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  Discussion on Florida plant poisons
Author Message
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 8:51 am:

Hi all,

I have two plants/bushes in my yard that i need to verify its toxic levels or not. One is a Holly tree and i have two variations one is a native Florida Holly and the other isn't (i think people call it a pepper holly?). Plus i was reading on the toxic plant site about potato plants being toxic. I have a pesky vine in the yard that people around here call a potato vine because when you finally get to the root it looks like a bunch of tubors. I have another vine that looks alot like poison ivy (but isn't since i have that too in my yard), does anyone have info on vines that could be poisonous?

Does anyone have any information on these plants? My mare was acting a little funny a few nights back. Today i noticed she has nibbled on a potato tuber that popped up and i also saw her munching on the leaves (not the berries) of the holly tree.

I know the red berries of most any species of plant can be toxic, but when they aren't blooming is the plants leaves just as toxic?

And when they ingest these things, is there anything i can give to counteract any effects the poison might have?

any sites or info appreciated.

thanks.
jojo

Member:
Bethyg2

Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 12:56 pm:

Dear Jojo,
I am dying to hear from anyone who really knows about this Florida plant stuff- I have Florida Holly/ Brazilian pepper (so nice they named it twice? I think it's the same plant) everywhere in and around my pastures- one vet said don't bother with it, another said it was poison. I heard that "county extension" agents will come out to your place and help you with these issues- who are these people and where can I find them? I haven't done well with the various lists and even pictures on some web sites- I sort of do want it to be easier for me to identify the local toxic species. It is a constant worry for me here in S. FL...so I will be monitoring this discussion for info. I have e-mailed the county for info to no avail....Do you have those weird looking vines that spiral up the cypress trees and bear yellow/orange two inch spikey looking "fruit"? They just LOOK poison...they are everywhere too-pull 'em up, they grow somewhere else...This is the stuff that looks most dangerous. -Beth Gordon
Member:
Hwood

Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 1:28 pm:

Hey, Beth,

The Extension Service is found in the phone book . . . They work through your State University . . . The 4-H Program is (or was) part of the Extension Service, as well.

There used to be County Agents, but I know that, at least in the 4-H Program, the 4-H Extension Agents have been renamed and been reduced in number, so that some "Agents" (In 4-H, they are called Education Specialists.) cover more than one county.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, May 28, 2004 - 7:11 am:

I do not recognize either plant as poisonous but to be sure you should identify the plant by its scientific name and see if you can find them on any of the poisounous plant lists we provide at, Equine Diseases » Poisons , Venoms & Poisonous Plants ». Local extension can serve as a useful resource on the name of local plants.
DrO
Member:
Bethyg2

Posted on Friday, May 28, 2004 - 12:31 pm:

Dear Jojo
I actually stopped at the palm beach county extension office yesterday,and brought a basket full of weeds with me, including the vine that has me worried. My vine has little yellow/ orange spikey fruits, sort of oblong to round. They told me they are POISON!!!It is a non-native but is all over now, and is called "Balsam Pear"-native to Jamaica. Sometimes it has small yellow flowers, the size of butter cups. They told me they need to be taken out of the pasture immediately. They gave me a booklet, entitled something like "THINGS THAT KILL LIVESTOCK IN PALM BEACH COUNTY." I had three in my pasture, including the vine and Brazilian Pepper (Florida Holly) trees. Also I had Virginia Creeper, a parasite plant that winds its way through others. Many weeds were harmless though. They could not identify some.The people there were really helpful, but said that the extension offices in more rural counties would be more able to help- such as Okeechobee(sp?) county. I really wanted someone to come out to my place and walk the pastures- I heard they do this- but I guess that's a lot to ask. The office was on Military Trail,west side, between Belvedere and Southern Blvd, in the Mounts botanical garden complex-for all you south Floridians.
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004 - 12:04 am:

https://www.floridagardener.com/pom/Schinusterebinthifolius.htm

Dr. O this is the best i could find on the brazilian pepper/florida holly. I know it wasn't on your national site but its a florida poisonous plant.

Beth, Pull up your vines and see if these tubors are there. That is what i am concerned about. I notice my mare will dig the ground looking for them. chew a little and then leave it. very weird.

Can horses catch a buzz off something it eats? and then become addicted? Stupid question?

Beth do you have the ability to take a pic of your "strange" vines? I have so many its very difficult to figure out where one starts and another ends...

I am off to okeechobee this weekend. Maybe with the pics i could get some more answers.
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004 - 12:08 am:

oh, and my first question. Did anyone say Beth that eating the leaves could be just as poisonous? or when the berries are green?

I wonder if your booklet has a phone/ address on it. Could you paste it so i could have them send me one?
Member:
Bethyg2

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 2, 2004 - 1:08 pm:

Jojo, Yes, they said the leaves were poisonous too but I don't know how much they really know...they just point out the poison plants.Everyone I talk to at the extension office sends me somewhere else, but I really can't drive to Okeechobee just to have them tell me sorry, you don't live in this county...Today, the head guy at the Palm Beach extension office told me sorry, horses and cattle are only 1% of the business of Palm Beach county and they really can't have someone come out. (: They did give me a pamphlet, but no color pics so Iding the plants is really hard.
I will try to take a picture of the vine- I am not sure if the Balsam Pear was actually a part of the one I pulled out of the ground or was just wound around it, but it was very weird- like pulling up a burried cable- it ripped up the ground all over by the trees when I pulled it up.I have a crew out there now ripping and tugging and sweating- hopefully there will be nothing but grass when I get home. I called the number the ladies gave me for Art Kerstein, 561 233 1715- he was the one they said worked w/ the Wellington horse people, but he didn't seem that enthused....Don't tell him I posted his # on a web site!He will probably just tell you to bring the plants in for identification- the problem is they really don't tell you much like how toxic is it, will a nibble cause a problem, will the horse have to eat a truckload to get sick, how concerned should you be, etc. I will work on getting those digital pics taken by tomorrow-that vine and the fruit w/ the bright red seeds inside looks pretty deadly, but something(racoons?) eats it at night cause I always see the fruits ripped open and no dead animals in my pastures!Right now I am just making sure my horse has lots of hay so he doesn't get interested in the bad stuff. -Beth
Member:
jojo15

Posted on Friday, Dec 26, 2008 - 10:11 am:

I was meandering around the HA site and saw this old post for those of us in Florida. I've done ALOT of research since this post. (makes me laugh how I sound years later when reading them).

Anyway, I've learned alot about certain toxins and this way if any Floridian stumbles on here a few more lists of what and what isn't toxic. and sites to help you in the search.

I have had a few issues in the past few years. Mostly, oddly enough were Photosensitivity issues from the horse, or pig, or goats getting into a plant and then a dermatologic reaction and illness ensued. Something I knew nothing about. My pig almost died from something he ingested. and all his skin sloughed off. Very scary.

I've also learned that Lobolly Pine is also toxic while it looks alot like a Slash pine tree. and we have many in this area. Slash pine on the other hand is NOT toxic. I have a hundred of them in my yard. And the first sign of any colic distress my horses go right for the pine needles. Same with goats.

I don't know about other parts of the country but its extremely haphazard how certain toxic plants grow here. For instance, the Eastern Nightshade was prolific after the hurricanes. Or when the ground is tampered. But not so much right now. Many plants are like this. And if its a dry season? and then time of year it's supposedly prolific? sometimes its not. certain plants grow but won't grow in the opposite seasons and weather the next year.

Wild lantana is the bane of the pasture. I'm always pulling this stuff out. It just won't go away. And this is deadly to horses.

One weed not mentioned but prolific here in the south is Pokeweed. Edible if leaves are boiled (a huge process) and many native floridians love it, its a "Florida cracker" delicacy. but very toxic to horses if eaten from the ground. Deadly toxic. Leaves, shoots, berries. The plant also from years 1 to 3 never look the same. This is what you might encounter on the trails. though i've seen it on the outside of my fenceline.

I have been very lucky in that my horse. and my mini are both native floridian horses. and not just them but all of their lineage comes from Florida. Its just a theory but i think they have that "sixth sense" about what they can consume and how much. I don't think a new horse, or a higher bred horse new to florida or on the property would be so savvy.

This site won't let me upload the pdf here. but here is the link so you can. you need to copy and paste this into your browser and the first paragraph is the pdf file. good information on there. For herbicides that keep this stuff gone.
https://search.ufl.edu/web?x=0&y=0&site=jackson.ifas.ufl.edu&query=toxic+plants





https://search.purdue.edu/search?q=toxic%20plants&site=default_collection&client= purdue&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=purdue

Here are some additional sites i found helpful in my searches. I found my greatest problem was that you have to search thru all the links to find the picture you wanted to match. Not easy.

https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/22

https://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/comlist.html

There are pictures up here from plants i've positively identified in my yard.

https://jojosfarmlife.blogspot.com/search/label/toxic%20plants

And more good sites that list plants in Florida.

Here is a picture of Balsam apple discussed above. My horses won't go near it. And its a wily vine. You pull it out and 4 more show up in a few weeks. The "apple" is colored bright yellow and the seed heads when ripe are brite red. One little seed head eaten will make the horse drunk. They pop open when ripe on their own.

https://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News%20columns/Balsam%20Apple.htm

https://search.ufl.edu/web?x=0&y=0&site=jackson.ifas.ufl.edu&query=toxic+plants

https://jackson.ifas.ufl.edu/ag/pdf_files/05PastureWeedFieldGuide.pdfhttps://search.ufl.edu/web?x=0&y=0&site=jackson.ifas.ufl.edu&query=toxic+plants

https://search.ufl.edu/web?x=0&y=0&site=jackson.ifas.ufl.edu&query=toxic+plants

Now that i have a herd of goaties it seems that none of these issues are too much of a problem anymore. They eat many plants considered toxic to horses. And keep them all down to a manageable size and lower the threat.

Hope this helps anyone out there looking.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Friday, Dec 26, 2008 - 2:56 pm:

Out of town with a troublesome portable computer but must make a couple of comments since this is a favorite area of study for me.

The Lantana will cause photosensitivity and sloughing of skin. Individual reactions can vary widely and can be very serious with little exposure. Many horses will not care to eat this plant while others develop a taste for it and search it out.

The Balsam Pear is poisonous and I have known horses that developed colic from eating this.

Most horses don't care to eat Pokeweed.

There are many, many poisonous plants that flourish in Florida.

One found in pastures this time of year that I think can cause kind of a "high" in the horse is Golden Corydalis. It can also cause sudden death if enough is ingested. It can cause sores in the mouth and gingivitis as well. The plant is, if I recall correctly, even more toxic to cattle and sheep (strange) with goats tolerating it better. This plant is very palatable and green in the winter (hardy against freezing). I've had horses get sick from eating it and they will make strange motions and snap at the air around them if they eat enough.

Mistletoe falling out of the trees can make a horse quite sick.

I have heard of some horses that have died after eating Rosary Pea that was in the turn out areas of public horse camping sites in Florida.

Many plants that are found in yards are toxic -- holly, azalea, boxwood, oleander (very bad), Carolina Jasmine (grows wild too).

A few other bad weeds that come to mind -- Crotoleria, Chinaberry, Vetch, 3 kinds of Nightshade, Pigweed, Ragwort.

There are many more. What is common to a particular area will depend upon the type of soil.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Friday, Dec 26, 2008 - 3:02 pm:

Should have added, Woodbine, also caused Virginia Creeper is toxic. The berries have been known to kill children. A horse belonging to a friend of mine ate enough leaves (before berries) to cause continuing hives until this was removed from his pasture.

No doubt the air potato could make a horse sick too.
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