Pet owners choosing houseplants need to be aware of which ones are safe for their animals. Some popular choices, including the spider plant and Boston fern, are non-toxic to pets and easy to care for, making them great options for households with cats or dogs.
Many of these plants also have air-purifying qualities, helping to remove toxins. Others such as the Venus flytrap add flair to home decor while requiring minimal maintenance.
Here are some of the pet-safe plants that can be found in the UAE.
Spider plant
Named after their arachnid-like appearance, spider plants are easy to grow because of their resilience. However, they can be sensitive to fluoride in tap water, which turns the tips of their leaves brown. They are considered low-maintenance and can thrive indoors or outdoors with minimal care. The spider plant is a symbol of prosperity and good fortune across various cultures.
Areca palm
Also known as the yellow palm or cane palm, this perennial tropical plant can grow tall (six to 12 metres) and wide (three to five metres). It is one of the few palms that tolerates trimming, making it possible to keep the mature plant indoors for up to 10 years. Palms thrive in direct sunlight and partially shaded areas.
Bougainvillea
The flowering plant is known for its coloured papery bracts in vibrant shades of pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white or yellow, which surround its small, inconspicuous white flower. The plant needs full sun for optimal flowering.
Money tree
Known for its lush green leaves and air-purifying qualities, the money tree is an easy-to-grow and low-maintenance plant believed to bring prosperity and good fortune. It thrives best in direct sunlight, although the UAE’s midday sun may be too much as the intense heat can scorch the leaves and cause the plant to droop.
Orchids
There are several different types of orchids, and the most popular is the moth orchid. Known for their colourful and fragrant blooms, they are usually viewed as a symbol of love, beauty and strength. Orchids are versatile and can thrive in a variety of settings. Easy to grow and take care of, they need average levels of water and should be placed on a bright windowsill facing east or west while avoiding direct sunlight.
Parlour palm
Thriving in tropical or indoor conditions, the slow-growing plant needs bright but indirect sunlight and requires regular watering. Parlour palms can reach one metre in height, but typically grow to around 30cm. They have slim, green stems that are topped with feather-like fronds. The plant also has air-purifying benefits.
Venus flytrap
The carnivorous plant is relatively low-maintenance. It stays happy by getting at least four hours of direct sunlight and needs to be watered with distilled water. The plant catches its prey (mostly insects and spiders) with a jaw-like clamp that is triggered by movement on its leaves. Venus flytraps can take three to five days to digest food and can go months between meals.
Boston fern
The Boston fern is an easy-to-care-for fern known for its arching, emerald green fronds. They need bright, indirect light and should be watered consistently to stay moist. They prefer warm temperatures and high humidity. Boston ferns help air purification and humidity, which is said to improve mood and reduce stress.
African violets
The popular houseplants are known for their colourful blooms, which range from white to purple, and attractive foliage. They do well in average house temperatures and bright, indirect light. They symbolise devotion and commitment.
Hoya kerrii
Also known as the sweetheart plant because of its thick, heart-shaped leaves, the Hoya kerrii is often given as a token of love. It produces small star-shaped flowers that sometimes have a faint sweet smell. It is low-maintenance, slow-growing, requires lots of sun but only needs to be watered every few weeks.
Race card
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
9.50pm: Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm: Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
More from Aya Iskandarani
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
if you go
The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Rally schedule:
Saturday: Super Special Spectator Stage – Yas Marina Circuit – start 3.30pm.
Sunday: Yas Marina Circuit Stage 1 (276.01km)
Monday: Nissan Stage 2 (287.92km)
Tuesday: Al Ain Water Stage 3 (281.38km)
Wednesday: ADNOC Stage 4 (244.49km)
Thursday: Abu Dhabi Aviation Stage 5 (218.57km) Finish: Yas Marina Circuit – 4.30pm.
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Britain's travel restrictions
- A negative test 2 days before flying
- Complete passenger locator form
- Book a post-arrival PCR test
- Double-vaccinated must self-isolate
- 11 countries on red list quarantine
UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
PRISCILLA
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Scoreline
Arsenal 3
Aubameyang (28'), Welbeck (38', 81')
Red cards: El Neny (90' 3)
Southampton 2
Long (17'), Austin (73')
Red cards: Stephens (90' 2)
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
