Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - October 15, 2008

From: Coulee City, WA
Region: Northwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Native trees for horse pasture in eastern Washington
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Hi. I live in Washington State (eastern)What type of trees can I grow in a pasture for horses? Best Regards,

ANSWER:

You can find a list of native plants of Grant County, Washington from the Washington Native Plant Society.    There are also other lists that you can consult for different special areas in the county that you may recognize as being closer to your particular location.  From the list for the entire county I selected the following native trees:

Betula occidentalis (water birch)

Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry)

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (redosier dogwood)

Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa (black cottonwood) and photos

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir)

Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)

Salix bebbiana (Bebb willow)

Salix exigua (narrowleaf willow)

Salix scouleriana (Scouler's willow)

None of the species above appear on any of Mr. Smarty Plants favorite toxic plant databases:

Universtiy of Pennsylvania's Poisonous Plants Database, Poisonous Plants of North Carolina, Cornell University's Plants Poisonous to Livestock and other Animals, Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System and Texas Toxic Plant Database.

However, the following native trees from the Grant County list do appear on the Cornell University's Plants Poisonous to Livestock and other Animals and should not be included in your pasture for horses:

Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine)

Prunus virginiana (chokecherry)

Prunus emarginata (bitter cherry)

Additionally, here are several databases that list plants, native and otherwise, that should not be included in areas with horses: 

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


 

 

More Trees Questions

Identification of mystery tree in Huntington Beach, CA
March 25, 2015 - Have a "tree" that has grown from about 18" tall to about 10' tall in a little over a years time. It has a central trunk that is about 3/4" in diameter at it's largest. It has short thin branch...
view the full question and answer

Loss of bloom on Fremontodendron californicum in California
June 11, 2009 - The flowers on my Flannel Bush all died at once I have noticed a sappy substance at the base of the trunk. There are still some flowers on bush but most are dead. It has been blooming since Feb. Is ...
view the full question and answer

Need substitute plants for Red Tip Photinia in San Antonio.
April 14, 2009 - Looking to replace Red Tips with major leaf spot infections. Need about third replaced. What suggestions would you have to replace these privacy hedge row type plants? Need a plant that will grow at...
view the full question and answer

Growing non-native grapefruit from seeds from Austin
April 30, 2013 - Can you grow ruby red grapefruit trees from seeds?
view the full question and answer

Crape myrtle in Austin
August 01, 2012 - Please don't bother to answer my question about how to treat a crepe myrtle with sticky stuff falling from it. I just found the answer on your site. Good site, by the way.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.