Elderberries - poisonous?

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mymare

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The ponies are in a huge field at the moment, fenced off with electric tape as they would be off their feet in no time otherwise. Just about to move their fence to another part of the field as the bit they are on is now bare. The side I'd like them to go onto is nice and sheltered down one side with trees the other side of the fence, lots of branches hanging over that they can get under in sun/snow! But 4 of them are elderberry trees/bushes/whatever. Are they poisonous? Can't find anything that says so but would hate to risk it til I knew for sure.

Thanks peeps.
 
mymare said:
The ponies are in a huge field at the moment, fenced off with electric tape as they would be off their feet in no time otherwise. Just about to move their fence to another part of the field as the bit they are on is now bare. The side I'd like them to go onto is nice and sheltered down one side with trees the other side of the fence, lots of branches hanging over that they can get under in sun/snow! But 4 of them are elderberry trees/bushes/whatever. Are they poisonous? Can't find anything that says so but would hate to risk it til I knew for sure.

Thanks peeps.
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Certainly not poisonous to people and I have never heard of problems with horses my Shetland used to eat them .
 
Nope don't think elder is poisonous: I make wine with both the flowers AND the berries, plus the chicken gobble up the berries in the autumn, they're very nutritious and good for you!

The thing to watch for is Poison Hemlock - which likes the same sort of places as Elder does, i.e. shady and damp. There's a lot of it about this year, and its very similar to cow parsley unless you know what to watch for, i.e. the stem of Hemlock has got spots/blotches the same colour as port wine, plus the hollow stems.

If you feed it in on a search on here, there's some very clear guidance, plus Google have got some good stuff there too.

Sorry not trying to frighten you. But we found some here in the fields growing by the hedge the other night, so have to deal with it not just coz of the horses but sheep there too. Its nasty stuff. Also there's the "Water Hemlock" which grows near ditches/water sources which is even more poisonous than the other one.

Sorry have digressed from your original post.....
 
Most horses heartily dislike elder anyway. I've never ever known a horse eat it. The berries are fine to eat - and they occasionally eat those - and by the way, elder switches with all the leaves on make wonderful fly-whisks when hacking in summer - flies seem to hate elder too!
 
Sorry but all the green parts of elder are poisonous - they contain the same substance as cyanide! Raw berries are mildly poisonous - more so if they are green. When they're cooked - as in wine making or jam it destroys the poisons.
 
It might be that they would have to eat a lot of it, I don't know how much is safe - there will probably be something out there if you Google it. Surprised me though when I found out about it :confused:
 
The fence is up but fortunately I had decided I'd put them in tomorrow, so they've not been in there yet. I'll fence off the bit where the branches are so they can't reach them, I don't trust them not to start nibbling at them!
 
I've never known a horse try & eat any part of the Elder, leaf, flower or berry even when they are on a starvation paddock & eating the hawthorn ! The flowers & the berries both make good wine though !!
 
none of mine will touch it-and that includes the exmoors who will eat most things, especially when restricted in the summer.there's always one though and it pays to be vigilant :)
 
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