Horses & Honeysuckle Plants

Honeysuckle grows abundantly in certain areas. These plants are commonly known for their sweet flower nectar and fragrance. Awareness of the different types of honeysuckle growing in an area is important when people and animals are present. Horses graze fields and wooded areas where they could encounter and be affected by honeysuckle.

  1. Identification

    • According to the National Park Service, honeysuckle is a vine-like plant that is a member of the family Caprifoliaceae. Honeysuckle plants are climbing or trailing. They often grow up fences, trees or buildings. Look for small, oval-shaped, evergreen leaves and fragrant flowers that grow in pairs to identify a honeysuckle plant. Honeysuckle also produces berries.

    Types

    • The Manual of Woody Landscape Plants states that Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), honeysuckle fuchsia (Fuchsia triphylla), goldflame honeysuckle (Lonicera x heckrottii), and the most well-known, trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) are some common types of honeysuckle plants. Trumpet honeysuckle is native to most of the United States.

    Horses

    • According to Taking the Lead, certain types of honeysuckle (lonicera periclymenum) are mildly poisonous if ingested by horses. If horses ingest the plant or berries, symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) states honeysuckle types such as honeysuckle fuchsia are non-toxic to horses.

    Significance

    • The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation categorizes horses as biting, top-grazers, grazing the top of grass and weeds until they are no longer available. Horses eat almost any type of grass or weed available, even plant types toxic to them. Eating even minimally toxic plants like honeysuckle can lead to serious complications and even equine death from digestive problems.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The most effective way to prevent problems from honeysuckle plants in horse grazing areas is to remove the plants. This can be accomplished by mowing the area frequently enough to prevent the vine-like plant from spreading, or by using non-toxic weed killers.