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Discussion on Cherry Tree toxic? Toxic trees in Pennsylvania
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Member:
quatro
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 12:17 am:
We are looking at property in Pennsylvania mountains. There are Cherry Trees and oaks, and maples, I have heard that Cherry tree leaves (when wilted are deadly) Also what about Maples. I am serious enough that we will consider having them cut the trees down before we even consider buying? So really need to know toxic trees to look for in PA
thanks
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Member:
shirl
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 12:34 am:
Susan, I may be wrong about this, but I think Maple leaves are poisonous, especially red maple. May be wrong but others will chime in I'm sure.
Sounds like a lovely place.
Shirley
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 7:07 am:
I'm not sure about regular cherry trees, but choke cherry trees wilted leaves can be deadly, and wilted RED maple leaves. Oaks make acorns and they can cause problems for some also .
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 8:02 am:
Yes all these trees have toxic principles and yet I have oak and maple trees in my pastures. Perhaps most important to preventing poisoning is to be sure there is always plenty of forage available so there is no desire to eat excessive amounts of other plants. Cherry trees are not poisonous but wild (also known as choke) cherry is. To read more about these see plants and others HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Poisons , Venoms & Poisonous Plants » Poisons, Poisonous Plants, and Venomous Animals. The Canadian link is particularly complete.
DrO
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Member:
totty2
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 8:04 am:
Hi Susan. I live in PA and there are several trees that are toxic to horses. I would have them removed before you move on the property. Here is a website from Penn State U that provides information on the subject: https://www.das.psu.edu/news/fall-dangers-and-your-horses
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Member:
totty2
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 8:04 am:
Where in PA are you looking? 
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 11:06 am:
Susan,
A friend and I had an extension agent out recently after her horse had to be euthanized possibly due to ingesting toxins.
He said that some people successfully keep toxic species of cherry trees in their pasture by trimming the lower branches off so that the horses cannot reach the leaves but this does not solve the possible problem of a branch falling off a tree into the pasture so one would have to be vigilant in this regard.
I have oaks in my pasture and although my horses always have plenty of grass or hay available, I have had a horse colic once due to eating leaves off a tree and another because of eating acorns. It is possible that a case of laminitis that one of my horses experienced last January was related to the eating of acorns (high in protein). The oak species vary with regard to how much tannin (that is what is poisonous) that they contain. The species in my pasture are mostly those with lower amounts of tannins.
I do a lot of reading and research on the subject of toxic plants and recently discovered the following Internet site, which is one of the best that I have seen, although it does not have photographs: https://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/range/toxicplants_horses/Toxic%20Plant%20Database.html
Here is a site (photos available by clicking on name) of the ASPCA regarding horses and toxic plants/trees: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/plant-list-horses.html
Doing a lot of research has led me to conclude that there is often a lot of discrepancy between how a particular site looks at what is poisonous and/or toxic, and to what degree.
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Member:
quatro
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 12:25 pm:
Thanks so much for all the resources everyone! The more I learn about horses, the more I wonder how they survived into the millenium
Sally we are looking around the mountains of Pittsburgh area. My family and friends are all there. This particular property is by Donegal/Ligonier area in the Laurel Highlands.
Of course you can cut the bad choke cherry out of your property, but the neighbors leaves will probably blow in!
Levi, my problem child, he eats everything. I put a couple of cute horse reflectors on the posts in front of their yard yesterday. Tom looked over and Levi had the one in his cute little lips, Tom yanked it out, whopped him on the neck, and he just walked over to the other one, and chewed on that one, just to be hornery
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 12:53 pm:
Susan,
It sounds like you might want to consider a "buffer zone" of some kind around the perimeter of your pasture!
I have had a problem with toxic stuff growing on the other side of my fence on neighboring lands and asked permission to remove the offending trees/vegetation, which was granted.
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Oct 23, 2010 - 6:03 pm:
Great links Vicki. Interesting that garlic is listed as toxic.
We have a woods full of maples. I've never noticed my horses eating the leaves but they love to chew the bark off of any tree they can reach. Just because they can I guess.
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 24, 2010 - 11:40 am:
Mine chew on some of my oaks also and believe this is mostly out of boredom while just hanging out.
Sometimes animals chew bark looking for a particular nutrient.
Individual horses will often handle a particular toxin differently.
The first site above that I posted has a lot of interesting information about why some horses may be more susceptible than others and what various factors may increase the danger of poisoning.
Toxic plants often behave differently when under stress by DrOught, extreme cold or after rainfall. A pasture that has been utilized by a group of horses without incident for years may suddenly become a very dangerous place due to weather events.
Over the years my pasture has been seemingly suddenly invaded by all sorts of different and new invasive species suddenly springing up in numbers.
It is nearly impossible to maintain land entirely free of toxins all of the time.
Keeping our horses in generally good condition and ensuring that they have ample hay, safe, clean water, salt and minerals is something that helps to protect them too.
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