Welcome to another weekly edition of the a-z of plants horses should totally avoid. Today’s plant is slightly more problematic than cultivated plants, it grows wild & looks harmless. Keeping an eye out for Labrador Tea is important, because your horse definitely shouldn’t eat it.
A Little About Labrador Tea
Ledum is also called Indian Tea, Marsh Tea, Swamp Tea & Hudson’s Bay Tea. This is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 5 feet, but also grow creeping along the ground. Branches are woolly, narrow leaves droop, are smooth on top & hairy underneath with rolled edges. Flowers are white & grow at the end of branches in clusters.
How Dangerous Is It?
While this plant may look innocent, just the smell is enough to give humans a headache. It’s important to know what it looks like as it contains narcotic properties which affect the central nervous system. This is one plant you don’t want to tangle with.
All parts of this plant are toxic & can be fatal to equines.
What To Look For
You know your animal the best, so you should know when something is amiss. Labrador Tea toxicity symptoms include gastrointestinal upset, lack of coordination & paralysis.
Learn More
Be sure to check out the Labrador Tea page to learn more about the plant & while you are at it why not check out more toxic plants?
*It should be noted that we’re not veterinarians. This information is written specifically for horses & should be used for reference purposes only. If you think your horse has eaten something toxic call your vet right away.