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.
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Saturday - October 03, 2009
From: Gloucester, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Poisonous Plants
Title: Are leatherleaf viburnum or Carolina Sapphire toxic to horses?
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Are Leather-leaf Viburnum or Carolina Saphire toxic to equine? I would like to plant them near the fence line.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants found neither Cupressus arizonica var. glabra (Carolina Sapphire), a cultivar of Cupressus arizonica (Arizona cypress) that was developed at Clemson University, nor Viburnum rhytidophyllum (leatherleaf viburnum), a native of China, listed in any of the toxic plant databases listed below:Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
Cornell University Plants Poisonous to Livestock
University of Pennsylvania Poisonous Plants
Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System
Toxic Plants: Horses from the ASPCA
This doesn't guarantee that the plants are not toxic to horses, but it is a pretty good indication that they are safe.
As an alternative for the non-native leatherleaf viburnum from China, Mr. Smarty Plants would like to suggest several species of viburnum that are native to Virginia. Here are several recommendations:
Viburnum acerifolium (mapleleaf viburnum)
Viburnum dentatum (southern arrowwood)
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw)
Viburnum rufidulum (rusty blackhaw)
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