Laurie's Loves

Plants to Beware Of

Here you will find a small bit of information on plants that can do harm to your beloved feathered friends. It's not complete by any means but will give you an idea of the importance of checking for plants that could be hurtful to your bird/s. If in doubt about purchasing a plant for your home and the harmful effects it could have , please use caution. I hope you find this page helpful in some small way.

BEWARE! Many common household items and plants are toxic to pet birds. This is a small reference guide to help.
NAME	Poisonuos Parts	Symptoms
Amaryllis	bulbs	GI
Avocado	All	GI
Azalea	leaves	GI
Balsam pear	seeds, outer rind of fruit	GI
Bane Berry	berries, roots	GI
Bird of Paradise	seeds	GI
Black Locust	bark, sprouts, foliage
Blue Green Algae	some forms toxic
Boxwood	leaves, stems	GI
Buck Thorn	fruit , bark
Buttercup	sap , bulbs	CNS
Caladium	leaves	IR
Calla Lilly	leaves	IR
Caster Bean	beans, leaves	GI
Chalice Vine	all parts	GI
Cherry Tree	bark, twigs, leaves. pits	CNS
Christmas Candle ( Rose)	sap	GI
Coral Plant	seeds	GI
Daffodil	bulbs	GI
Daphne	berries
Datura	berries
Deadly Amanita	All parts
Death Camas	All parts	CNS
Delphinium	All parts
Deffinbachia dumb cane	leaves	IR
Eggplant	All parts but fruit	DEADLY
Elephants Ear	leaves , stem	IR
English Ivy	berries, leaves	GI
False Henbane	All parts
Four-O-Clock	All parts	GI
Foxglove	leaves, seeds	CV
Golden Chain	All parts especially seeds	CNS
Hemlock, poison	all parts especially roots and seeds
Hemlock, water	all parts especially roots and seeds	CNS
Henbane	seeds	CNS
Holly	berries	GI
Horse Chestnut	nuts, twigs	GI
Hyacinth	bulbs	GI
Hydrangea	flower bud	CNS
Indian Turnip	All parts
Iris	bulbs	GI
Java Bean	uncooked bean	BL
Jerusalem Cherry	berries
Jimsonweed	leaves, seeds	CNS
Juniper	needles, stems, berries	IR
Lantana	immature berries	IR
Larkspur	All parts	CV
Laurel	All parts
Lilly of the Valley
Lobelia	All parts
Locoweed	All parts	CNS
Locust, Black	All parts	GI
Locust, Honey	All parts	RE
Lords and Ladies	All parts	GI
Lupines		CNS
Marijuana * hemp *	leaves	CNS
Mayapple	All parts, except f	GI
Mescal Bean	seeds
Mistletoe	berries	GI
Mock Orange	fruit	GI, CNS
Monkshood	leaves , roots	CV
Morning Glory	All parts	CNS
Narcissus	bulbs
Nightshade	berries, leaves	DEADLY
Oak	Acorns, foliage	GI
Oleander	leaves, branches, nectar of blossom	CV
Philodendron	leaves, stems	GI
Pigweed		GI
Pikeweed	leaves, roots, immature berries	GI
Poison Ivy	sap	IR
Poison Oak	sap	IR
Poinsettia	leaves, flowers	IR
Potato	eyes and roots	GI, CNS
Privet	All parts including berries	GI
Red Maple		GI
Rhododendron All parts	GI
Rhubarb	leaves	UR
Rosary Peas	seeds (illegally imported to make Necklaces and rosary beads)
Skunk Cabbage	All parts	IR
Snowdrop	All parts especially buds	GI
Snow on the Mountain	All parts
Sweet Pea	seeds and fruit	CNS
Tobacco	leaves	CNS
Virginia Creeper	sap	GI
Wisteria	All parts	GI
Yam Bean	roots, immature
Yew	needles	CV, GI
Yellow Jasmine		CNS

*Any filtering plant that takes in carbon dioxide and returns oxygen will hold any toxin in the air returned. Example : Spider Plant

GI= gastrointestinal	CV= cardiovascular	CNS= nervous system	BL=Blood abnormalities
IR= irritant	UR= Urinary tract	CY= signs associated with cyanide

*Gastrointestinal* effects of ingestion of toxic plants may include one or more of these symptoms: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, depression or gastroenteritis. Plants that cause these effects contain such toxins as alkaloids, saponins or toralbumins.

*Cardiovascular* effects may be caused by ingestion of plants that contain cardiac glycosides or alkaloids: slow or abnormal heart rhythms, acute nausea, vomiting , collapsed or labored breathing.

If the *central nervous system* is effected , a bird may display any of these symptoms: salivation, nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, hypothermia, collapse, convulsions, depression, aberrant behavior or tremors. Plants that affect the central nervous system may contain toxins such as nicotine, hallucinogens or convulsants.

Signs of *cyanide poisoning* are bright red venous blood, difficulty breathing or collapse.

Plants containing saps, resins or bioactive amines in the spines will *irritant* a birds mouth, pharynx or esophagus. They may also cause excess salivation , edema, vomiting, abnormal heart rhythms, labored breathing, collapse, gastroenteritis, skin rashes and itching.

Plants containing thiaminase or nitrates cause *Blood Abnormalities* such as anemia, methemaglobin or jaundice.

*Urinary tract disorders* such as bloody urine, crystaluria or kidney damage may be caused by plants containing oxalates and other toxic substances.