# Are Poplar tree leaves poisonous to horses?



## happihorse (4 September 2007)

Sorry but can't find anything about this on the internet so I'm asuming that they are okay but does anyone know for sure.

We have a Poplar tree in the campanion pony's starvation paddock and he is hoovering up all the leaves as soon as they fall off!


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## Cahill (4 September 2007)

(jumps in,sorry happihorse,just thinking about this)

want to plant some trees in a new hedgerow on a windy site for future horsey shade.would poplars be good and what else is fast to grow?


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## nijinsky (4 September 2007)

I hope not, I have about 300 around my paddocks, my horses don't appear to eat them anyway, but I don't think they are poisonous.


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## SpottedCat (4 September 2007)

Poplars grow tall and thin in general, so not brilliant for shade. Sycamore is fast growing, as is Hazel , although Hazel doesn't tend to get as tall as Sycamore. If it is damper, willow might be good. Avoid anything with shiney leaves/evergreen because these are generally poisonous, as are acrons, but oaks are slow-growing. Field maple might be a good bet, and is more attractive IMO than sycamore!

As for poplar - never heard of them being poisonsous, but can't imagine they are doing the diet much good if he is meant to be being starved!


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## nijinsky (4 September 2007)

Poplars do grow extremely quickly but more straight up than bushy.  Earlier in the year I planted 250 leyllandi to split up paddocks, form a hedgerow &amp; close in my school.  Don't think you see much growth in the first year but then they grow very quickly.  If you keep lopping off the top they spread out more &amp; knit together forming a great windbreak and strong hedging.  I have them around perimeter &amp; then 2 rows of poplar in front.  Poplar are very noisy in the wind, sort of crispy!


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