It’s the start of the week – a fresh new Monday, and I’ve got yet another plant you have to keep your horse away from. Today I want to take a look at the Black Nightshade. Which is beautiful, in an angry, thorny, hostile sort of way.
A Little About Buffalo Burr
Solanum rostratum is the Buffalo Burr, also commonly called Mala Mujer. This plant is creeping perennial vine with dark green lobed leaves, bold yellow flowers, sharp stinging spines cover the plant & seed pods are green, furry and also surrounded by spines.
How Dangerous Is It?
Just looking at this plant should be enough to convince anyone, and it’s not just the spines, but the bright yellow warning flowers too. All of this is enough to ensure that Buffalo Burr is only a big concern during drought conditions. The thorns would do an amazing amount of mechanical damage to the mouth & throat of any animal crazy enough to eat the stuff. On top of all this, Buffalo Burr contains a glycoalkaloid which affects the central nervous system & digestive tract.
Stems, leaves and unripe berries are toxic and can be fatal to equines.
What To Look For
You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Buffalo Burr toxicity symptoms can include dilation of pupils, loss of appetite, loss of coordination, diarrhea, weakness, respiratory problems, drooling & unconsciousness.
Learn More
Be sure to check out the Buffalo Burr 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.