Tree philodendron vs Blue star fern

Philodendron bipinnatifidum · Phlebodium aureum

Pet safety: Blue star fern is listed non-toxic to cats and dogs; Tree philodendron is toxic (insoluble calcium oxalates). If the two are sold under the same name, a mislabelled plant is a genuine risk in a house with animals.

Why these two get mixed up

Blue star fern is recorded here as a pet-safe alternative to Tree philodendron, so the question is usually whether the swap is actually a fair one.

Tree philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum) — **Tree philodendron** — Philodendron bipinnatifidum. Photograph by VSA.bing, Wikimedia Commons , Public domain.

Blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum) — **Blue star fern** — Phlebodium aureum. Photograph by Anatoly Mikhaltsov, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY 4.0.

	Tree philodendron	Blue star fern
Scientific name	Philodendron bipinnatifidum	Phlebodium aureum
Family	Araceae	Polypodiaceae
Light floor	Medium	Low
Water	7–12 days	5–10 days
Humidity floor	45%	45%
Mature height	36–96 in	12–30 in
Habit	spreading	spreading
Growth rate	moderate	moderate
Difficulty	Easy	Easy
Toxic to pets	Yes	No
Typical price	$25–90	$18–50

Highlighted cells are where the two actually differ. Everything else they share.

The differences that matter

Pet safety

This is the difference that matters most. Blue star fern is listed non-toxic to cats and dogs; Tree philodendron is toxic (insoluble calcium oxalates). If the two are sold under the same name, a mislabelled plant is a genuine risk in a house with animals.

Mature size

Tree philodendron reaches about 96 inches; Blue star fern tops out near 30. Buying the wrong one for a shelf means rehoming it in a year.

Light

Blue star fern tolerates low light; Tree philodendron needs medium as a floor. Put the second in the first's spot and it stretches and declines.

Not even related

Tree philodendron is Araceae, Blue star fern is Polypodiaceae. They share a shop label and nothing else — different families, different continents, different care.

Which should you buy?

With a cat or dog in the house, take Blue star fern. The other is toxic, and if the shop label is wrong you will not know which you have brought home.
In a dim room, take Blue star fern.
If you forget to water, take Tree philodendron, which goes 9 days between drinks.
If it is your first plant, take either — both score 2 of 5.
For a small shelf, take Blue star fern, which stops around 30 inches.

Full entries

Tree philodendron — care fields with sources, toxicity with every authority consulted, propagation and diagnosis. Blue star fern — the same.

Sources

This database's own care records for Philodendron bipinnatifidum and Phlebodium aureum — every figure compared above.
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — accepted names and families for Philodendron bipinnatifidum and Phlebodium aureum
ASPCA Animal Poison Control — toxicity classification for both, cited on each species entry
Photographs: Wikimedia Commons, individually credited and licensed above

Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-12
Every comparison above is drawn from a recorded field. Where the honest distinguisher is visual we show both photographs rather than describing a leaf we have no field for. How this is sourced.