Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Thursday - December 06, 2012

From: Arlington, TN
Region: Southeast
Topic: Poisonous Plants, Trees
Title: Cypress poisonous to livestock from Arlington, TN
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Are green giant cypress poisonous to livestock?

ANSWER:

Before we could attempt to answer your question, we had to figure out what a green giant cypress is. Turns out the "Green Giant" is a trade name for Thuja standishii x plicata. The little "x" in the scientific name is our first clue that this is a cross or hybridization between two species of the genus Thuja and the family Cupressaceae. Most such crosses fall out of the expertise of Smarty Plants, which is the growth, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they grow naturally. Crossing two plants always complicates knowing what the characteristics of the resulting plant will be. In our Native Plant Database there is Thuja plicata (Western arborvitae); if you follow the plant link you will see it does not mention any poisonous attributes. Neither this website nor that of Thuja occidentalis (Arborvitae) mention wildlife browsing these trees, which could indicate the spikiness of the plants discouraged browsing, so the cows might not even want it. However, just to make sure, we investigated the "sandishii" part of the Green Giant hybrid. This website from the US National Arboretum also indicates no poisonous parts of the plant, which originated in the Honshu and Shikoku islands of southern Japan.

If you wish to double check on our information, here is a list of websites listing poisonous plants:

Databases to search (by scientific name) for plants poisonous to animals:

The Merck Veterinary Manual

ASPCA   

University of Arkansas 
 
University of Illinois  (common names only)    

Toxic Plants of Texas

Poisonous Plants of North Carolina 

Cornell University Plants Poisonous to Livestock

University of Pennsylvania Poisonous Plants

Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System

California Poison Action Line

FInding the plant listed is a good indication of toxicity. However, not finding the plant listed doesn't guarantee that it is non-toxic, but it increases the probability that it is. It is a good idea to check with your veterinarian.

 

 

More Poisonous Plants Questions

Allergy-causing plant in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area
March 17, 2011 - Do you know what is growing (or floating in the air) in the DFW metroplex now, but not growing or floating the rest of the year? I have a 3 year old that has gotten extremely itchy this time of the ...
view the full question and answer

Mosaic virus in Poke Salad in East Texas
April 20, 2008 - I live in a rural East Texas, and have an abundance of Poke Salad. If you know how to prepare it, it's a springtime treat for anyone who enjoys veggies. However, for the last few years, many of the o...
view the full question and answer

Is Penstemon Poisonous to Dogs?
February 21, 2016 - Is Penstemon palmeri poisonous to dogs? I couldn't find in ASPA guide.
view the full question and answer

Is Viburnum dilatatum 'Henneke' (Cardinal Candy) toxic to horses?
July 01, 2014 - Is Viburnum-Cardinal Candy/Viburnum dilatatum 'Henneke' reported to be toxic or non-toxic to horses?
view the full question and answer

Is Nothoscordum bivalve (crow poison, false garlic) really poison
April 02, 2011 - Your Native Plants Database notes that False Garlic (aka, Crow Poison), Nothoscordum bivalve, is poisonous. Many other sites also state this, but I have been unable to find a reference giving specifi...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.