Landscaping, Pets, Trees

12 Dog Safe Trees and Shrubs for Your Yard

We all love our furry canine friends, but we also love having a beautiful yard to enjoy. Dog owners often wonder if planting specific trees and shrubs in their yards is safe for their dogs or if they could be harmful to them. We do everything we can to keep our pets safe: using a wireless dog fence, making sure they don’t eat certain foods, and making sure they take required medicine. In the same way, be sure to plant only trees and shrubs in your yard that are safe for your dogs.

Dogwood Trees

If you are looking for beautiful pink or white blossoms in the Springtime, dogwood trees might be a good choice for you. There are up to 60 species to choose from, so you have plenty of options. Some of the berries on some flowering species may be toxic to dogs, so make sure the species you are buying has non-toxic berries. These trees grow at a medium rate, meaning they can grow anywhere between 12 and 24 inches per year.

Crepe Myrtles

Crepe Myrtle trees may be the best options for you if you live in a hot climate. These can grow very large, but are easy to tame through regular pruning. While the colors of the flowers on these trees are beautiful, the bark adds to their stunning look and they are completely safe for your pups.

Bamboo Palm Shrubs

Despite the name, bamboo palm shrubs are actually not bamboo at all. These normally require a little bit of warmth, so if you live in a cold climate, you may want to grow these indoors instead of in your yard. There is no evidence that these are dangerous for dogs, so your dogs should be safe with these regardless where they are planted.

Polka Dot Plants

Polka dot plants may be a good choice for your yard, as they add a nice pop of pink all throughout. These normally do have small polka dots at some point, but these typically end up meshing with other dots. These plants require a lot of direct sunlight, so if you have a garden in the middle of your yard, these might be great for it. Best of all, they have been proven to be safe for dogs and other animals including horses.

Dill

First and foremost, dill can give your home and garden a great aroma while also being beneficial to health. These plants do grow quite large, so be sure to plant dill in a place where it has a lot of room. If your dogs are being troublemakers and eat your dill plants, it may actually make their breath smell better. Of course, you can also use the dill that you grow in the meals you cook.

Thyme

Thyme is another great plant to grow in your yard that can be used in cooking and plant-based medicine. Thyme does not harm dogs or other pets and requires very little maintenance as long as it regularly gets a little bit of sunlight. This is also nicknamed Garden Thyme because it makes such a great addition to anyone’s garden.

Coral Bells

Coral bells, also known as alumroot, are safe for dogs and are fun to plant because they can be unpredictable. While many of these are a coral or purple color, they can also range from bronze to shades of green. These typically bloom in the early Summer, but you can also find certain ones that bloom later in the year. If grown in containers, these need to be watered, but unless you live in a drought region, coral bells planted outside should require very little upkeep.

Honey Locust Trees

Unlike black locust trees, honey locust trees are 100% dog-safe and can make great additions to your yard. Certain cultures even use some of the chemicals in these trees to treat various ailments including pain. These trees also have the ability to grow very high, sometimes up to 100 feet! These trees like moisture-rich soil but have been known to adapt to other conditions as well.

Mulberry Trees

Mulberry trees can also grow high – up to 60 feet – and produce delicious fruits during the summer. When ripe, the berries on these trees are extremely tasty and dogs can enjoy a few of them as a snack, too, as they are good sources of vitamin C and do not spike blood sugar as much as other berries can. These trees grow best in full-sun conditions, and you should plant these at least fifteen feet away from each other, as they can grow quite large.

Hemlock Trees

Unlike many other trees, hemlock trees require more shade than sun. These typically require a lot of water and moist soil, so they may be great for your yard if you have an irrigation drip system. It is usually recommended you have a way to hold these up when they are young, too, as the roots can be unstable. They are, however, completely safe for your dogs and other pets.

Bottle Palm Trees

Perhaps the most unique-looking tree on this list, the bottle palm tree’s trunk is exactly what it sounds like – a bottle. These grow very well in Southern Florida and, unlike many other trees, fully-matured bottle palm trees typically only reach 10 feet high. These do not thrive in cold temperatures at all, and are very drought-tolerant. They are also dog-friendly and your pets will be fine around them.

Red Maple Trees

If you’re looking for year-round color, red maple trees may be for you. The stems start out as green but transition to a shade of red in the winter and can sometimes become yellow in the Fall. These can grow up to 60 feet high and are considered full sun trees, meaning they should be planted where they will get at least six to eight hours of sun a day. Bear in mind that while these trees are safe for dogs, they can be toxic to horses.

Your pet’s safety matters the most, so as long as you ensure the trees and shrubs you’re planting in your yard are dog-safe, you’re free to plant as you wish and create a beautiful, sprawling yard.

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