Toxic wood and Plants

Toxic Wood and Plants
by Marilu Anderson, Bird Nutrition and Behavior Consultant
Phone: (503) 771-BIRD

House plants, garden plants, wood perches and toys, berries, seeds - our birdie buddies come in contact with many forms of the plant world, so we need to be aware of what is safe and what can be toxic for our feather kids. In some cases, only certain parts of a plant are dangerous, while with others, ALL parts post a threat. Often, plants will be listed "safe" on one list and "toxic" on another.

This may be due to a situation where the fruit (ex: tomato) is fine, but stems and foliage (ex: tomato plants) are not. If you find a plant listed differently and can't determine that it's only part of the plant that is toxic, than I would advise erring on the side of caution and consider all of it toxic. You will also often see plants listed as toxic that are in dispute as to the actual toxicity in birds, but have proven toxic in other animal species. For my peace of mind, I avoid those where the jury is still out!

REMEMBER: Any wood used for perches and toys should be pesticide and chemical free. If you gather branches from the wild, scrub them with disinfectant, rinse well and dry in the sun or on a low setting in the oven to kill any molds or bugs. If you obtain wood scraps from a lumber yard, be sure the wood has not been treated with any preservatives.

The following is a list of woods and plants considered toxic. I've also included a list of safe plants so you'll have some idea of what you can have around your birds, without worrying! Keep in mind, these are only a few of the toxic and non-toxic plants out there - space doesn't allow everything!

TOXIC PLANTS
Amaryllis
Azalea
Bird of Paradise
Caladium
Calla Lily
Clematis
Crocus
Daffodil
Dieffenbachia
Eggplant (unripe, overripe fruit, leaves)
Ficus (ornamental fig - sap)
Iris
Ivy
Juniper
Larkspur
Lobelia
Lupine
Marijuana
Mistletoe
Narcissus
Oleander
Peony
Periwinkle
Philodendron
Poinsettia
Poppy
Potato (sprouts, leaves, green tubers)
Pathos
Privet
Rhubarb (leaves)
Sage
Sweet Pea
Tobacco
Tomato (stems, leaves)
Tulip
Wisteria
Yew

SAFE PLANTS
Acacia
African Daily
African Violet
Aloe Vera
Aralia
Asparagus Fern
Aspidistra
Baby's Breath
Begonia
Boston Fern
Bromeliads
Calendula
Chamomile
Chicory
Coleus
Comfrey
Croton
Dracaena
Gardenia
Grape Ivy
Jade Plant
Lilac
Lily
Marigold
Nasturtium
Norfolk Island Pine
Parsley
Peppermint
Petunia
Rose
Schefflera
Spearmint
Swedish Ivy
Violet
Wandering Jew
Yucca
Zebra Plant

TOXIC WOOD
Apricot (pits, leaves, bark)
Apple (seeds, leaves, bark)
Avocado (pits, leaves, fruit, stems)
Cedar
Cherry (pits, leaves, bark)
Horse Chestnut
Holly (leaves, berries)
Nectarine (pits, leaves, bark)
Oak (acorns)
Peach (pits, leaves, bark)
Pear (leaves, seeds, bark)
Plum (leaves, pits, bark)
Prune (leaves, pits, bark)
Red Maple

SAFE WOOD
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Black Walnut
Cottonwood
Crabapple
Dogwood
Elm
Eucalyptus
Fir
Madrona
Magnolia
Manzanita
Pine
Poplar
Redwood
Spruce
Willow

(Added by Taylor. This question came from one of our readers.)
QUESTION: I read the list of toxic woods and it listed oak (acorns). Does that mean that the oak limbs, without leaves or acorns is okay for play and climb limbs in a outside playpen for my Eclectus?

ANSWER: Thank for your e-mail! Actually, oak is one of those controversial woods. Acorns and buds contain tannins and the toxins gallic acid and pyrogallal. These substances can cause kidney and liver damage, as well as gastroenteritis. Toxicity varies according to the climate, time of year and location. While toxicity from oak and acorns is well documented in livestock, there is no actual data on birds. In humans, acorns usually only cause G.I. upset. Oak is sometimes seen in perches and toys, apparently without problems, but I would be careful nonetheless. If your Eclectus is a wood chewer, I would stay away from the limbs just in case! Hope this helps!