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
1 rating

Friday - September 24, 2010

From: Powell,, OH
Region: Midwest
Topic: Wildlife Gardens, Poisonous Plants
Title: Horse-friendly plants for Powell OH
Answered by: Marilyn Kircus

QUESTION:

I am looking for horse friendly plants, i.e., shrubs, trees, bushes, etc. that can be planted in wet area in Ohio. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

ANSWER:

I hope you mean plants, that when eaten by horses, are not known to make them sick.  You will probably have to fence the horses away from these plants as they will probably eat most of them.  I spent several hours trying unsuccessfully to find plants that no horse would eat. But you might check on recommendations in horse forums.  I found several discussions about horses eating plants there.  Horses will also damage the bark of even large trees so you will have to always protect the trunks.

I started by using the Recommended Plants for Ohio from the Ladybird Johnson Wildlife’ Center’s web page. Then I narrowed the choices to full sun and wet soils. (I suspect you may have a low place in your pasture so assumed full sun.)  I then narrowed the resulting list to shrubs and got six of them, then looked for the trees and got twelve.   

I checked each one to see if it was listed in Cornell’s Plants Poisonous to Livestock.  None of these show up there as toxic.

Shrubs:

Betula pumila Bog birch

Hibiscus moscheutos L. Crimson-eyed rosemallow

Physocarpus opulifolius Atlantic ninebark

Rosa palustris Swamp rose

Salix bebbiana Bebb Willow

Spiraea alba

Trees:

Amelanchier canadensis Canadian serviceberry

Betula populifolia gray birch

Fraxinus nigra Black ash

Ilex opaca American Holly

Ilex verticillata Common winterberry

Magnolia acuminata Cucumber tree

Populus tremuloides Quaking aspen

Ptelea trifoliata Wafer ash

Quercus macrocarpa Burr oak

Quercus palustris Pin oak

Salix amygdaloides Peach-leaf willow

Salix nigra Black willow

You can find more information and usually pictures of these plants when you click the links.  And if you need plants for part shade, you can go back and pick the Recommended Plants for Ohio and then pick shrubs and trees that grow in wet soils in part shade.

 

 

From the Image Gallery


Cucumbertree
Magnolia acuminata

American holly
Ilex opaca

Common winterberry
Ilex verticillata

Quaking aspen
Populus tremuloides

Wafer ash
Ptelea trifoliata

Black willow
Salix nigra

More Poisonous Plants Questions

Is Chilopsis linearis poisonous to dogs in Midland, TX?
June 04, 2011 - Is any variety of Chilopsis linearis (particularly bubba bubba) poisonous to animals? I'm thinking about using it as a source of shade for multiple dog kennels in west Texas.
view the full question and answer

poisonous landscaping plants in New Mexico
November 21, 2011 - Mr. Smarty Plants, I have been given the task of finding non poisonous plants and shrubbery to add to our new children's playground. This is a Head Start playground so I have to make sure anything w...
view the full question and answer

Dog Friendly Privacy Hedge for Long Island
April 14, 2013 - Can you please advise me of some plants for a privacy hedge that are non-toxic to dogs and that would thrive on Long Island, NY? I am looking for a hedge to grow to about 6-8 ft.
view the full question and answer

Native plants that will grow under alleopathic black walnut
March 03, 2007 - I have a large, beautiful black walnut tree in my yard and have trouble growing the annuals, begonia, impatients, etc., that I have always grown. They don't do well in the ground and I have resorted...
view the full question and answer

Wintering over an Angel Trumpet in Kentucky
September 20, 2008 - I have an Angel Trumpet on my deck in LaGrange,Ky -Can I plant it out in the yard now or do I have to take it in the house for the winter- It is 5 feet tall and I have no room in the house! Help!-Than...
view the full question and answer

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