diff --git a/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/9228.md b/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/9228.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..54bc8abc363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/eui/changelogs/upcoming/9228.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Updated `EuiFlexItem` to fall back to `grow={true}` if invalid values for `grow` are passed
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.test.tsx b/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.test.tsx
index 51eed3fc54b..6ac777f2718 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.test.tsx
@@ -12,13 +12,10 @@ import {
   startThrowingReactWarnings,
   stopThrowingReactWarnings,
 } from '../../test';
-import {
-  shouldRenderCustomStyles,
-  testOnReactVersion,
-} from '../../test/internal';
+import { shouldRenderCustomStyles } from '../../test/internal';
 import { render } from '../../test/rtl';
 
-import { EuiFlexItem } from './flex_item';
+import { EuiFlexItem, EuiFlexItemProps } from './flex_item';
 
 beforeAll(startThrowingReactWarnings);
 afterAll(stopThrowingReactWarnings);
@@ -94,13 +91,20 @@ describe('EuiFlexItem', () => {
       });
     });
 
-    // React 18 throws a false error on test unmount for components w/ ref callbacks
-    // that throw in a `useEffect`. Note: This only affects the test env, not prod
-    // @see https://github.com/facebook/react/issues/25675#issuecomment-1363957941
-    // TODO: Remove `testOnReactVersion` once the above bug is fixed
-    testOnReactVersion('17')(`invalid component types throw an error`, () => {
-      // @ts-expect-error intentionally passing an invalid value
-      expect(() => render(<EuiFlexItem grow={11} />)).toThrow();
+    describe('invalid values', () => {
+      const INVALID_VALUES = [
+        (3 / 0) as EuiFlexItemProps['grow'],
+        Infinity as EuiFlexItemProps['grow'],
+        -Infinity as EuiFlexItemProps['grow'],
+        11 as EuiFlexItemProps['grow'],
+      ];
+
+      INVALID_VALUES.forEach((value) => {
+        test(`${value} generates a flex-grow of the default value \`true\``, () => {
+          render(<EuiFlexItem grow={value} />);
+          assertClassName('grow-1');
+        });
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.tsx b/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.tsx
index e32dc144375..32058256181 100644
--- a/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.tsx
+++ b/packages/eui/src/components/flex/flex_item.tsx
@@ -69,19 +69,25 @@ const EuiFlexItemInternal = <TComponent extends ElementType>(
   {
     children,
     className,
-    grow = true,
+    grow: _grow = true,
     component = 'div' as TComponent,
     ...rest
   }: EuiFlexItemProps<TComponent>,
   ref: ForwardedRef<TComponent>
 ): ReactElement<EuiFlexItemProps<TComponent>, TComponent> => {
+  // resets `grow` to the default value when an invalid value is passed
+  const grow = VALID_GROW_VALUES.indexOf(_grow) === -1 ? true : _grow;
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (VALID_GROW_VALUES.indexOf(grow) === -1) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `Prop \`grow\` passed to \`EuiFlexItem\` must be a boolean or an integer between 0 and 10, received \`${grow}\``
+    if (
+      process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development' &&
+      VALID_GROW_VALUES.indexOf(_grow) === -1
+    ) {
+      console.warn(
+        `Prop \`grow\` passed to \`EuiFlexItem\` must be a boolean or an integer between 0 and 10, received \`${_grow}\`. Defaulting to \`true\`.`
       );
     }
-  }, [grow]);
+  }, [_grow]);
 
   const cssStyles = [
     styles.euiFlexItem,