Norfolk Island Pine
Also known as Norfolk Pine, House Pine, Australian Pine. One plant, one grade per pet — the verdicts below are transcribed from primary sources and human-reviewed.
Norfolk Island pine is non-toxic to cats (S0 Safe): the ASPCA lists Araucaria heterophylla as safe for cats, dogs, and horses with no toxic principle on record — a living holiday tree a cat can climb without a poisoning risk.
FULL VERDICT →Norfolk Island pine is non-toxic to dogs (S0 Safe): the ASPCA lists Araucaria heterophylla as safe for dogs, cats, and horses with no toxic principle on record.
FULL VERDICT →Care at a glance
When to call the vet
Seasonal: this plant comes into homes around the December holidays.
FAQ
Is a Norfolk Island pine a real pine — does this verdict cover my Christmas tree?
It is not a pine, and no, the verdict does not cover a cut Christmas tree. Norfolk Island pine is Araucaria heterophylla, a southern-hemisphere conifer in its own family, and the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses — hence S0 Safe. True pines, firs, and spruces (Pinus, Abies, Picea) are different genera, and neither the ASPCA nor Pet Poison Helpline carries a plant entry for them that we could grade, so a cut tree is ungraded on our index, not safe. This page vouches for the potted living Araucaria and nothing else.