Need advice on plants, trees esp.

[CyndiD]

Wondering if "pussy willow" and "weeping willow" are poisonous to horses?? I have one planted beside the barn to help ease the water situation...as when we get a downpour it helps keep the barn from getting so wet inside.

I want to plant some weeping willows in the field with the horses as well, for the same reason. Does anyone know of a website I can find this information at??

Thanks for any help!!

 

[Charlotte]

We had weeping willows when we lived in Northern IL and the horses 'browsed' them with no problems that I saw. However they WILL strip the bark if they can get to the trunks and kill the trees..........actually, they will do that with most trees if there isn't enough good grass to keep tham busy.

I wish I had a picture. We had a 29" stallion who would walk on his hind legs to 'graze' the tree leaves.

I'll be interested to see other opinions

Charlotte

p.s. I forgot. If you have problems with wet flooring in your barn a solution we used with success several times is to raise the floor level inside the barn by putting down limestone screenings.......6" to 2" deep. Kept the barns dry no matter how wet it was outside. (other crushed rock will do also)

 

[OhHorsePee]

Try this site.

http://www.naturalhorsetraining.com/PoisonousPlants.html

Fran

 

[CyndiD]

Thank you for the replies!!!

Thanks especially "horsepee"..(

)...I am still browsing that website..its LOADED with information!!

 

[susanne]

The salix genus (willow trees and shrubs -- there are thousands) are safe, yet also tasty, as has been suggested. My guys thought they had found a hanging feed bag when they visited my mother and discovered her enormous weeping willow. I would protect any young tree that you plant -- even if they don't want to eat them, they love to scratch their nether regions on them...

Like so many plant lists, the one listed above is a decent starting point, but barely scratches the surface. The best I've found so far is:

http://www.ivis.org/special_books/Knight/p...er_frm.asp?LA=1

Here's another useful list I found for plants "known" to be safe for horses (again, not an exhaustive list, and to be extra safe I would run these past your vet or extension agent)

African Violet (Saintpaulia)-

Aglaonema (Botanic name)

Ajuga Reptans (Botanic name)  groundcover

Albizzia (Botanic name)  tree

Alstoemeria (Botanic name)   flowering perennial

Aluminum Plant (Pilea cadierei)

Amaryllis Belladonna (Botanic name)  bulb

Anemone (Botanic name)  flowering perennial

Angel Wing Begonia (Species) flowering annual

Artillery Plant (Pilea Microphylla)

Asparagus Fern (A. setaceus or sprengeri) fern

Aster, Giant (Townsendia sericea)   flowering perennial

Baby's Blanket (Thymus serpyllum) groundcover

Baby's Breath (Gypsophyla)   flowering perennial

Baby Tears (Helxine soleirolii)

Bachelor Buttons (Centaurea cyanus)   flowering perennial

Bamboo, common (Phyllostachy aurea)

Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenuim nidus) fern

Bishop's Weed (Aegopodium podagaria) flowering perennial

Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)  tree

Boston Fern (Nephrolepsis exalta) fern

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)  flowering shrub

Camellia (Thea japonica)  flowering shrub

Canna Lily (Canna generalis) exotic bulb

Canterbury Bells (Campanula)   flowering perennial

Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua)  tree

Cockscomb (Celosia argentea)

Coleus (Species) annual

Creeping Charlie (Plectranthus australis) annual groundcover

Creeping Charlie (Lysimachia nummularia) invasive groundcover

Creeping Charlie (Pilea nummulariifolia)

Crocus, Spring blooming (Species) bulb

Dahlia (Species)   flowering perennial

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Douglas Fir (Pseudosuga taxifolia)  tree

Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) bulb

Elephant Ear (Bergenia cordifolia) bulb

Fir (Abies or pseudotsuga)  tree

Forget-me-nots (Myosotis)     flowering annual

Forsythia (Botanic name)   shrub

Fruitless Mulberry (Morus) tree

Fuchsia (Species)   flowering perennial

Gardenia (Jasminoides)   flowering perennial

Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa)   flowering perennial

Gourd (Cucurbitaceae) perennial

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari species) bulb

Hemlock, Tree (Tsuga species)  tree

Hen and Chickens (Sepervivum tectorum) groundcover

Hen and Chicks (Echeveria) groundcover

Hibiscus (Botanic name)   flowering perennial

Hollyhock (Althaea rosea)   flowering perennial

Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)  tree

Lilac (Syringa)   shrub

Locust Pods Tree (Ceratonia siliqua) tree

Manzanita (Arctostaphylos)  tree shrub

Mock Orange (Philadelphus species)   shrub

Mock Orange (Pittosporum tobira) shrub

Mountain Ash (Sorbus aucuparia)  tree

Mulberry Tree (Morus species)  tree

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) flowering annual

Petunia (Species) flowering annual

Phlox (Botanic name) flowering perennial

Purple Passion Vine (Gynura aurantiaca)

Red Bud (Cercis Canadensis)  tree

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)  flowering perennial

Silver King (Aglaonema)

Snake Plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata)

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum species)

Snowball Bush (Viburnum)   shrub

Sphagnum Moss (Botanic name) groundcover

Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum)

Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus australis)

Sycamore (Platanus) tree

Torch Lily (Kniphofia) bulb

Wandering Jew (Zebrina pendula)

Weigelia (Botanic name)   flowering shrub

Willow (Salix)  tree/shrub

Xylosma (Botanic name)

Yucca (Botanic name)

Zebra Plant (Calathea zebrina)

Zebra Plant (Cryptanthus zonatus)

Zinnia (Botanic name)