Flowers & Pets: A beautiful mix, but best kept apart

While flowers add grace and joy to a room, they’re not designed for nibbling - by pets or by people. Most cut flowers are grown with fertilizers, pesticides, and preservatives. These help them look flawless in your home, but make them far from edible. So, whether it’s a curious cat or a well-meaning dog, sharing blooms as a snack is never a good idea.

Highly Toxic Flowers

These blooms can cause serious reactions in pets and should be kept well out of reach:

  • Lilies – especially dangerous for cats; even pollen or vase water can be fatal.

  • Delphinium – beautiful but highly toxic to both cats and dogs. Even small amounts can cause vomiting, tremors, and in severe cases, heart problems.

  • Daffodils – bulbs are the worst offenders, causing vomiting, tremors, or worse.

  • Tulips – the bulbs again hold the strongest toxins, but leaves and stems aren’t safe either.

  • Hyacinth – the bulbs are the most dangerous part, containing concentrated toxins that can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, and even tremors if ingested. Leaves and flowers are less toxic but still irritating. Pets who dig into pots or arrangements with bulbs are at the highest risk.


Less Toxic (But Still Not Safe)

These may not be as dangerous, but they can still cause stomach upset or other issues:

  • Chrysanthemums – can trigger drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea.

  • Hydrangea – mild toxicity, but unpleasant effects if chewed.

  • Amaryllis – often seen around the holidays, and never a good idea for pets to snack on.

  • Peonies – less toxic, but still not pet-friendly. They contain paeonol (mainly in the bark), which can upset stomachs if chewed. So while they’re a spring favorite, they’re not safe as a chew toy.


A Gentle Reminder

The truth is, no flower belongs in your pet’s mouth - whether mildly irritating or extremely toxic. Your bouquet belongs in a vase, admired from a safe distance.

As much as we adore the idea of pets and flowers in the same frame, it’s the responsibility of every customer to enjoy blooms wisely. Place arrangements high, keep curious noses away, and let flowers remain what they were meant to be: a luxury for your eyes, not a snack for your pets.