SAFE & TOXIC PLANTS FOR PET BIRDS
The following lists of safe & toxic plants for pet birds are based on multiple reliable sources, such as:
Both lists have been organised in alphabetical order to help you find the specific plant you need!
Contact me here if you find any of the info in this article to be incorrect or if you believe a specific plant should be added or removed from either list. Please list a credible source that supports your claim.
Full List Of Plants SAFE For Pet Birds
- Abelia
- Achira
- African Daisy
- African lovegrass
- African palm
- African violet
- Agonis flexuosa
- Aluminum plant
- Aralia
- Arbutus
- Ash
- Asparagus Fern
- Aspen
- Baby’s Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
- Ball fern
- Bamboo
- Banana leaves
- Bold sword fern
- Boston fern
- Brake
- Brazilian orchid
- Brides bonnet
- Bristly greenbriar
- Bromeliads
- Broom hickory
- Bullbrier
- Buttercup squash
- Butterfly bush
- Butterfly cane
- Butterfly ginger
- Butterfly squash
- Calamint
- Camellia
- Chickweed (Flower, herb, and plant)
- Chicory (plant, grass, and root)
- Coleus
- Dahlia
- Dandelion
- Daylily
- Daylily (Hemerocallis)
- Dill
- Dogwood
- Dracaena
- Elm
- Eucalyptus (wood and plant)
- Eugenia
- European Fan
- Fir plant
- Gardenia
- Gardenia jasminoides
- Hen and chicks
- Hoya
- Impatiens
- Jade (money plant)
- Larch
- Lemon Bee Balm
- Lemon balm
- Magnolia (NOTE: Chinese Magnolia Wood Is TOXIC)
- Manzanita (wood is also safe)
- Nandina
- Nasturtium
- Nerve Plant
- Orchid
- Parsley
- Passionflower
- Peperomia
- Peppermint
- Petunia
- Popular (Populus)
- Raphiolepsis
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Russian olive
- Schefflera
- Sow Thistle (Safe in moderation)
- Spearmint
- Spider plant
- Spruce
- Swedish Ivy
- Thistle
- Thyme
- Violet
- Willow
- Zebra Plant
All plants on this list are safe for your bird to eat, forage through, or have as a nearby houseplant. If you have an outdoor aviary, you could safely grow these plants within the aviary, providing further enrichment to your birds, which is always good!
Full List Of TOXIC Plants For Birds
- Acokanthera (except the ripe fruit)
- Aloe vera
- Amaryllis
- Amaryllis
- Angel’s trumpet
- Avocado (plant and food)
- Azalea
- Baby’s Breath
- Baneberry
- Belladona
- Bittersweet
- Bottlebrush
- Boxwood
- Broom Grass
- Brunfelsia
- Buckeye
- Buckthorn
- Burdock
- Buttercup
- Caladium
- Cherry plant
- Chinaberry
- Chinaberry
- Clematis
- Coffee plant
- Coral plant
- Cutleaf Philodendron
- Daffodil
- Daphne
- Death camas
- Delphinium
- Eggplant leaves (raw fruit is safe)
- Euonymus
- Heliotrope leaves
- Henbane
- Holly
- Hogwort
- Honeysuckle
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea (wood is also toxic)
- Iris (except butterfly iris)
- Ivy (Boston, Devil’s, English, Poison)
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit
- Jasmine
- Jonquil
- Juniper
- Lantana
- Larkspur
- Lillies (Arum, calla, Cana, lily-of-the-valley)
- Lobelia
- Locoweed
- Lupine
- Marijuana (plant, leaves, and smoke are toxic)
- Mescal bean
- Mexican breadfruit (swiss cheese plant)
- Milkweed
- Mistletoe
- Moonseed
- Morning Glory
- Mushrooms
- Narcissus
- Nephthytis
- Nettles
- Oak (plant and wood are toxic)
- Oleander
- Peach (plant and seeds are toxic, fruit is not)
- Pear (plant is toxic, not the fruit)
- Peony
- Peyote
- Philodendron
- Poinsettia
- Pokeweed
- Potato (sprouts, greens, and plants are toxic, but properly cooked potatoes are safe)
- Primrose (except cape and evening primrose)
- Ragwort
- Rhubarb
- Ribbon plant
- Rubber Plant
- Shamrock
- Skunk Cabbage
- Snowdrop
- Spurges
- Sweet Pea Plant
- Tansy ragwort
- Tobacco
- Tomato leaves (Fruit is safe for birds in small amounts)
- Vetches
- Waxberry
- Wisteria (wood is also toxic)
- Yew
The plants in the list above are toxic and should not be offered to cockatiels, budgies, or other types of parrots for any reason.
Only a few studies have even been done on pet birds and indoor houseplants and some of the online info can be a little contradictory, but I cycled through the most reliable sources as best I could to develop the two lists you see here.
If you’re trying to find a plant that isn’t on either of these lists, try one of the reliable sources below!
But houseplants are not the only bird hazards you need to be aware of:
Learn more about the various household hazards, threats, and dangers to pet birds
Sources:
- https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/plants—toxic-for-birds
- https://www.yellowrockonline.com.au/SafePlants.html (Primary source)
- https://www.thesprucepets.com/bird-safe-houseplants-390818
- https://www.thesprucepets.com/common-plants-that-are-toxic-to-birds-390817
- https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/plants-safe-for-birds
- https://lafeber.com/vet/wp-content/uploads/Plants_and_branches.pdf
- https://freerangeparrots.com/2020/10/16/ultimate-list-of-safe-and-toxic-plants-to-birds/ (<-This source includes a “plant search” option, pretty useful for finding info on specific plants)
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