Edible Plants and Weeds for Tortoises & Land Turtles
This is a list of a variety of different plants, both cultivated and wild, that tortoises and land turtles can eat. Please understand that individual animal taste preferences may vary.
Plant Name |
Scientific Name |
Plant Type |
Edible Parts |
Agave | Agave sp. | Succulent | Entire Plant |
Alfalfa | Medicago sativia | Common Weeds | Entire Plant |
Aloe | Aloe sp. | Succulent | Entire Plant |
Alyssum , Sweet | Lobularia maritima | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Arizona Cottontop Grass | Digitaria sp. | Grasses | Entire Plant |
Arugula | Eruca sativa | Herbs | Leaves, Flowers |
Asperagus Fern | Asperagus setaceus & plumosis | Ferns | Leaves |
Aster | Aster sp. | Cultivated Plants | Leaves |
Baby's tears, Irish Moss | Soleirolia soleirolii | Cultivated Plants | Leaves |
Bamboo Muhly Grass | Muhlenbergia dumosa | Grasses | Entire Plant |
Banana | Musa sp. | Tree/Shrub | leaves, fruit |
Barnyardgrass | Echinochloa crus & galli | Grasses | Leaves |
Basil | Ocimum basilicum | Herbs | Leaves |
Begonias | Begonia sp. | Succulent | Leaves, flowers |
Bentgrasses | Agrostis sp. | Grasses | Leaves |
Bermuda | Cynodon dactylon | Grasses | Leaves |
Big Bluestem | Andropogon gerardi | Grasses | Leaves |
Bindweed | Convolvulus sp. & Calystegia sp. | Common Weeds | Leaves |
Birds Nests Fern | Asplenium nidus | Cultivated Plants | Leaves |
Birdsfoot Trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | Common Weeds | Leaves |
Bittercress | Cardamine hirsuta & flexuosa | Common Weeds | Leaves |
Black mustard | Brassica Nigra | Common Weeds | Entire Plant |
Blessed Thistle | Cnicus benedictus | Common Weeds | Leaves |
Blue grama grass | Bouteloua gracilis | Grasses | Leaves |
Bluedicks | Dichelostemma pulchellum | Desert Wildflower | |
Bluegrass, annual | Poa annua | Grasses | |
Boston Fern | Nephrolepsis exalta | Ferns | |
Bottle Brush | Callistemon | Cultivated Plants | |
Bouganvillea | Bouganvillea sp. | Cultivated Plants | |
Bromeliads | Family Bromeliaceae | Cultivated Plants | |
Buckwheat | Eriogonum fasciculatum | Common Weeds | |
Buffalo grass | Stenotaphrum secondatum | Grasses | |
Buffelgrass | Cenchrus ciliaris | Grasses | |
Bugleweed | Ajuga reptans | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Butterfly Bush | Buddleja sp. | Common Weeds | |
California Buckwheat | Eriogonum fasciculatum | Tree/Shrub | |
California Filago | Filago californica | Common Weeds | |
Canarygrass, littleseed | Phalaris minor | Grasses | |
Carnation | Dianthus caryophyllus | Cultivated Plants | |
Cassia | Senna sp. | Trees/Shrubs | Entire Plant |
Cat's ears | Hypochoeris sp. | Common Weeds | |
Cattle Spinach | Atriplex polycarpa | Tree/Shrub | |
Chamomile | Chamaemelum nobile | Cultivated Plants | Flowers |
Chickweed | Cerastium vulgatum & arvense | Common Weeds | |
Chicory | Cichorium sp. | Common Weeds | Flowers, Leaves, Roots |
Chinese Lantern | Abutilon hybridum | Cultivated Plants | Flowers |
Chrysanthemum | Chrysanthemum sp. | Cultivated Plants | Flowers |
Chufa, or Yellow Nut Grass | Cyperus esculentus | Grasses | |
Cinnamon fern | Osumunda cinnamomea | Ferns | |
Climbing Nasturtium, Garden Nasturium, Indian Cress | Tropaeolum majus | Vines | |
Clover | Trifolium repens & pratense | Common Weeds | |
Coleus | Coleus sp. | Cultivated Plants | |
Common greenbrier, Catbrier | Silax roundfolia & sp. | Common Weeds | |
Common Sorrel | Rumex sp. & Oxalis sp. | Common Weeds | |
Coneflower (purple) | Echinacea sp. (Rudbeckia) | Common Weeds | |
Coreopsis | Coreopsis giganta & tinctoria & atkinsoniana & calliopsidea | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, flowers |
Corn Plant | Dracaena fragrans | Cultivated Plants | |
Cornflower or Bachelor's Buttons | Plagiobothrys sp. | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, flowers |
Cotyledon orbiculata | Family Crassulaceae, Cotyledon orbiculata | Common Weeds | Flowers, Leaves |
Couchgrass | Agropyon repens | Grasses | |
Crabgrass | Digitaria sanguinalis | Grasses | |
Creeping Bell | Campanula rapunculoides | Common Weeds | Flower |
Creeping Charlie | Pilea nummulariifolia | Vines | |
Creeping Jenny | Lysimachia nummlaria | Vines | |
Curly Mesquite Grass | Hilaria belangeri | Grasses | Entire Plant |
Dahlia | Dahlia pinnata & rosea | Cultivated Plants | |
Daisy, English | Bellis perennis | Cultivated Plants/Common Weeds | flowers |
Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale, Agoseris aurantiaca | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers, Roots |
Day Lilies (NOT Easter or Tiger Lilies!) | Hemerocallis sp. | Cultivated Plants | |
Dayflower | Commelina diffusa | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Deadnettle, Red or Purple | Lamium purpurem | Common Weeds | |
Deer Grass | Muhlenbergia rigens | Grasses | Entire Plant |
Desert Dandelion | Malacothrix glabrata | Common Weed | |
Desert Four-O'Clock | Mirabelis spectabalis | Desert Wildflower | Entire Plant |
Desert Rose | Adenium obesum | Succulent | |
Dichondra, Wonderlawn | Dichondra repens | Cultivated Plants/Common Weeds | leaves, flowers |
Dock | Rumex sp. | Common Weeds | Flowers, Leaves, Roots |
Echinacea | Echinacea sp. | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Endives | Cichorium sp. | Common Weeds | |
Evening Primrose | Oenothera biensis | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Evening Primrose, Cut-leaved | Oenothera laciniata | Common Weeds | |
Fennel | Foeniculum sp. | Herbs | |
Fern Acacia | Acacia angustissima | Trees/Shrubs | Flowers |
Fescue, Blue | Festuca glauca | Grasses | |
Fescue, Tall | Festuca arundinacea | Grasses | |
Field mustard | Brassica rapa | Common Weeds | Entire Plant |
Fig Tree | Moraceae | Tree/Shrub | leaves, fruit |
Filaree | Erodium cicutarium | Common Weeds | |
Flowering Maple | Abutilon sp. | Succulent | all |
Forsythia | Forsythia sp. | Tree/Shrub | |
Fuschia | Fuschia sp. | Cultivated Plants | |
Gazania | Gazania sp. | Cultivated Plants | leaves, flowres |
Geranium | Pelargonium sp. | Cultivated Plants | leaves, flowers |
German chamomile | Matricaria chamomilla | Cultivated Plants | Flowers |
Globe Mallows | Sphaeralcea sp. | Common Weeds | Entire Plant |
Goat Head | Tribulus terrestris | Common Weed | |
Golden bamboo or fishpole bamboo | Phyllostachys aurea | Tree/Shrub | |
Goosegrass | Eleusine indica | Grasses | |
Grape Vine | Family Vitaceae & Berberidaceae | Cultivated Plants/Vines | leaves, fruit, Flowers |
Ground ivy | Glechoma hederacea | Vines | |
Guava Tree | Psidium guajava | Tree/Shrub | Leaves |
Hawkbits | Leontodon ssp | Common Weeds | |
Hawk's Beards | Crepis biennis & capilallaris | Common Weeds | |
Haworthia reinwardtii | Haworthia reinwardtii | Succulent | |
Heather | Ericaceae | Tree/Shrub | leaves, flowers |
Hen and Chicks | Echeveria sp. | Succulent | all |
Hen and Chicks , Houseleeks | Sempervivum sp. | Succulent | leaves, flowers |
Henbit | Lamium amplexicaule | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Hibiscus | Hibicus rosa & sinensis & syriacus | Tree/Shrub | Leaves, Flowers |
Hollyhock | Alcea rosea | Cultivated Plants | flowers |
Honesty | Lunaria annua | Common Weeds | Root, Seed |
Honeysuckle | Lonicera interrupta & japonica & periclymenum & caprifolium | Common Weeds/Vines | Leaves, Flowers |
Honeysuckle, Desert | Anisacanthus thurberi | Desert Wildflower | Entire Plant |
Hosta | Hosta sp. | Cultivated Plants | leaves, flowers |
Ice plants | Mesembryanthemaceae family | Succulent | |
Impatiens | Impatiens glandulifera | Cultivated Plants | leaves, flowers, seeds |
Indian Ricegrass | Oryzopsis hymenoides | Grasses | |
Jasmine | Jasminum officinale & grandifloum | Cultivated Plants | |
Johnny-Jump-Up | Viola tricolor | Cultivated Plants | |
Kalanchoe sp. | Kalanchoe sp. | Succulent | |
Kale | Brassica oleracea | Cultivated Plants | |
Kikuyugrass | Pennisetum clandestinum | Grasses | |
Kleingrass | Panicum coloratum | Grasses | |
Knotweed | Polygonum spp. | Common Weeds | |
Kudzu | Puerar lobata | Common Weeds/Vines | Leaves, Flowers |
Lavender | Lavandula angustifolia & labiatae | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Lilac | Syringa vulgaris | Cultivated Plants | |
Link & Otto | Tradescantia crassula | Succulent | |
Live Forever | Sedum purpureum | Succulent | |
Loquat bush | Eriobotrya japonica | Tree/Shrub | |
Mallow | Malva sylrestris & rotundifolia & neglecta & moschata | Cultivated Plants/Common Weeds | Leaves, Roots, Seeds |
Mallow, Desert | Sphaeralcea ambigua | Desert Wildflower | |
Maple | Acer saccharum | Tree/Shrub | |
Marigold | Tagetes sp. | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Milk Thistle | Silybum marianum | Common Weeds | |
Mimosa | Desmanthus illinoensis | Tree/Shrub | |
Mojave Aster | Machaeranthera tortifolia | Desert Wildflower | |
Monkey Plant | Ruellia makoyana | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Moon Flower | Impomoiea alba & leptophylla | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Morning Glory | Family Convolvulaceae | Desert Wildflower | Entire Plant |
Moss Roses, Purselane | Portulaca sp. | Succulent | |
Mother of Pearl | Graptopetalum paraguayen | Cultivated Plants | |
Muhly | Sporobolus asperifolius | Tree/Shrub | |
Mulberry Tree | Morus alba & nigra | Tree/Shrub | Leaves, Fruit |
Mustard | Sisymbrium officinale, Brassica sp. | Common Weeds | |
Napiergrass | Pennisetum purpureum | Grasses | |
Nasturtiums | Nasturtium sp. | Cultivated Plants | |
Nasturtiums | Tropaeolum majus | Cultivated Plants | |
Needlegrass, desert | Stipa speciosa | Grasses | |
Nettle, Stinging | Urtica dioica | Common Weeds | |
Nipplewort | Lapsana communis | Common Weeds | |
Oatgrass | Arrhenatherum sp. | Grasses | |
Orchard grass | Dactylis glomerata | Grasses | |
Ostrich Fern | Matteuccia struthiopteris | Ferns | |
Owl's Clover, Pink-Brush | Orthocarpus purpurascens | Common Weed | |
Pampasgrass | Cortaderia selloana | Grasses | |
Pangolagrass | Digitaria decumbens | Grasses | |
Pansy | Viola sp. | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Paper mulberry | Broussonetia papyrifera | Tree/Shrub | |
Pearl Millet | Pennisetum glaucum | Grasses | |
Pennywort | Cotyledon umbilicus & veneris | Common Weeds | |
Peppergrass | Lepidium spp. | Grasses | |
Persimmon | Diospyros texanum & virginiana | Common Weeds | |
Petunias | Petunia sp. | Cultivated Plants | |
Phlox | Phlox paniculata | Cultivated Plants | |
Pigweed | Amaranthus sp. | Common Weeds | |
Pineapple Guava | Feijoa sellowiana | Cultivated Plants | |
Pink Perslane | Montia sibirica | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Plantains | Plantago major & media & lanceotata | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Poppy, California | Eschscholzia californica | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Poppy, Welsh | Meconopsis cambrica | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Pothos | Epipremnum aureum | Cultivated Plants | Leaves |
Poverty Weed | Monolepis nuttallia, Iva axillaris | Common Weeds | Entire Plant |
Prickly Lettuce | Lactuca serriola | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Prickly Pear Cactus | Opuntia sp. | Succulent | Entire Plant |
Primrose | Primula vulgaris | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Purslane | Portulaca oleracea | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Quackgrass | Agropyron repens | Grasses | Leaves, Flowers |
Quick Weed | Galinsoga sp. | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Raspberry, Blackberry | Rubus sp. | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers, Fruit |
Red Maids | Calandrinia ciliata | Common Weeds | |
Rose | Rosa sp. | Cultivated Plants | Flowers |
Rosemary | Rosamarinus sp. | Herbs | Leaves, Flowers |
Russian Thistle or prickly saltwort | Salsola kali | Tree/Shrub | Leaves, Flowers |
Rye | Secale cereale | Grasses | Leaves |
Sage | Salvia sp. | Tree/Shrub/Herbs | Leaves, Flowers |
Sainfoin | Onobrychis sativa | Common Weeds | |
Salad Burnet | Sanguisorba minor | Common Weeds | |
Sea Grape | Coccoloba uvifera | Tree/Shrub | |
Senna, Desert | Cassia covesii | Trees/Shrubs | Entire Plant |
Sesame grass | Tripsacum dactyloides | Grasses | |
Shepard's purse | Capsella bursa & pastorsis | Common Weeds | |
Slime Lilies | Albuca sp. | Succulent | |
Sow Thistle | Sonchus oleraceus & arvensis | Common Weeds | |
Spider Plant | Chlorophytum comosum | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Spiderwort | Tradescantia pinetorum & occidentalis | Succulent | |
Spurges | Euphorbia sp. | Common Weeds | Entire Plant |
St. Augustine, Charleston grass | Stenotaphrum secundatum | Grasses | |
St. Johns Wort | Hypericum sp. | Common Weeds | Leaves |
Staghorn Fern | Platycerium bifurcatum | Ferns | Leaves, Flowers |
Sticky Monkey Flower | Mimulus aurantiacus | Succulent | |
Stonecrops | Sedum sp. | Succulent | |
Strawberries, domestic | Fragaria × ananassa | Cultivated Plants | |
Strawberry, wild | Fragaria vesca | Common Weeds | |
Swedish Ivy | Plectranthus australis | Cultivated Plants/Vines | Leaves, Flowers |
Sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | Grasses | |
Tea Tree | Leptospermum scoparium | Tree/Shrub | Leaves, Flowers |
Timothy | Phleum pratense | Grasses | |
Tree Fern | Dicksonia antartica | Ferns | |
Tree houseleek | Aeonium sp. | Succulent | all |
Umbrella Plant | Darmera peltata / Petasites hyrbridus | Cultivated Plants | |
Vetch - Bush, Common, Tufted | Vicia sepium & sativa & cracca | Common Weeds | |
Violets | Viola sp. | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |
Wandering Jew | Tradescantia albiflora | Succulent/Vines | Leaves, Flowers |
Watercress | Family Cruicerae | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Weeping lovegrass | Eragrostis curvula | Grasses | |
Whispering Bells | Emmenanthe penduliflora | Cultivated Plants | |
White Tidy-Ups | Layia glandulosa | Common Weeds | |
Wild Carrot | Daucus carota | Common Weeds | Leaves, Roots |
Wild muscadine | Vitis rotundifolia | Vines | Leaves, Flowers |
Wild Oats | Avena fatua | Grasses | |
Willow | Family Salicaceae | Tree/Shrub | |
Willow, Desert | Chilopsis linearis | Trees/Shrubs | Flowers |
Wintercress | Barbarea vulgarsis | Common Weeds | Leaves. Flowers |
Witchgrass | Panicum capillare | Grasses | |
Yallow | Achellea millefolium | Common Weeds | Leaves, Flowers |
Yucca | Yucca sp. | Succulent | |
Zinnia | Zinnia sp. | Cultivated Plants | Leaves, Flowers |