Safe Plants for Birds
This list is a compilation of several different lists printed by various bird clubs and magazines and some local "common knowledge" 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 system and that a "large"quantity of any plant or fruit could upset their systems.
============================================================================ | COMMON NAME | BOTANICAL NAME | FAMILY NAME | |======================|==========================|========================| |ACACIA |Acacia (many species) |ACACEAE (ACACIA) | |AFRICAN VIOLETS |Saintpaulia species |GESNERIACEAE (GESNERIAD)| |ALOE |Aloespecies-watchforspines|LILIACEAE (LILY) | |ARECA, BUTTERFLY CANE |Chrysalidocarpus lutescens|PALMAE (PALM) | |ASPARAGUS FERN | |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | (see FERNS) | | | |AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA |Schefflera actinophylla |ARALIACEAE (ARALIA) | | TREE | | | |BABY'S TEARS |Helxine soleirolii |URTICACEAE | |BAMBOO |Arundinaria species |GRAMINEAE (GRASS) | |BIRD NEST FERN |Aaspleniunz nidus |FILICES (FERN) | | (see FERNS) | | | |BEGONIA |Begonia species |BEGONIACEAE (BEGONIA) | |BOUGAINVILLEA |Watch for spines: |NYCTAGINACEAE | | |Bougainvillea species | | |----------------------| | | |BROMELIADS: |Watch for spines: |BROMELIACEAE | |----------------------| Ananas comosus |(BROMELlADS) | | | Aechmea spp. Bilbergia | | | | spp., Bronwelia spp. | | | | Cryptantyhus spp., | | | | Guzmania spp., | | | | Neoregelia spp., | | | | Tillandsia spp., | | | | Vriesia spp. | | |CHICKWEED |Cerastium vulgatum | | |CHRISTMAS CACTUS |Zygocactus or |CACTACEAE (CACTUS) | | | Schlumbergera species | | |CISSUS KANGAROO VINES |Cissus antartica |VITACEAE (GRAPE) | |COFFEE TREE |Coffea arabica (Coffee is |RUBIACEAE | | | toxic) | | |COLEUS |Coleus spp. |LABIATAE (MINT) | |CORN PLANT |Dracaena massangeana |LILACEAE (LILY) | |CRABAPPLE |Malus spp. |ROSACEAE (ROSE) | |CREEPING CHARLIE |Pilea nummariifolia |URTICACEAE | |DANDELION |Taraxacum officinale |COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER) | |DOGWOOD |Cornus species |CORNACEAE | |DONKEY TAIL |Sedum morganianum |CRASSULACEAE (CRASSULA) | | (BURRO'S TAIL) | | | |DRACAENA |Dracaena species |LILIACEAE (LILY) | |DRAGON TREE |Dracaena draco |LILIACEAE (LILY) | |EASTER CACTUS |Rhipsalidopsis species |CACTACEAE (CACTUS) | |GOLD DUST DRACAENA |Dracaena godseffiana |LILIACEAE (LILY) | |ELEPHANT FOOT TREE |Beaucarnea recurvata |LlLIACEAE (LILY) | |EUCALYPTUS |Eucalyptus species-do not |MYRTACEAE (EUCALYPTUS) | | | use any parts used in | | | | flower arrangements | | | | | | | | | | |----------------------| | | |FERNS: | | | |----------------------| | | |ASPARAGUS |Asparagus densiflorus |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | (not a true fern) | | | |BIRD NEST FERN |Asplenium nidus |FILICES (FERN) | |BOSTON FERN |Nephrolepsis bostoniensis |FILICES (FERN) | |BRAKE,RIBBON,DISH |Pteris cretica |FILICES (FERN) | |BUTTON |Pellaea rotundifolia |FILICES (FERN) | |MOTHERFERN |Asplenium bulbferum |FILICES (FERN) | |MAIDENHAIR |Adiantum species |FILICES (FERN) | |SWORD |Nephrolepis exaltata |FILICES (FERN) | |SQUIRREL'S FOOT, |Davallia species |FILICES (FERN) | |DEER'S FOOT, FIJI | | | |POLYPODY,BALL |Polvpodium aureum |FILICES (FERN) | |STAGHORN, ELK'S HORN |Platycerium diversifolium |FILICES (FERN) | | | | | |----------------------| | | |FIGS: | | | |----------------------| | | |CREEPING FIG |Ficus pumila |MORACEAE (FIG) | |EDIBLE FIG |Ficus carica |MORACEAE (FIG) | |FIDDLELEAF FIG |Ficus lyrata |MORACEAE (FIG) | |LAUREL LEAF | |MORACEAE (FIG) | |RUBBER PLANT |Ficus elastica |MORACEAE (FIG) | |WEEPING |Ficus benjamina |MORACEAE (F1G) | | | | | |GARDENIA |Gardenia jasminoides |RUBIACEAE | | | (not Jasmine) | | |GOLD DUST |Dracaena godseffiana |LILIACEAE (LILY) | |GRAPE IVY |Rhoicissus rhomboidea |VITACEAE (GRAPE) | |HEN AND CHICKENS |Echeveria and Sempervivum |CRASSULACEAE (CRASSULA) | | | species | | |HIBISCUS |Hibiscus rosa-sinensis |MALVACEAE (MALVA) | |JADE PLANT |Crassula portulacea or |CRASSULACEAE (CRASSULA) | | | argentea | | |KALANCHOE |Kalanchoe species |CRASSULACEAE (CRASSULA) | |MAGNOLIA |Magnolia species |MAGNOLIACEAE (MAGNOLIA) | |MANGO |Mangifera indica |ANACARDIACEAE | |MARIGOLD |Tagetes species |COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER) | |MONKEY PLANT |Ruellia species |ACANTHACEAE | |MOTHER-IN-LAWS |Sansevieria species |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | TONGUE | watch for spines | | |NASTURTIUM |Tropaeolum majus |TROPAEOLACEAE | |NATAL PLUM |Carissa grandiflora |APOCYNACEAE (OLEANDER)**| | | ONLY FRUITS! | | |NERVE PLANT |Fittonia verschaffeltii |ACANTHACEAE | |NORFOLK ISLAND PINE |Araucaria excelsa |ARAUCARIACEAE | | | | | |----------------------| | | |PALMS: | | | |----------------------| | | |ARECA |Chrysalidocarpus species |PALMAE (PALM) | |BAMBOO, FERN |Rhapis excelsa |PALMAE (PALM) | |DATE |Phoenix dactylifera |PALMAE (PALM) | |EUROPEAN FAN |Chamaerops humilis |PALMAE (PALM) | |FAN |Trachycarpus Jortunei |PALMAE (PALM) | | | Livistona species, | | | | Chamaerops humilis | | |FISHTAIL |Caryota species |PALMAE (PALM) | | | fruits are toxic | | |HOWEIA |Howeia species |PALMAE (PALM) | |KENTIA |Howeia forsteriana |PALMAE (PALM) | |LADY |Rhapis excelsa |PALMAE (PALM) | |PARLOUR |Chamaedorea elegans, |PALMAE (PALM) | | | Neanthe bella | | |PHOENIX (DATE PALM) |Phoenix canariensis |PALMAE (PALM) | |PONY TAIL PALM |Beaucarnea recurvata |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | (not a true palm) | | | | | | | |PYGMY DATE | |PALMAE (PALM) | |RHAPIS |Rhapis excelsas |PALMAE (PALM) | |ROEBELIN, LADY PALM |Phoenix roebelinsi |PALMAE (PALM) | |SAGO (not a true palm)|Cycas revoluta |CYCADACEAE (CYCAD) | |SENTRY PALM |Howiea species |PALMAE (PALM) | |WINE PALM |Jubaea- fruits are toxic |PALMAE (PALM) | | | | | |PASSION FLOWER VINE |Passiflora species |PASSIFLORACEAE | |PEPEROMIA |Peperomia species |PIPERACEAE (PEPEROMIA | |PETUNIA |Petunia species |SOLANACEAE | | | |(TOMATO/POTATO) ** | |PITTOSPORUM |Pittosporum species |PITTOSPORACEAE | |PONY TAIL PALM |Beaucarnea recurvata |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | (not a palm) | | | |POTHOS |Scindapsus species |ARACEAE (PHILODENDRON | |PRAYER PLANT |Maranta leuconeura |MARANTACEAE (MARANTA) | |PURPLE PASSION |Gynura aurantiaca |COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER | | (purple nettle) | | | |PYRACANTHA |Pyracantha crenato-serrata|ROSACEAE ( ROSE) | |(ripe berries only) | | | |RED-MARGINED DRACAENA |Dracaena marginata |LILIACEAE (LILY) | |SAGO PALM |Cycas revoluta |CYCADACEAE (CYCAD) | | (not a true palm) | | | |SCHEFFLERA (UMBRELLA) |Schefflera actinophylla |ARALIACEAE (ARALIA) | |SENSITIVE PLANT |Mimosa species |LEGUMINOSAE (PEA) ** | |SNAKE PLANT |Sansevieria species |LILIACEAE (LILY) | |SPIDER or AIRPLANE |Chlorophytum comosum |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | PLANT | | | |SWEDISH IVY |Plectranthus species, |LABIATAE (MINT) | | | Coleus species | | |RUBBER PLANT |Ficus elastica |MORACEAE (FIG) | |THANKSGIVING CACTUS |Zygocactus or |CACTACEAE (CACTUS) | | | Schlumbergera species | | |THISTLE |Cirsium species |COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER | |TOYON TREE or |Heteromeles (Phitonia) | | | CALIFORNIA | arbutifolia | | |HOLLY (ripe berries) | | | |WANDERING JEW |Tradescantia fluminensis |COMMELINACEAE | |WHITE CLOVER |Trifolium repens |LEGUMINOSAE (PEA) ** | |UMBRELLA PLANT |Schefflera actinophylla |ARALIACEAE (ARALIA) | |VELVET PLANT |Gynura aurantiaca |COMPOSITAE (SUNFLOWER | | (purple passion) | | | |YUCCA |Yucca species-watch for |LILIACEAE (LILY) | | | spines | | |ZEBRA PLANT |Aphelandra squarrosa |ACANTHACEAE,MARANTACEAE | | | Calathea zebrina, |BROMELIACEAE | | | Cryptanthus zonatus | | | | | |** THESE FAMILIES ARE USUALLY TOXIC. | | ============================================================================
