For the past few weeks I’ve been sharing some of the more toxic members of the plant world every Monday. These are plants you should keep away from your horse and today we are going to look at a sunny yellow little plant that just sounds yukky, Bitterweed.
A Little About Bitterweed
Hymenoxys odorata is Bitterweed, also called Sneezeweed. This is an erect annual with a dark stem, alternate leaves that are woolly underneath and bright yellow flowers. It has a bitter taste and a distinct smell.
How Dangerous Is It?
Generally horses will find Bitterweed unpalatable so it is a larger concern during drought conditions. Unfortunately animals without other food sources can develop quite a taste for this plant and will start to seek it out so it should be removed from grazing areas to be safe.
This whole plant is toxic & can be fatal to equines.
What To Look For
You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Bitterweed toxicity symptoms can include loss of appetite & weight loss, depression, bloating, green nasal discharge and an unnatural arched back stance.
Learn More
Be sure to check out the Bitterweed page to learn more about the plant and while you are at it why not check out more toxic plants?
*It should be noted that I’m not a veterinarian. This information is written specifically for horses and should be used for reference purposes only. If you think your horse has eaten something toxic call your vet right away.