays are swiftly approaching and you know what that means—it’s time to get festive.

• Poinsettias
• Mistletoe
• Holly
• Amaryllis

The holiday season + flowers + plants = just a few of our favorite things.

While we adore holiday blooms, many of them can be toxic to pets if ingested.

If you want to know how you can keep your pets safe during the holidays without sacrificing your love for festive blooms, stick with us.

We've got the top 9 pet safe holiday flowers to make sure your holiday is as jolly as ever.

7. Phalanopsis orchid

Also known as “moth orchid,” these gorgeous, graceful blooms come in a variety of colors including purple, pink, yellow, red, and white. The red and white variety, of course, make for the perfect holiday array.

The best thing about these orchids? Not only do they make a stunning and thoughtful holiday gift and brighten up an indoor space throughout the winter season, but they’ll also re-bloom with proper care (and they’re a perfect plant for beginners).

Your Phalaenopsis could bloom every six months with these tips:

• Once the final bloom has wilted or dropped, cut the browning stem down to about 3 inches in height and continue care as normal
• Feed your orchid a diluted liquid fertilizer to help promote growth and new blooms.
• Once a new leaf begins to grow, your orchid is ready to re-bloom
• Relocated your plant to a cool area (temps around 55-65 degrees F) and bright indirect sunlight
• Prep for some fresh blooms in about a month’s time!

6. Waxflower

Waxflower makes a great unconventional holiday bloom due to its rich pine-like foliage and adorable bloom clusters. You can find waxflower in many different colors including white and red.

These beauties look stunning alone in a vase or used as an accent with other fresh blooms.

Even better? Waxflower’s vase-life is nothing short of impressive. With the appropriate care, your fresh-cut waxflower can last up to three weeks.

Simply replace dirty water with fresh water every few days, and re-trim the base of the stems at an angle to ensure optimum water intake.

5. Autumn Olive

Autumn Olive, also known as Japanese silverberry, is a deciduous shrub (meaning it sheds its leaves annually) native to Asia. It’s often used as an alternative to holly (which is very toxic to children and pets) with its pretty red berries and festive green foliage.

You can also make Autumn Olive Jam from these berries (yes, they’re that edible!) It’s thick, delicious, and jam-packed full of antioxidants.

4. Achira

Also known as Indian Shot, Archia makes a perfectly pet-safe alternative to Amaryllis.

While it’s not as big, bold, and boisterous as Amaryllis, this beauty will still make a lovely addition to your holiday decor (and makes the perfect gift for the flower-loving pet owner in your life).

In fact, Archia is so safe, you can even substitute its root powder as a substitute for cornstarch.

Amaryllis, on the other hand, . It contains many toxins, including Lycorine, which causes salivation, gastrointestinal abnormalities, lethargy, and tremors in both cats and dogs.

3. Red Rose

The good news is in! Red roses aren’t just for Valentine’s Day.

The ever-so-popular holiday poinsettia is a true Christmas staple, but its sap is also incredibly toxic to dogs, cats, and even horses.

Poinsettia can irritate the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting.

Roses are a classic and safe alternative to poinsettias for both dogs and cats.

2. Gerbera Daisy

They’re sleek, elegant, big, bright, and fabulous—we’re talking about Gerbera daisies! These beauties are fun, easy to care for, come in a bunch of different colors, and perfect for any occasion.

They look stunning alone in a vase or mixed with other fresh-cut blooms. Gerbera daisies symbolize simple beauty and a very happy life—perfect for the holidays.

1. Christmas Cactus

The perfect alternative to mistletoe, Christmas Cacti are festive, beautiful, and will continue to bloom for years to come.

The Christmas Cactus, with its similar shaping, colors, and deep green foliage, looks similar to mistletoe but won’t harm your pets.

A win-win!

Mistletoe contains multiple substances that are toxic to both dogs and cats, including toxalbumin and phoratoxin viscumin (Lectins, Phoratoxins). This can cause severe intestinal upset as well as a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure, breathing problems, and even hallucinations in pets and people.

Whether your decorating your home for the holidays or looking for a pet-friendly gift, your four-legged friends will thank you (with snuggles and slobbery kisses, of course).

Wishing a safe, healthy, and happy holiday to you and yours.