3 February 2026
Love Flowers, Love Pets Too - Choosing Pet-friendly Cut Flowers
The first month of 2026 has gone - are we surprised how fast time passes? The year greets us with exciting events coming ahead, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, as well as Lunar New Year to those who celebrate. What is better than complementing the joy with flowers? Gifting someone heartfelt bouquets, vase arrangements, rose boxes… is the best idea. The last thing we want to see, though, is our house pets suffering from illnesses when they are in contact with botanical materials that are toxic to them. How to avoid? Keep reading!
What Cut Flowers are Toxic to Common House Pets?
While there is a wide range of house pets that we can choose to keep, we can all agree that dogs and cats are topping the list. We have put together some pictures from various sources to keep our readers informed about what cut flowers or plants to avoid.
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NC State University - Veterinary Medicine News
Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
In Doubts? Look It Up!
Of course, there are heaps of other botanical species that are not yet gone through. That is the beauty of nature - she has provided us with almost inexhaustible varieties. When in doubts, look it up, especially with the help of AI. Look for the source of information to have more comprehensive, thorough knowledge to ensure our furry babies are in good hands. They all deserve a safe home!
SAFE to pets:
- roses (mind the thorns; florists do clean up the thorns when they condition the flowers)
- gerbera daisies (bright colours, lasting, with mini and regular size)
- sunflowers (mood-boosting; no objection accepted!)
- common orchids you can find at a florist; Cymbidium , Dendrobrium (Singapore orchids), Oncidium (dancing lady orchids) and Phalaenopsis sp. (moth orchids).
- snapdragons (vertical flowers come with a range of colours)
- freesias (beautifully scented)
- limonium / misty / statice
- Lisianthus (one of Rikka’s favourite xo)
- waxflowers (common winter flowers in Australia)
- stocks
- calendula
- zinnias (very common summer flowers!)
- corn flowers (love the blue!)
- baby'‘s breath (or gypsophelia)
- veronica
- asters
- herbs like rosemary, chamomile etc
AVOID these flowers to save the trips to the vet:
- All true lilies - Lilium and Hemerocallis (fatal to cats as they cause kidney failure; some resources also suggest avoiding for dogs too, although they are not as toxic to them as to cats.)
- Lily of the valley - toxic in general
- daffodils
- chrysanthemums (including disbuds, spider etc)
- irises
-hyacinths
- peonies
- sweet peas
- carnations
- ranunculi
- poppies
- peonies
- tulips
- hydrangeas
- eucalyptus (gum leaves)
The list includes flowers that are only toxic when ingested (v.s. true lilies, in which leaves, petals or even pollens are toxic). However, better safe than sorry - In Rikka’s pet-friendly bouquets, you won’t be able to find any of the above flowers, so they are safe to be sent to households with pets.
What if you really want to send bouquets with the above flower types (I know, we want BOTH favourite flowers and happy pets)? Consider sending them to the recipient’s office or workplace. We deliver to most parts of south-east Melbourne.
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