Happy Monday and time to learn about yet another plant that hates your horse. Today’s plant’s name says it all, Fly Poison just sounds bad for you.
A Little About Fly Poison
Amianthium muscitoxicum is also called Fly Poison and Stagger Grass (that’s 3 out of 3f for bad news names). This is a perennial herb which grows up to 40 inches tall. Leaves are basal only and grow very long. Flowers are white/green/dark purple and have 6 petals.
How Dangerous Is It?
This plant is unpalatable to horses and generally only a problem during drought conditions. However, it contains an alkaloid which affects respiratory function which makes it highly dangerous to grazers.
All parts of this plant are toxic (highest concentration in the bulb) and can be fatal to equines.
What To Look For
You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Fly Poison toxicity symptoms include foaming at the mouth, loss of coordination, heavy breathing, low body temperature and weakness.
Learn More
Be sure to check out the Fly Poison page to learn more about the plant and while you are at it why not check out more toxic plants?
*It should be noted that I’m not a veterinarian. This information is written specifically for horses and should be used for reference purposes only. If you think your horse has eaten something toxic call your vet right away.