SAFE PLANTS FOR YOUR BIRDS

By David Hannon, DVM

Now that you know which plants not to give to your birds, here is a list of plants that are known to be nontoxic, and some can be given to your birds for food or cage adornment. Keep in mind that I am not a botanist, so I apologize for misnomers and repition. Whenever I came across a plant that was on both a toxic and nontoxic list, I listed it with the toxic plants. Remember that every plant should be treated as if it is toxic until proven otherwise, and that the majority of these plants have not been assessed for toxicity in birds under scientific conditions, so always use caution. A scientific name has been provided when possible.

Safe Plants - these plants are known to be safe for your bird to
play with and eat.

Aechmea
African Violet (Saintpaulia)
Airplane Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Ananas comosus
Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Australian Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
Baby's Tears (Helxine Soleirolii)
Ball Fern (Davallia sp.)
Bamboo
Billbergia
Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata bostoniensis)
Bottle Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Brake Fern (Pteris cretica)
Bromeliads
Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Butterfly Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Button Fern (Pellaea rotundifolia)
Cane Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Canteloupe seeds
Clematis
Coffee (Coleus)
Common Lilac
Corn Plant (Dracanea fragrans massangeana)
Crabapple
Cranberry seeds
Cryptanthus
Deer's Foot Fern (Davallia sp.)
Dish Fern (Pteris cretica)
Donkey Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Dracaena
Dragon Tree (Dracaena draco)
Dwarf Honeysuckle
Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis gaerineri)
Edible Fig (Ficus carica)
Elephant-foot Tree (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Elk's Horn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis)
Fiddleleaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
Fiji Fern (Davallia sp.)
Fishtail Palm (Caryota sp.)(fruits are toxic)
Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)
Gold Dust (Dracaena godseffiana)
Golden Feather Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Golden Pothos
Grape seeds
Grape Ivy (Cissus rhombifolia)
Guzmania
Hen and Chicks (Eschevaria elegans, E. runyhonii)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Jade Plant (Crassula sp.)
Juniper Climbing Rose
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Lomaria Fern (Blechnum gibbum)
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum sp.)
Madagascar Palm
Mango (Mangifera indica)
Miniature Fan Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
Mother Fern (Asplenium bulbiferum)
Mother-in-law's Tongue (Sansevieria sp.)
Neanthe Belle Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Neoregalia
Nerve Plant (Fittonia verschaffelti)
Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria excelsa)
Pampas Grass
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Peperomia (Peperomia sp.)
Polypody Fern (Polypodium aureum)
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
Purple Passion (Gynura aurantiaca)
Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
Red-margined (Dracaena marginata)
Rhapis Excelsa Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
Ribbon Fern (Pteris cretica)
Roebelin Lady Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
Sentry Palm (Howea sp.)
Shrub Rose
Snake Plant (Sansevieria sp.)
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Squirrel's Foot Fern (Davallia sp.)
Staghorn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus sp.)
Sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumberga truncata)
Tillandsia
Velvet Plant (Gynura aurantiaca)
Vriesia
Wandering Jew (Tradescantia fluminensis)
Wandering Jew Pendula (Zebrina pendula)
Weeping fig (variegated)
Wine Palm (Caryota sp.)(fruits are toxic)
Yucca Plant (Yucca sp.)
Zebra Plant (Aphelandra squarrosa)

Nontoxic Plants - These plants have been shown to not be
poisonous to birds, but whether or not they
are safe for birds to eat is questionable.

Aloe (Aloe barbadensis)
Aluminum Plant (Pilea cadierei)
Aralia (Fatsia japonica)
Bear Feet (Cotyledon tomentosa)
Birdnest Sansevieria (Sansevieria trifasciate)
Bloodleaf (Iresine herbstii)
Cactus (most species, unless listed on toxic plant list)
Calathea (Calathea argyraca)
Camellia (Thea japonica)
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
Coleus sp.
Creeping Charlie (Lysimachia nummularia)
Creeping Charlie (Pilea nummularifolia)
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia sp.)
Emerald Ripple (Peperomia caparata)
False Aralia (Dizygotheca elegantissima)
Fuchsia (Fuchsia hybrida)
Giant White Inch Plant (Tradescantia albiflora)
Goldfish Plant (Columnea leanksi)
Grape Mountain (Berberis mahonia)
Hoya sp.
Janet Craig (Draceana derminesis)
King Palm (Seaforthia elegans)
Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus lobbianus)
Madagascar Dragon (Draceana marginate)
Madagascar Jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda)
Madagascar Lace Plant (Aponogeton fenestralis)
Maternity Plant (Kalanchoe pinnata)
Monkey Plant (Ruella makoyana)
Moon Magic (Pilea sp.)
Mother of Pearls (Gaptopetalum paraguayense)
Painted Needle (Coleus sp.)
Peacock Plant (Calathea sp.)
Philodendron Peperomia (Peperomia scanden variegata)
Piggyback Plant (Tolmica memziesii)
Pilea sp.
Pink Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes sp.)
Plectranthus sp.
Pregnant Plant (Kalanchoe pinnata)
Purple Tiger (Calathea sp.)
Sedum sp.
Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)
Silver Tree (Pilea sp.)
Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
String of Hearts (Creopegia woodii)
Tahitian Bridal Veil (Gibasis geneculata)
Ti Plant (Cordyline terminalis)
Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla)
Warneckei (Draceana dermensis)
Wax Plant (Hoya exotica)