Safe & Unsafe Plants For Birds

*Disclaimer: This list is a compilation of several different lists by various bird clubs, books, and magazines about plants that are non-toxic and safe for birds. Always use caution and common sense in your plant choices. Remember that birds have a delicate digestive system and that any quantity of any plant or fruit could make their bellies upset.*

Exotic Wings does not recommend keeping plants in your bird's cage. Plants are difficult to keep clean and maintain in a bird's cage, and generally offer little benefit to your bird. Additionally, it can be difficult to ensure the plant has not had any pesticides, chemical fertilizers, etc. added to it when purchasing from a store or nursery. Soil & growing media may also harbour spores, bacteria, or toxins that can harm your pet.

The purpose of this list is to advise which plants may be best to keep in areas where your bird may come in contact with them when out of the cage. If you would like to provide leaves/stems for enrichment or consumption, it is best to offer only known-safe vegetables and herbs. Many plants share or have similar common names, we recommend verifying with multiple sources the type of plant you have and its degree of safety.

Safe Plants

• Acacia spp.
• African violets
• Aloe
• Areca / Butterfly Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
• Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
• Baby Tears (Pilea depressa)
• Baby's Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
• Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
• Bamboo (Bambusa / Phyllostachys spp.)
• Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
• Barberry (Berberis spp.)
• Bayberry (Myrica spp.)
• Bird Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
• Beech (American and European) (Fagus spp.)
• Begonia (broad group, proceed with caution)
• Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
• Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)
• Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)
• Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
• Bougainvillea spp.
• Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae)
• Chickweed (Stellaria media or Cerastium vulgatum)
• Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergara spp.)
• Coleus
• Comfrey (Symphytum spp.)
• Cotoneaster spp.
• Crabapple (Malus spp.)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum spp.)
• Date / Phoenix Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
• Dogwood (Cornus spp.)
• Donkey Tail / Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
• Douglas Fir
• Easter Cactus (Rhipsalidopsis spp.)
• European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis)
• Fan Palm (Washingtonia spp. / Livistona chinensis)
• Firethorn (Pyracantha spp.)
• Gardenia spp.
• Grape Ivy / Kangaroo Vine (Cissus spp.)
• Hen & Chicks (Sempervivum spp.)
• Hibiscus spp.
• Howea or Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)
• Huckleberry (Vaccinium spp. & Gaylussacia spp.)
• Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa)
• Magnolia spp.
• Mango
• Marigold (Tagetes spp.)
• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum)
• Nerve Plant (Fittonia spp.)
• Norfolk Island Pine
• Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
• Orchids (Orchidaceae)
• Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
• Peperomia spp.
• Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
• Ponderosa Pine
• Prayer Plant
• Purple Passion / Purple or Velvet Nettle
• Pygmy Date
• Raspberry
• Red-Margined Dracaena
• Rhapis
• Roebelin Lady Palm
• Rose
• Rosemary
• Sago Palm
• Scgefflera (Umbrella)
• Sentry Plant
• Snowberry
• Spider / Airplant Plant
• Spruce Tree
• Swedish Ivy
• Thanksgiving Cactus
• Thistle
• Thyme
• Viburnum
• Virginia Pine
• Wandering Jew
• Water Hyacinth
• Wax Plant
• Water Hyacinth Bulb
• Weeping Fig
• White Fir
• White Pine
• White Poplar
• White Spruce
• Willow
• Wine Palm
• Umbrella Plant
• Velvet Plant
• Yucca
• Zebra Plant

Unsafe Plants

• Acokanthera
• Air Plants
• Amanita
• Amaryllis
• American Bittersweet (Leaves & Berries)
• Andromeda
• Angel's Trumpet
• Apricot Pit
• Apple Seeds
• Arum Lily
• Asparagus Fern
• Autom Crocus / Meadow Saffron
• Australian Flame Tree
• Australian Umbrella Tree (Schefflera actinophylla syn. Heptapleurum)
• Avocado
• Azalea
• Balsam Pear
• Baneberry
• Beans: Castor, Horse, Fava, Broad, Glory, Scarlet, Runner, Mescal, Roasy Pears, Precatory, Navy
• Belladonna
• Bird of Paradise
• Bishop's Weed
• Bittersweet
• Bitter Nightshade
• Black Laurel
• Black Locust
• Bleeding Heart / Dutchmans's Breeches
• Bloodroot
• Bluebonnet
• Blue-Green Algae (Some Forms Toxic)
• Bonaberry (Sap)
• Boxwood
• Bracken Fern
• Broomcorn Grass
• Buckeye
• Buckthorn
• Bulb Flowers
• Burdock
• Buttercup
• Buttonbash (Leaves)
• Cacao
• Camel Bush
• Castor Bean (Castor Oil)
• Caladium
• Candelabra Tree
• Catharanthus
• Cardinal Flower
• Castern Bean
• Chalice / Trumpet Vine
• Cherry Tree
• Chinaberry Tree
• Chinese Evergreen
• Christmas Candle
• Christmas Rose
• Clematis / Virginia Bower
• Cocklebur
• Coffee (Senna)
• Coffee Bean
• Common Rhammus
• Common Tansy
• Coral Plant
• Coriander
• Corncockle
• Cotton Bush
• Coyotillo
• Cowslip
• Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) (sap may cause irritation)
• Crinum Lily (Bulb)
• Crocus (Bulb)
• Crown of Thorns
• Culver's Root
• Cutleaf
• Cycad Palm
• Daffodil (Bulb)
• Daphne
• Daphra
• Datura
• Deadly Amanita
• Death Camus
• Delphinium Devil's Ivy
• Devil's Walking Stick (Leaves & Berries)
• Dieffenbachia / Dumb Cane
• Dutchman's Breeches
• Dwarf Elder
• Edible Fig (Ficus carica) (sap may cause irritation)
• Eggplant
• Elderberry
• Elephant Ear / Taro
• English holly (Berries)
• English Ivy
• Ergot
• Eucalyptus (Particularly Dried, Dyed or Treated for Floral Arrangements)
• Euonymus / Spindle Tree
• European Burning Bush
• European Pennyroyal
• False Hellebore
• False Henbane
• Felt Plant (Maternity Plant, Air Plant, Panda Plant)
• Fiddleleaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) (sap may cause irritation)
• Firethorn
• Flame Tree
• Flamingo Flower
• Flax
• Four o'clock
• Foxglove
• German Ivy
• Ghostweed
• Glottidium
• Gold Dust Plant (Dracaena godseffiana)
• Gold Dust Spotted Laurel (Aucuba japonica)
• Golden Chain
• Grass: Johnson, Sorghum, Sudan, Broomcorn
• Ground Cherry
• Ground Ivy
• Hraths
• Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
• Heliotrope
• Hemlock: Poison, Water
• Henbane
• Holly
• Honeysuckle
• Horse Bean
• Horse Chestnut (Buckeye)
• Horse Nettle
• Horsetail
• Hyacinth Bulb (Asparagaceae)
• Hydrangea
• Impatiens
• Indian Licorice
• Indian Turnip (Jack-in-the-Pulpit)
• Iris / Blue Flag
• Ivy: English, Other Varieties
• Jade Plant (Crassula argentea / portulacea / ovata)
• Java Bean (Lima Bean)
• Jasmine
• Jerusalem Cherry
• Jimsonweed (Thornapple)
• Johnson Grass
• Jonquil
• Juniper (J. Virginiana)
• Kalanchoe spp.
• Kalmia (Heath)
• Kentucky Coffee Tree
• Laburnum
• Lady Slipper Orchid (Hairy Stems & Leaves)
• Lantana
• Larkspur
• Laurel
• Laurel Fig (Ficus microcarpa or laurifolia)
• Leucotho (Heath)
• Lilly of the Valley
• Lilly / Arum
• Lima Bean
• Lobelia
• Locoweed / Milk Vetch
• Lord & Ladies . Cuckoopint
• Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
• Lupine
• Malanga
• Mandrake
• Marijuana (Hemp)
• Maternity Plant
• Mayapple
• Meadow Saffron
• Mescal Bean
• Mexican Bredfruit
• Mexican Poppy
• Milk Vetch
• Milkweed / Cotton Bush
• Mistletoe
• Mock Orange (Pittosporum, Philadelphus
• Monkey Plant / Swiss Cheese Vine (Monstera adansonii)
• Monkshood
• Moonseed
• Morning Glory
• Mother-in-law's Tongue
• Mountain Laurel
• Mushrooms
• Narcissus
• Navy Bean
• Nettle
• Night-Blooming Jasmine (Shoots)
• Nightshades (All Types)
• Oak
• Oleander
• Ornamental Asparagus
• Pachypodium
• Panda Plant
• Parsley
• Pasque Flower
• Passion Flower Vine (Passiflora spp.) (ripe fruits are safe)
• Peach Pit
• Peires
• Pencil Tree
• Peony
• Periwinkle
• Peyote
• Philodendron
• Pigweed
• Pikeweed
• Plumpit
• Poinciana
• Poinsettia
• Poison Hemlock
• Poison Ivy
• Poison Oak: Western / Eastern
• Poison Sumac
• Pokeweed
• Poppy
• Potato Shoots & Skin
• Pothos
• Precatory (Bean)
• Primrose
• Primula
• Privet
• Pyracantha
• Ragwort
• Rain Tree
• Ranunculus (Buttercup)
• Rape
• Rattlebox (Crotalaria)
• Rattlebush
• Red Maple
• Rhododendrons
• Rhubarb
• Rosary Peas
• Rubber Plant (Milky Sap)
• Sage
• Sago Palm
• Sandbox Tree
• Scarlet Runner
• Scheffera
• Shamrock Plant
• Skunk Cabbage
• Snowdrop
• Snow on the Mountain (Ghostweed)
• Sorghum Grass
• Sorrel (Dock)
• Sour Dock
• Spindle Tree
• Spurges: Pencil Tree, Snow on the Mountain, Candelabra Tree, Crown of Thorns
• Star of Bethlehem
• St. Johnswort
• Sudan Grass
• Sweet Pea
• Tansy Ragwort
• Thornapple
• Tobacco
• Tree of Heaven (Leaves & Flowers)
• Tulip (Bulb)
• Vetch: Hairy and Common
• Virginia Bower
• Virginia Creeper
• Water Hemlock
• Wattle
• White Cedar / China Berry
• White Snakeroot
• Wisteria
• Yam Bean
• Yews (American, English, Japanese)
• Yellow Jasmine