Safe Plants for Birds

Have you recently adopted a bird? If so, you’ll need to take some steps to make your home safe for Polly. You may already know about common dangers such as fumes, windows and mirrors, and fans. It’s also important to make sure your home only contains safe plants. In this article from Arapahoe Animal Hospital, your Boulder, CO vet serving Louisville and surrounding areas, a local vet lists some bird-safe plants.

Spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm, basil, chamomile, chicory, cilantro (also sometimes called coriander or Chinese parsley), dandelion, dill, ginger root, fennel, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and parsley are all safe. (Bonus: you get fresh herbs for cooking!)

Many flowers are safe for birds. Some popular ones include passionflowers, African violets, petunias, nasturtiums, and begonias. Several orchids, including the Christmas orchid, Brazilian orchid, Cocktail orchid, and Moth orchid, are also fine.

Ferns are always great, because they give your home a fresh look and filter the air. Some bird-safe options include the Mother fern, Ming fern, Maidenhair fern, Bottle bush fern, Bird’s nest fern, and Lace fern. The Squirrel’s Foot fern, Sword fern, and Boston fern are also fine.

Plenty of houseplants are safe for Polly! Some good ones include the Wandering Jew, Prayer plant, Spider plant, Danish ivy, Pepperomia, Sensitive plant, Purple passion, Jade plant, Aloe Vera, Zebra plant, Coleus, and Monkey plant.

The Parlor palm, Paradise palm, and Lady palm are all bird-safe. Other safe palms include the European fan palm, Canary Island palm, Pony Tail Palm, Areca palm, and Bamboo palm. As for potted trees, the Fig tree, Rubber tree, Umbrella tree, and Dragon tree are all fine.

There are many more bird-safe plants than the ones we listed in this blog. You can find many of them on the ASPCA site here . Although the list is specific to dogs, cats, and horses, it’s best to avoid anything that’s listed as toxic. Keep in mind that some plants that are listed as safe may still be dangerous because of sharp needles or thorns. Roses and many pine trees fall into this category. Anything that has been treated with pesticide, fungicide, or other chemicals is also dangerous. Ask your vet for more information.

Do you have questions about bird care? Contact us at Arapahoe Animal Hospital, your Boulder, CO vet serving Louisville and surrounding areas, anytime.