This list summarises Australian plants that can be lethal to horses. This list is not exhaustive.
Always consult your vet if you suspect poisoning and disallow the horse from accessing the source. This applies to any type of poisoning.
| Name | Pictures of plants and major symptoms |
|---|---|
| Blue canary grass (Phalaris coerulescens) |
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl? Alkaloid poisoning Sudden death |
| Cotton bushes (Gomphocarpus spp. & Asclepias spp.) |
http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi? http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/11051 http://cms.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/weedscommon/JCUDEV_012268 Cardiac glycosides poisoning. Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Crotalaria spp. |
http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/genus/Crotalaria Alkaloid poisoning
|
| Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) |
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/poisonsinformationcentre/ Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Hemlock (Conium maculatum) |
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/
|
| Mother of Millions (Bryophyllum spp.) |
http://cms.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/weeds/JCUDEV_011578 Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Oleander (Nerium oleander) |
http://cms.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/planttownsville/JCUDEV_006328 Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Paradoxa grass (Phalaris paradoxa) |
http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/photo/552 Alkaloid poisoning Sudden death |
| Paterson's Curse (Echium plantagineum) |
http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/dig/3310 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/dig/3311 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/12200 Alkaloid poisoning
|
| Prunus spp: this includes all prunus trees such as apricot, cherry, almond, plum, peach trees etc. Leaves are lethal, even dead ones | Cyanide poisoning. Can occur within 10 minutes of eating the leaves.
|
| Rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandiflora) and Purple rubber vine (Cryptostegia madagascariensis) |
http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/dig/1618 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/dig/1447 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/mi/75 Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Swainsona spp. |
http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/12729 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/5274 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/30519 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/30514 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/30527 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/21025 http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/30521
|
| Two & One leaf cape tulips (Moraea miniata & Moraea flacida – also known as homeria falcida and homeria miniata) |
http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/a/12204 Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Yellow Oleander (Cascabela thevetia) |
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/poisonsinformationcentre/ Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Ornithogalums (Ornithogalum spp.) |
http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1372 Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Blue periwinkle (Vinca major) |
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DPI/Vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/ Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Pheasant’s eye (Adonis microcarpa) |
http://members.iinet.net.au/~weeds/western_weeds/ Cardiac glycosides poisoning Only few leaves can be toxic, even dead leaves.
|
| Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) |
http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/17020 Lectins poisoning
|
| Crofton weed & Mistflower (Ageratina adenophora or Eupatorium adenophorum & Ageratina riparia or Eupatorium riparium) |
http://www.anbg.gov.au/photo/apii/id/dig/2092 http://www.weedsbluemountains.org.au/crofton_weed.asp http://www.southeastweeds.org.au/index.pl?page=148 Respiratory illness
|
| Hardheads, Knapweed (Acroptilon repens, Centaurea repens) |
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/weeds Sudden symptoms but the illness develops after a long period of exposure
|
| St Barnaby's Thistle (Centaurea solstitialis) |
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DPI/Vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/ Sudden symptoms but the illness develops after a long period of exposure
|
| Blue Green Algae |
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/resources/water/quality/publications/bga-irrigation
|
| Red maple (Acer rubrum [Aceraceae]) |
http://www.flemings.com.au/ornamental_listing.asp?variety=Acer
|
| Birdsville indogo, Creeping indigo (Indigofera linnaei, Indigofera spicata) |
http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/photo/3981 http://cms.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/weedscommon/JCUDEV_015507 Symptoms appear after around 10 days eating the plants
|
| Gympie Stinger, Gympi Gympi, Mulberry-leaved Stinger (Dendrocnide moroides) |
http://www.anhs.com.au/stinging%20tree.htm http://cms.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/plantcairns/JCUDEV_015500 The pain is so intense that affected horses enter into a hysteric state and die from self-destruction and self-harming |
References:
- Janusz Talalaj "Poisonous Plants in Australia" Echidna Press 2008
- Mellisa Offord "Plants Poisonous to Horses, An Australian Field Guide" RIRDC 2006
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