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Safe plants and poisonous plants

compiled by Susanne Russo

• Plants suitable for use in aviaries
• Safe plants for birds
• Poisonous plants for birds 

The following is from Appendix 7 (pg. 667-8) Plants Suitable for Use In Aviaries Developed for South Florida Aviaries by George Staples

Suggested Landscape Plants

Common Name, Scientific Name, and Comments

• Acacia.........Acacia sp......Prickly shrub, nesting sites
• Areca Palm...Chrysalidocarpus lutescens...Young plants good foliage, background
• Bouganvillia...bouganvillia sp.......Prickly plants for shelter, nesting, colorful blooms in full sun
• Ceriman, monstera...Monstera deliciosa.......Large split-leaf philodendron
• Cycads.....Cycas sp., Zamia sp....foliage, ground cover
• Fan palm........Livistona chinensis..........Foliage, shade tolerant, small size
• Fig, creeping...Ficus pumila.....Covers wall, stone, wood, as background
• Fig, fiddle-leaf...Ficus lyrata..........Foliage plant, small size for a fig
• Fig, laural-leaf...Ficus microcarpa......Dense foliage, requires trimming
• Fig, weeping.....Ficus benjamina.....Trailing foliage, requires pruning
• Firethorn............Pyracantha sp...............Dense foliage, edible berries, nest sites, likes full sun, requires trimming
• Lady palm.....Rhapis excelsa.......Forms clumps, small size, shade tolerant
• Natal palm....Carissa sp.......Forms a natural hedge, thorns, edible fruit
• Philodendron, self-heading....Philodendron selloum....Tropical foliage, like sun
• Philodendron, split-leaf...Philodendron pertusum....Tropical foliage, shade
• Pittosporum.......Pittosporum tobira....Evergreen shrub, like sun, dense growth
• Shrubby yew......Podocarpus sp......Evergreen, trim for compact growth
• Silk oak...Grevillea robusta....Tree, requires pruning to maintain size
• Strawberry guava..Psidium cattleianum....Evergreen shrub, edible fruit, sun
• Umbrella tree, schefflera.....Brassaia actinophylla....Evergreen, requires pruning, edible fruit
• Trees Providing Suitable Perches Australian pine.........Casuarina sp.......brittle when green, dries like iron
• Guava......Psidium guava.....
• Florida holly, Brazilian pepper....Schinus terebinthifolius....Berries edibble, beware of herbicides
• Hibiscus tree, Mahoe......Hibiscus tiliaceus.....Flowers and seeds edible
• Melaleuca, Paper bark tree........ Melaleuca quinquenervia....Soft wood, spongy bark, edible flowers
• Oak.....Quercus sp..........Hard wood
• Seagrape......Cocoloba.....Wood not readily chewed, edible fruit
• Flowering Plants that Produce Nectar or Attract Insects Flame vine.......Pyrostegiaignea...Abundant nectar, large vine
• Geiger tree.....Cordia sebestena.....Small, slow growing tree, sun
• Ixora........Ixora coccinea.....Abundant nectar, berries, good hedge
• Lantana........Lantana sp....Nectar, insects drawn to plant, edible berries
• Orange jasamine..Murraya paniculata......flowers attract insects, edible berries, good hedge or speciman plant Orchid tree.....Bauhinia sp....Deciduous, nectar, attracts humingbbirds
• Melaleuca........Melaleuca quinquenervia......Edible blossoms, insects drawn to tree
• Hibiscus tree, mahoe... Hibiscus tiliaceus.....Edible flowers and seeds, insects
• Bromeliads....(Aechmea sp) (Guzmania sp) (neoregelia sp)......"Tank" in center of plant attracts insects
• South Florida Plants that Produce Edible Products Asparagus fern, sprengeri.......Asparagus densiflorus......Red berries, also foliage eaten by birds
• Barbados cherry, acerola.........Malpighia glabra......Red berries, high in vitamin C
• Singapore holly........Malapighia coccigera.......Red berries, high in vitamin C
• Elderberry.......Sambucus simpsoni.........Edible berries, wild, attracts insects
• Firethorn..........Pyracantha coccinea........Edible waxy berries
• Florida holly....Schinus terebinthifolius.....Wild plant, edible berries and twigs
• Mulberry.........Morus nigra, M. rubra......Excellent berries in the spring
• Orange jessamine.....Murraya paniculata.......Berries, insects, bears fruit several times a year
• Strawberry tree...Muntingia calabura.....Excellent berries year round, insects
• Surinam cherry.....Eugenia uniflora.....Fruit, good hedge plant
• West Indies almond...Terminalia catappa...Corky fruit with edible kernal, drift seeds rom beach make a good parrot toy.

Safe Plants for Birds  Common Name Botanical Name Use/Brief Description

• Climbing Rose Rosa Climber-a rose is a rose.
• Lavender Trumpet Vine Clytostoma Vine-Deep green foliage, lavender flower.
• Scarlet Trumpet Vine Distictis Vine-medium green foliage, scarlet flower.
• Pampas Grass Cortaderia Grass-large grassy plant with plumes.
• Bamboo Bambusa Grassy looking plant.
• Fountain Grass Pennisetum Grass-small delicate grass with plumes.
• Leyland Cypress Cupressocyparis Tree-fast growing tree can be topped to stop.
• Arborvitea Thuja Shrub-medium growing, very attractive shrub
• Myoporum Myoporum Shrub or small tree fast growing.
• Laurel (Bay) Laurus Shrub or small tree, deep green leaf plus Bay leaves for the home use.
• Butterfly Bush Buddleia Shrub-large bush with beautiful lilac like flowers.
• Bayberry Berberis Shrub-dark green or red small leaves with red fruit.

Good Landscaping Plants for the Aviary

• 13. California Lilac Ceanothus Shrub-California native with blue lilac like flowers.
•  Lavender Lavendula Herb-small bush with very aromatic foliage with blue flowers.
•  Pine Pinus Tree-a pine is a pine.
•  Bermuda common hybrid Cynodon Lawn-thick low growing grass.
•  Fescue Festuca Lawn-tall, wide bladed deep rooted grass.
•  Spider Plant Chlorophytum Ground covering grassy looking plant with runners which start more plants.
• Juniper Juniperus Shrub-low growing plant of many varieties.
•  Asparagus Fern Asparagus Ground covering plant of many varieties.

Plants for the Aviary That Birds Like Common Name Botanical Name Type and Attractant

• Strawberry Tree rbutus Tree/Fruit
• Loquat Eriobotrya Tree/Fruit
• Fig (Edible) Ficus Tree/Fruit
• Crabapple Malus Tree/Fruit
• Mulberry Morus Tree/Fruit
• Persimmon Diospyros Tree/Fruit
• Plum Prunus Tree/Fruit
• Pepper Tree Schinus Tree/Fruit
• Natal Plum Carissa Shrub/Fruit
• Silverberry Bush Elaeagnus Shrub/Fruit
• Blackberry Rubus Vine Bush/Fruit
• Red lusterberry Cotoneaster Shrub/Berries
• Grape Vitis Vine-Fruit 34. Holly Ilex Shrub/Berry
• Oregon Grape Mahonia Shrub/Berries
• Photinia Photinia Shrub/Berries
• Firethorn Pyracantha Shrub/Berries
• Currant Ribes Shrub/Fruit 
• Viburnum Viburnum Shrub/Fruit
• Rosemary Rosmarinus Shrub/Seeds
• Honeysuckle Lonicera Vine/Seeds
• California Holly Heteromeles Shrub/Fruit
•  Elderberry Sambucus Shrub/Berries 

Plants NOT To Be Used In Or NEAR The Aviary Common Name Botanical Name Poisonous Part(s)

• Arrowhead Vine Sagittaria All Parts
• Azalea Rhododendron All Parts
• Buckeye Aesculus Leaves, Flowers Sprouts, Nuts
• Mexican Primrose Oenothera All Parts
• Bleeding Heart Dicentra All Part
• Bird of Paradise Strelitzia All Parts
• Black Locust Tree Robinia Bark, Leaves, Seeds
• Carolina Jessamine Gelsemium All Parts
• Castor Bean Ricinus Seed
• Caladium Caladium All Parts
• Calla Lily Zantedeschia Leaves, Rhizome
• Creeping Charlie Pilea All Parts
• Crocus Crocus Bulb
• Cherry Tree Prunus Bark, Leaves, Seeds
• Daffodil Narcissus Bulb
• Daphne Daphne All Parts
• Donkey Tail Sedum All Parts
• Dumb Cane Dieffenbachia Sap
• Eggplant Solanum All Parts but Fruit
• Elephants Ear Colocasia All Parts
• Four O’Clock Mirabilis Roots and Seeds
• Foxglove Digitalis Leaves
• Hen and Chicks Echeveria All Parts
• Hyacinth Hyacinth Bulb
• Hydrangea Hydrangea Leaves and Buds
• Iris Iris Rhizome, Flower, Stalk, Leaves
• Ivy Hedera All Parts *
• Japanese Yew Taxus All Parts
• Jerusalem Cherry Solanum Leaves, Green Fruit
• Jimsom Weed Datura All Parts
• Lantana Lantana Green Berries
• Lobelia Lobelia All Parts
• Morning Glory Ipomoea Seeds
• Morning Glory Shrub Convolvulus Seeds
• Nightshade Solanum All Parts
• Oleander Nerium All Parts
• Pothos Epipremnum All Parts
• Philadendron Monstera Leave
• Poison Oak Rhus Sap from All Parts
• Poinsettia Euphorbia Sap
• Pokeweed Phytolacca All Parts
• Privet Ligustrum Leaves, Berries
• Rananculus Rananculus Leaves
• Rhubarb Rheum Leaves 88. Sedum Sedum All Parts
• Sweet Pea Lathyrus Seed
• Tansy Tanacetum Leaves, Flower Heads
• Tobacco Treet Nicotiana All Parts
• Tulip Tulipa Bulb 9
• Umbrella Plant Cyperus All Parts
• Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus Berries
• Wild Tobacco Nicotiana All Parts
• Wisteria Wisteria Seeds, Pods
• Yellow Oleander Thevetia All Parts