Calathea
Calathea spp. (Marantaceae)
Cats and dogs
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Not expected to poison cats or dogs. Eating any plant can still cause vomiting or an upset stomach, so keep it out of reach of chewers.
Source: ASPCA entry "Calathea", checked October 3, 2026.
Light
- Low light 3+ mol Copes
- Medium light 6+ mol Best
- Bright indirect 10+ mol
- Direct sun 12+ mol
Calatheas (now mostly classed as Goeppertia) want indirect, medium light and can manage in fairly low light; keep them out of direct sun. The peacock plant is described as liking bright indirect light or partial shade.
Direct sun: best kept out of it.
On our scale it grows well from about 6 mol/m²/day and holds on down to roughly 0.5 (how these numbers are set).
Care
Care level: Demanding. Water: Keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy, ideally using distilled or rain water since tap water can brown the leaves.
They need warmth and high humidity; a pebble tray or humidifier helps.
More pet-safe plants for similar light
- Guzmania bromeliad medium light
- Kentia palm medium light
- Prayer plant medium light
- Ripple peperomia medium light
- Aluminum plant (Pilea cadierei) bright indirect light
- Baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia) bright indirect light