These are some of the more common garden plants that are toxic for horses, and some safe alternatives for you to plant in your stables or around your paddock.
For most of the toxic plants here, it's unlikely that your horse will eat them. Unlike a dog or cat which has free rein of the home and garden, horses are generally within a fenced grass area.Remember that there are plants that are perfectly safe and tasty for us to eat that could make your horse sick - like tomato, stone fruit, citrus, avocado, as well as several herbs. It's not a complete list, so do check with your vet if you are unsure.
Morning Glory and Horses - it's not glorious
Most of the problematic garden plants for horses are just that - garden plants. So your horses and ponies are unlikely to come across them in the paddock.
The exceptions might be for garden escapees, or plants which can climb up over a boundary fence into the sights - and mouths - of our equine friends.Morning glory (Ipomoea indica) is a vigorous climber in subtropical parts of the country (and a declared weed in NSW and WA); in cooler locations it will usually be killed by frost which keeps the leafy parts in check. It's a beautiful flower, but not for horses. Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis ) looks similar, with an all-white flower (and is a declared weed in SA and VIC). You'll find more weeds like these towards the end of this post.Keep a lookout for these lovely climbers on the edges of your paddock.
Plants Toxic to Horses
Bulbs
• Amaryllis - amaryllis, belladonna lily, naked ladies • arum • Colchicum - autumn crocus • cyclamen • dahlia • gladiolus • gloriosa • hellebore • hyacinth • iris species • Convallaria - lily of the valley • Narcissus - daffodil, jonquil • peony • ranunculus • tulip • Zantedeschia - arum, calla
Fruits & Nuts
• apple • avocado • citrus - bergamot, orange, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime • Prunus species - apricot, plum, peach, cherry • rhubarb • tomato • walnut
Succulents
• Adenium - desert rose • aloe vera • crassula • Euphorbia tirucalli - firesticks • Euphorbia pulcherrima - poinsettia • kalanchoe
Herbs & Veg
• Allium - chives, onion, garlic, leek • laurel, bay tree • borage • buckwheat • caraway • lemon grass • lemon verbena • lovage • mint • oregano, marjoram • parsley • tarragon • watercress
Indoor & Tropical
• Aglaonema - Chinese evergreen • Alocasia, Colocasia - elephant's ear, taro • anthurium • begonia • caladium • coleus • cordyline • dracaena • cycad • Dieffenbachia - dumbcane • Epipremnum, Scindapsus - pothos, devil's ivy • Ficus benjamina - weeping fig • Monstera - swiss cheese, fruit salad plant • philodendron • Polyscias • Sansevieria - mother in laws tongue, snake plant • Schefflera - umbrella tree • Spathiphyllum - peace lily • Syngonium - arrowhead vine, goosefoot plant • Tradescantia - wandering dude, sweet kate • yucca • Zamia - cardboard palm
Flowering plants
• achillea - yarrow • ammi • azalea • Brunfelsia - yesterday today tomorrow • Dianthus - carnation, pink, sweet william • chamomile, anthemis • chrysanthemum • clematis • clivia • delphinium, larkspur • echium • erigeron - seaside daisy • foxglove • gardenia • heliotrope • hosta • hydrangea • Ipomoea - morning glory • lavender • lobelia • Nerium - oleander • oxalis • Pelargonium - zonal geranium, scented geranium • primula, primrose • portulaca • senecio • Strelitzia - bird of paradise • sweet pea • vinca • wisteria
Trees & Shrubs & Groundcover
• Acer rubrum - scarlet maple • Aesculus - horse chestnut • Buxus - box hedge • Caesalpinia pulcherrima, gilliesii - pride of Barbados • clover • eucalyptus • Ilex species - holly • Hedera - ivy • Kalmia - calico, mountain laurel • Ligustrum - privet • Melia azedarach - white cedar • nandina • Pieris japonica - andromeda • Podocarpus - plum pine • Quercus - oak • Taxus - yew
Weed Plants
Keep an eye out for these in your paddocks - they are not generally garden plants, but you may encounter them in the wild.
The ones asterisked are notifiable weeds so please report and remove them if you see them.• Asparagus - basket fern*, bridal veil fern* • Echium plantagineum - paterson's curse*, salvation jane • Hypochaeris - cat's ear dandelion • lantana* • Pteridium - bracken fern • Senecio - ragwort, madagascar ragwort* • Solanum - nightshade, silver nightshade*
Plants Safe for Horses
If you want to give your horse some visual enrichment (and possibly dietary - check with your vet), these plants have not had any reported ill effects on horses.
• Alstroemeria - princess lily • alyssum • Araucaria - norfolk pine • Antirrhinum - snapdragon • beet, chard • Beaucarnea - ponytail palm • Callistemon - bottlebrush • Calathea - prayer plant • camellia • carrot • Chlorophytum - spider plant • coriander • Cyrtomium - holly fern • dill • Dypsis - golden palm • echeveria • fatsia • Felicia - blue daisy • fennel • gerbera • Gypsophila - baby's breath • Hemerocallis - daylily • heuchera • Humata - rabbit's foot fern • Hypoestes - polkadot • Ipomoea batata - sweet potato vine • ixora • jasmine • Kniphofia - red hot poker • Lagerstroemia - crepe myrtle • liriope • nasturtium • pittosporum • Platycerium - staghorn, elkhorn fern • Pteris - brake fern • rosemary • salvia • stephanotis • strawberry • thyme • Trachelospermum - star jasmine
