House Grail is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
12 Hardy Plants Resistant to Dog Urine (With Pictures)
Pete Ortiz
Last updated:
Did you know there are over 48 million dogs in households in the US? This translates to an average of 1.6 dogs per home. We all love pets, especially dogs for the joy and love they bring into our homes. But, how can we have dogs at home and not worry about their urine killing our plants?
Well, the best solution in such cases is getting dog pee resistant plants. Dog urine contains high amounts of nitrogen that tends to burn the roots of some plants. Still, there are species that are quite tolerant and won’t die on you when your dog pees in the garden.
In this article, we look at plants that are resistant to dog urine. That way, you can have your lovely garden and your fur babies all living in harmony.
The Top 12 Dog Urine Resistant Plants
1. Japanese Snowball
Image Credit: Pixabay
Kicking off this list of dog pee resistant plants is the Japanese Snowball (Doublefile viburnum). The Japanese Snowball is native to Taiwan, Korea, China and Japan. This plant comes in handy when you have dogs. Here is a plant that won’t wither when its roots come into contact with the dog’s urine.
This deciduous shrub is medium size and has horizontal branches that give it an amazing shape. Perhaps its most noticeable feature is the white blooms that appear from April to May each year. It does well in parts with shade but is better off in full sun.
Note that the plant grows about 1 to 2 feet per year. It does well in well drained soil in areas with a hardiness zone of 5 to 8 (USDA). You have to water it regularly; once a week is a better option for the plant.
2. Carpet Bugleweed
Image Credit: Pixabay
Again, having dogs in your home doesn’t mean you can never have a lovely garden. Yes, some plants are affected by their urine, but not Carpet Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans). Here is a creeping plant that you can also plant for ground cover not impacted in any way by dog urine. It’s perfect when you want to fill certain spots in your garden.
Carpet Bugleweed is an evergreen plant that grows at a fast pace. It belongs to the mint family and originates from Europe. It thrives in many climates with a hardiness zone of 3 to 10 (USDA).
The best way to pinpoint Carpet Bugleweed in your garden is to check the leaves and flowers. Its leaves are green with purple-bluish flowers on it. It’s an ideal plant for a garden requiring minimal care as it smothers weeds. Plus, you can use it to control soil erosion in a sloped garden.
Coming third in this list of dog urine resistant plants is the stunning Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus mollis). You won’t have to worry about your dogs peeing in the garden when you have it among other sturdy plants. Bear’s Breeches is native to the Mediterranean and grows as a perennial herb.
The plant has about 30 different species. However, not all of them thrive in home gardens. Those that do well in a garden require more space for the wide leaves. The leaves are always a shiny green and the white flowers are held in place by purple sepals.
Bear’s Breeches require propagation of tubers to grow tough plants. They also need well-drained soil with a soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5. In terms of hardiness zones, Bear’s Breeches are most suitable in areas of 6 to 10 (USDA). It’s possible for the plant to survive winter, but not the harsher conditions of the season.
Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretea) is one more plant to add to your list of dog pee resistant plants for your garden. Instead of planting grass that easily burns when in contact with dog urine, try the silver carpet. It tends to spread fast and cover the ground, smothering any weeds that try to grow.
The plant originates from the Cape Province in South Africa. It’s a great plant to have in your garden, especially in dry conditions of 9 to 11 USDA hardiness zones. It’s a hardy plant for suitable gardens that experience frequent foot traffic. It only reaches a maximum height of 7cm and thrives even in full sun.
Adding shrubs to a garden brings out diversity and gives the space some character. That’s why you need diverse plants like the Japanese Spindle Tree (Euonymus japonica). This is a shrub whose hardy leaves don’t permit urine penetration. That’s why the plant remains green and healthy even when your dog pees on frequently.
The plant is native to China, Japan and Korea. Despite its name, it’s more of an evergreen flowering shrub that can reach heights of 26 feet. The plant thrives in full sunshine and not so much shade.
One fact to note about this plant is it’s tolerance to many climatic conditions, even hot summers needing just a little shade. It can thrive in numerous types of soils, even those heavy with water deposits. The best areas for the plant are 6 to 9 USDA hardiness zones.
If your garden has certain spots that tend to be dark or a little shady, you can plant the Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum). Not only does this plant do so well in dark areas, but it’s also not affected by dog urine.
This is a dog pee resistant plant native to the eastern parts of Asia. In these regions, it grows out of crevices in rocky areas so long as there’s some moisture in the area. It also works so well as a house plant. It has sharp-tipped serrated leaves that are evergreen.
As a hardy plant, it won’t require so much natural light to thrive inside your home. Just ensure you plant it on well-drained soil. Outside, it does well in hardiness zones of 7 to 10 (USDA) in areas with tropical climates.
Burkwoodii (Burkwood osmanthus) makes it on this list of dog-urine resistant plants for its hardiness. You can add it to the garden and never have to worry about urine withering its roots.
The plant grows quite tall and compact. It’s a perfect example of an evergreen flowering plant. Many people use it for hedging thanks to its compacting nature, but it can also work as an individual plant on a specific spot. It does better in spots with a bit of shade but can also thrive in full sun exposure.
Be ready for an aromatic scent covering your garden when this plant flowers. It produces lovely white flowers under the right climatic conditions. Burkwoodii thrives in hardiness zones of 6 to 8 (USDA). As a hardy plant, it can tolerate instances of drought and alkaline soil.
8. Rosemary
Image Credit: Pixabay
A garden is never quite complete without some amazing herbs on it. A good example is Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), which tends to be quite aromatic and can grow to become a desirable thick shrub in the garden. It’s such a favorite in many homes for cooking and even home remedies. The best part is its resistance to dog urine.
It’s an evergreen plant with needle-like leaves and tends to produce blue, white or purple flowers. Every inch of the plant including the stem and roots are useful.
Despite being found across the world, Rosemary traces its roots back to the Mediterranean region. The best place to plant it is on acidic loamy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 and is well-drained. It does well in temperate climates in hardiness zones of 8 to 9.
9. Mexican Bush Sage
Image Credit: Pixabay
Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha), native to eastern and central Mexico and is a perennial plant that’s easily confused with lavender. Though it doesn’t share the same scent, the plant does have an attractive appearance. Plus, it’s not affected in any way by dog urine.
This plant grows into a bush that spreads far and wide as long as there’s ample space. It thrives in warmer climates without much frost but sufficient sun and hardiness zones of 8 to 10 (USDA).
In late summer, you’ll start to enjoy some whitish purple flowers. Most gardeners love the Mexican Bush Sage for its ornamental value and the fact that it’s an award-winning plant.
Add it to a mixed bed with other urine-resistant plants, and you’ll enjoy a thriving garden.
10. Basil
Image By: Pixabay
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a culinary treat you can plant in your garden even when you have dogs. It’s among herbs resistant to dog urine. Many people use it to cook things with, and also for making home remedies. It’s quite flavorful, has lots of nutrients, and is good for your health.
You can find basil in many parts of the world, but it is native to Southeast Asia and Central Africa. It does well in warm weather and it even thrives as an indoor plant in an area that gets lots of natural light.
Basil also thrives outside in the garden where it receives ample sunlight. It does well in 10 to 11 hardiness zones (USDA). Under the right climatic conditions and well-drained soil, basil will grow quite fast.
The list of dog urine resistant plants continues with yet another evergreen perennial plant. The Winter Creeper (Euonymus fortune) is also fondly knows as Fortune’s Spindle. It’s a creeping plant that’s evergreen and won’t lose its color or die because of dog urine.
Winter Creeper is named after Robert Fortune, a Scottish Botanist known for his love for ornamental plants. It’s native to East Asia including parts of the Philippines, Japan, China and Korea. As lovely as this plant is, it’s also worth noting that it’s listed among invasive species.
The plant can grow quite tall under the right conditions reaching heights of 66ft (20m). It has dark-green glossy leaves and produces flowers, fruits and seeds. It can be planted in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9 in partial or full sun exposure.
12. Snow in Summer
Image By: Pixabay
Flowering plants are quite excellent for the garden and a good example is Snow in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum). This is a fantastic groundcover perennial plant that produces such a rich bloom of white flowers in summer hence the name.
The plant originates from the Alpine regions of Europe (Italy). As an herbaceous plant, it can grow to up to 30 cm tall and tends to become dense and hairy in the process. Under favorable conditions, it grows and spreads quite fast by reseeding and producing runners.
It does well in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7 and requires dry, sandy and well drained soil. Ensure the soil has a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0. The plant requires full sun exposure to bloom and can suffer when there’s frost.
While having dogs is quite a lovely experience, it can also turn into a bit of a nightmare for your garden. Some plants just don’t do well when they come into contact with the high nitrogen content in dog urine. As a result, the roots tend to wither causing the plant to die.
But, all is not lost! You can still have a lovely garden even when your dogs turn it into their pee spot. In this list are 12 excellent dog pee-resistant plants. Having a mixed garden with these plants will help you enjoy having a wonderful set up and your dogs in the same space.
Featured Image Credit: Ching Louis Liu, Shutterstock
Contents
Writer
Pete Ortiz
Pete has been working in the trades since high school, where he first developed a passion for woodworking. Over the years, he has developed a keen interest in a wide variety of DIY projects around the home. Fascinated by all sort of tools, Pete loves reading and writing about all the latest gadgets and accessories that hit the market. His other interests include astronomy, hiking, and fishing.
As the founder of House Grail, Pete's primary goal is to help consumers make educated decisions about DIY projects at home, in the garage, and in the garden.
