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Poisonous Plants of Colorado
Signs of Plant Poisoning
 Sudden death
 Transitory illness = lasts only a short time
 General body weakness
 Disturbance of the central nervous, vascular and
endocrine systems (any gland of the body that
secretes a substance or hormone, thereby
controlling certain bodily processes (thyroid,
adrenal))
 Photosensitization = external parts of body
(usually skin), become sensitive to light
 Frequent urination
 Diarrhea
 Bloating
Signs of Plant Poisoning
 Chronic debilitation (loss of strength or a weakened
condition) and death
 Embryonic death
 Fetal death
 Abortion
 Extensive liver necrosis (death of animals cells of
tissues) and/or cirrhosis (a diffuse fibrosis (hardening)
of the liver, and some other organs
 Edema (accumulation of fluid in the subcutaneous
tissue) and/or abdominal dropsy
 Tumor growth in tissues
 Congenital deformities = acquired during prenatal life;
birth defects
 Metabolic deficiencies
 Physical injury
Arrowgrass
Arrowgrass
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College.
Arrowgrass
 Perennial which
resembles grass
except the leaves are
thicker and circular.
 6-12 inches tall
 Stems – half round
Broom snakeweed
Broom snakeweed
©W.L. Wagner. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, Dept. of Systematic Biology, Botany.
Broom snakeweed
Low, perennial half-shrub
1 to 2 feet tall
Many branched
Leaves are linear, entire, and alternately
arranged
Yellow flowers in small composite heads
Chokecherry
Chokecherry
 Shrub or small tree
 Smooth dark bark
 Green oval leaves
with small-toothed
edges
 White flowers in
umbrella clusters
 Red fruit
Death camas
Death camas
Death camas
 Perennial – rises from
bulb resembling an
onion except the bulb
is odorless
 Leaves are flat, long
& narrow w/ parallel
veins
 White flowers in early
spring
 4 to 18 inches tall
Gambel oak
Gambel oak
 Shrubs & trees are
best recognized by:
 their fruit – the acorn
Their leathery leaves
with wavy margins
Greasewood
Greasewood
Greasewood
 Native shrub
 Erect, but much
branched plant
 Thorny
 2 to 5 feet tall
 High in water content
 Fleshy, bright green
leaves
 Gray bark on older
stems
Halogeton
Halogeton
 Bushy, succulent
annual
 Little hooked spine on
tip of leaf
 High water content in
spring
 Seed covered with
white scalelike wings
 Resembles Russian
thistle
Horsebrush
Horsebrush
 Shrub
 2 to 4 feet high
 Yellow flowers in
spring
 Spiny, silvery-white
leaves
Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, Dept. of Systematic Biology, Botany.
Low larkspur
Low larkspur
Perennial
Erect, seldom branched
Shallow cluster of tuberous roots
Deeply indented leaves
Blue flowers are clustered around tops of
stems
Tall larkspur
Tall larkspur
Perennial
Much like low larkspur
Note the long “spur” on the flower from
which the name larkspur is derived
Flowers are spread out more at top of
plant
Locoweed
Locoweed
 Perennial
 Erect or spreading
stems
 Flowers and stems
resemble garden pea
(but much smaller)
Lupine
©W.L. Wagner. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution,
Dept. of Systematic Biology, Botany.
Lupine
Not all lupines are poisonous
Annual or perennial
Some shrubs
Leaves are divided into 2 to 9 parts
Attached to a single point like spokes on a
wheel
Spikes of pea-shaped flowers in early
summer
Milkvetch
Milkvetch
Milkvetch
 Perennial
 Flowers in June or
July
 Found on dry sites
 Flower resembles
sweet peas
 Vary in color from
creamy white to
shades of violet
Pine Needles
©J.S. Peterson. USDA NRCS NPDC. Evergreen, Jefferson Co., CO. July 15, 2001.
Herman, D.E. et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook. USDA NRCS ND State
Soil Conservation Committee; NDSU Extension and Western Area Power
Admin., Bismarck, ND. Courtesy of ND State Soil Conservation Committee.
Provided by USDA NRCS ND State Office. ND
Pine Needles
 A 50-150 foot tall tree
 Needles are usually in
groups of 3
 Seeds are in pine
cones
©J.S. Peterson. USDA NRCS NPDC. Evergreen, Jefferson Co., CO. July 15, 2001
Sneezeweed
Sneezeweed
Sneezeweed
 Perennial
 Large yellow to
orange heads that
resemble the
sunflower (except
they have yellow
centers)
Tansy ragwort
Tansy ragwort
Tansy ragwort
 Biennial or perennial
 Strongly scented herb
with simple stems
 8 inches to 3 feet high
 Whole plant has
strong, unpleasant
odor when crushed
Prevention of plant poisoning
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Follow good pasture or range management practices –
plant poisoning is usually a sign of a sick range
Know the poisonous plants common to your area
Know the symptoms that generally indicate plant
poisoning
Avoid turning to pasture in early spring
Provide supplemental feed during droughts, after
plants become mature and after early frost
Avoid turning very hungry animals where there are
poisonous plants
Avoid driving animals too fast when trailing
Remove promptly all animals from infested areas when
plant poisoning strikes
Treat promptly, preferable by a veterinarian
Eyewitness Account
 What kind of livestock (specie)
 How the animal acted (signs)
 What time of year this occurred
 What the plant looked like
 What you are going to do to prevent this from
occurring again
 “We are live at the Tox Plant Ranch where animals have
been found dead – we are talking with the owner – Mr.
Doe – what have you had happening here?”
Arrowgrass
Arrowgrass
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College.
Broom snakeweed
Broom snakeweed
©W.L. Wagner. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, Dept. of Systematic Biology, Botany.
Chokecherry
Death camas
Death camas
Gambel oak
Gambel oak
Greasewood
Greasewood
Halogeton
Halogeton
Horsebrush
Horsebrush
Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, Dept. of Systematic Biology, Botany.
Low larkspur
Tall larkspur
Locoweed
Locoweed
Lupine
©W.L. Wagner. Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution,
Dept. of Systematic Biology, Botany.
Milkvetch
Milkvetch
Pine Needles
©J.S. Peterson. USDA NRCS NPDC. Evergreen, Jefferson Co., CO. July 15, 2001.
Herman, D.E. et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook. USDA NRCS ND State
Soil Conservation Committee; NDSU Extension and Western Area Power
Admin., Bismarck, ND. Courtesy of ND State Soil Conservation Committee.
Provided by USDA NRCS ND State Office. ND
Sneezeweed
Sneezeweed
Tansy ragwort
Tansy ragwort