Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - May 27, 2009
From: Olathe, KS
Region: Midwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Are non-natives, Dappled willow and Kousa dogwood, toxic to horses?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Are dappled willow trees/bushes or kousa dogwood trees toxic to horses?ANSWER:
First of all, our focus and expertise here at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are with plants native to North America. Neither Salix integra 'Hakuro-Nishiki' (Dappled willow) nor Cornus kousa (Kousa dogwood) are North American natives; both are Asian natives. Nevertheless, Mr. Smarty Plants can guide you to several toxic plant databases—some specific for horses and some general—that you can use to find out if your plants are toxic to horses. A quick search in the four last databases on the list below (the general ones) did not show either of the species above, nor were there any entries at all under the two genera (Salix or Cornus). You should search through the horse toxic plant databases for both plants and keep these databases in mind when you have questions about other plants.10 Most Poisonous Plants for Horses from EquiSearch.com
Poisonous Plants from Trailblazer Magazine
Toxic Plants: Horses from the ASPCA
Horse Nutrition: Poisonous Plants from Ohio State University
Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
More Non-Natives Questions
How Can I Tell an Invasive Thistle from a Native
May 01, 2012 - Mr Smarty Plants,
I have some thistles coming up in my yard. I'd like to keep them if they are native, but not if they are invasive or non-native. How can I tell? My yard is a wild area in West Lak...
view the full question and answer
Problems with non-native Ixora
April 22, 2009 - I have 3 Ixoras I planted last summer and they did beautifully -- then Ike visted us. All the other plants in that garden have recovered and look beautiful, but the ixoras still look ill. No new gro...
view the full question and answer
Cat eating yucca stalks in England
May 07, 2013 - Is it safe for my cat to eat yucca as she is being sick and its hard to stop her
view the full question and answer
Replacing St. Augustine with native grass in Austin
February 24, 2012 - We are renting a house our Sister-in-law owns- the St Augustine is in tough shape, drought and lack of care over the years. Could we plant a native grass or do we have to pull up the remaining St. Aug...
view the full question and answer
Non-native vines poisonous from Bakersfield CA
May 17, 2013 - Are pink bower vines and stars and stripes mandevilla
toxic to dogs?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |