Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
From: Coulee City, WA
Region: Northwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Native trees for horse pasture in eastern Washington
Answered by: Nan Hampton
Betula occidentalis (water birch)
Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry)
Cornus sericea ssp. sericea (redosier dogwood)
Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper)
Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)
Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa (black cottonwood) and photos
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir)Salix exigua (narrowleaf willow)
Salix scouleriana (Scouler's willow)
None of the species above appear on any of Mr. Smarty Plants favorite toxic plant databases:
Universtiy of Pennsylvania's Poisonous Plants Database, Poisonous Plants of North Carolina, Cornell University's Plants Poisonous to Livestock and other Animals, Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System and Texas Toxic Plant Database.
However, the following native trees from the Grant County list do appear on the Cornell University's Plants Poisonous to Livestock and other Animals and should not be included in your pasture for horses:
Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine)
Prunus virginiana (chokecherry)
Prunus emarginata (bitter cherry)
Additionally, here are several databases that list plants, native and otherwise, that should not be included in areas with horses:
10 Most Poisonous Plants for Horses from EquiSearch.com
Poisonous Plants from Trailblazer Magazine
Toxic Plants: Horses from the ASPCA
Horse Nutrition: Poisonous Plants from Ohio State University
Water-loving evergreen for Chicago
April 21, 2008 - Is there a water loving evergreen that will do well in the Chicago weather?
view the full question and answer
Shrub that will grow outside in Zone 5 from Millbrook NY
April 21, 2012 - Is there any shrub, tree or other sort of plant that will grow well in zone 5 in a very large container outdoors?
view the full question and answer
Life expectancy for Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana)
February 25, 2008 - Someone recently told me that Carolina buckthorn only lives 4-5 years and I'm wondering if that is true. I had a nice one (on Blackland) that died suddenly in its fourth or fifth year, during the dr...
view the full question and answer
Pruning tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
June 05, 2009 - Thank you for your answer regarding when my tulip tree will flower. I also understand it can/will grow to over 100 feet so should we be pruning it a certain way to keep it contained? thank you
view the full question and answer
A suggestion for a native small tree for San Diego
September 23, 2010 - Another good suggestion for a native small tree for San Diego - Garrya veatchii - Southern Silktassle. It's really gorgeous!
view the full question and answer
![]() |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |