# Leylandii - is it poisonous and legal issues, please



## Delta99 (25 January 2010)

Thinking about planting leylandii along my fence line to screen out undesirable neighbours. Have lots of questions about it, hopefully somebody can help me

1. is it poisonous to horses? there seems to be some debate about this...
2. I would keep mine away from it anyway but said undesirable neighbours have ponies, where do i stand if these ponies eat the plants over the fence and suffer as a result?
3. have heard that leylandii can cause laminitis if in the paddock, not being eaten, it does something to the grass which then causes laminitis, is there any truth to this?
4. what distance do I need to plant the trees at in order to get a complete screen? I won't be trimming it so it will grow to a good height... 
	
	
		
		
	


	





it's not in a residential area by the way so no issues there.

Any info/advice would be great. thanks a lot


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## pottamus (25 January 2010)

Yes, it is poisonous to horses so I would not be planting it anywhere near to them at all...yours or your neighbours.
I doubt there is any link to lamintis though...not heard of that at all.


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## Clodagh (25 January 2010)

My old pony was poisoned by eating it, it was touch and go. She went blind and fitted, not nice.


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## lexiedhb (25 January 2010)

Personally I wouldnt plant anything that has the questions surrounding it.....


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## SpottedCat (25 January 2010)

Yes it is poisonous and it is also now covered by nuisance laws regarding the heights it can grow to. Pick something else not poisonous and not so likely to cause an argument with your neighbours (which you are likely to lose). It is covered under Part 8 (High Hedges) of the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 - your local authority has various powers under this so I suggest you google well before you go ahead. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/ukpga_20030038_en_9#pt8


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## Delta99 (25 January 2010)

SpottedCat, thanks for the link but this law relates to 'domestic properties' only and as I pointed out, neither my nor undesirable neighbours' property is domestic!!

No worries about local authority either, they have done nothing to stop undesirable neighbours' illegal development and sadly have caused loss of privacy to me - by the way, undesirable neighbours have planted plenty of fir tree varieties and the local authority has done bugger all about it!! So, sadly if this was to cause any issues I am prepared to fight them all the way to the European court if I have to (already started the process over their incompetence in dealing with undesirable neighbours development!!)- my only concern is the horses' welfare!!
(Hence also the need for a good screen as I do not want these undesirable people watching my horses!!)

Sorry about the rant...


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## 0ldmare (25 January 2010)

If its poisonous it must take a fair amount, one of mine loves it (and has munched it on and off for a 8 or 9 years).  I dont use the paddock very often and there is only one poor tree and its in on my neighbours land up against the fence. My horse has just about killed it. She's stripped the bark off it and pruned it so hard its a wonder it still struggles on. Wouldnt plant it out of choice though! Hateful things!


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## Lark (25 January 2010)

Not the prettiest, difficult to maintain and questionable health repercussions if eaten.
BUT if you are looking for a wind break (for example around an arena) it really is one of the best plants to use (grows very quickly and good all year coverage).
I would be very interested to hear if anyone has any similar alternatives.


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## Donkeymad (25 January 2010)

Lleylandii is definately poisonous but is like Ragwort, it is cumulative. There are also height issues sometimes when planted in non-residentail areas. The laminitis link does not exist. They are infact very easy to keep, but are best trimmed, and should ideally be topped too (for the height reasons).
I'm not sure but don't think you have any liability towards the neighbours. Bear in  mind anything that overhangs their property they are entitled to cu down and return to you, so could get thrown right into your field.


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## brighteyes (25 January 2010)

Don't do it.  Those bloody trees are a menace and fine whilst under 12 ft but then get a gappy section at the bottom and mental height.  Should never have been brought here.  Find a different sort of fence.  And yes, poisonous to horses.


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## dressagecrazy (25 January 2010)

I have a thousand Leylandii on our property, it was one of my issue's when we bought the place.
 So i phoned my vets to get some facts before we moved. They did a lot of checking up even contacting Leahurst.
It was said that they had never had a horse poisoned by Leylandii nor had my own vets had any problems either. This information was getting on for 11 years ago.

So 11 years on i havent had any problems, none of the horses go near tbh &amp; there fields are hedged by the stuff both sides, ive never had any Laminitis ever here. So can only suggest it's a bit of an old wives tale.

I never say never with these things as it is an evergreen. But in my own experience i havent suffered any problems at all &amp; i very much doubt i ever will if the last 10 years are anything to go by.

BTW if maintained they are far from a menace &amp; make really good hedges.


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## Tinypony (25 January 2010)

My vets, in Meopham in Kent, researched this for me and said that it is poisonous.  I think they spoke to Royal Vets in Newmarket, but it was a while back.  They said it had a cumulative effect and caused horses to become sleepy, progressing to fits.
So why risk it?


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## Yorketown (25 January 2010)

I have Leylandii along the edge of one of my fields that borders on to a school football pitch, none of my horses or youngsters have ever suffered any kind of poisoning or laminitis.  To be honest I have never seen any of them eat it.  

I love it as not only does it provide good cover but it helps with deadening the noise.


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## SpruceRI (25 January 2010)

I had Leylandii on 2 sides of my paddock.  Now only on one - fenced off.

One of mine suffered severe Urticaria/Hives some years back and the vet reckon it was caused by those.

I'm not sure because the ponies had lived in the field with those trees for a number of years at that point - having said that, if the effects are cumulative, that would figure.

They loved to shelter under the trees both summer and winter - wonderful fly screen.

My issues with the trees were that before cutting them down, they were about 60ft tall.  They blocked out the sunlight to most of my two paddocks.  The grass didn't grow beneath them about 15ft on either side, and they dropped copious amounts of brown twigs/leaves which the ponies hoovered up, so I used to spend hours raking the rock hard ground around them.


They are horrible, but if you have horrible neighbours and can keep your horses fenced off from them then go for it !!


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## VictoriaEDT (25 January 2010)

Does anyone have a link that says it is poisonous in writing? I have the same problem where my neighbours from hell planted 80 of them (6fters) as close to the boundary to my horses field as they could physically dig


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## SpottedCat (25 January 2010)

You don't live next to the OP do you VEDT?!


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## VictoriaEDT (26 January 2010)

Hope not!! lol!


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## Lark (26 January 2010)

Does anyone have a good alternative to Leylandii? something that gives the same degree of shelter and grows as quickly? Obviously Laurel is out but it is the only other similar type I can think off.  We need to put in some serious (natural) windbrakes and Leylandii seems to be the only option - we will fence in from them though.


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## Emilio (19 May 2010)

I have a medium scale garden, planted with variety of flowering herbs, shrubs and other plant etc, But I had a problem in the boundaries of the garden and dont like to fence it because of the pets in the lawn and now I had come with laurel hedging plants instead of Leylandii as they dont grow much height and are thick in size.


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## Amymay (19 May 2010)

You will need planning permission to plant them.


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## Cuffey (19 May 2010)

Emilio said:



			I have a medium scale garden, planted with variety of flowering herbs, shrubs and other plant etc, But I had a problem in the boundaries of the garden and dont like to fence it because of the pets in the lawn and now I had come with laurel hedging plants instead of Leylandii as they dont grow much height and are thick in size.
		
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Cherry Laurel is poisonous to horses


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## WishfulThinker (19 May 2010)

amymay said:



			You will need planning permission to plant them.
		
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Is this council specific? Just my dad planted them between ours and neighbours property and the planning officer came for another issue and he didnt say anything.


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## Amymay (19 May 2010)

WishfulThinker said:



			Is this council specific? Just my dad planted them between ours and neighbours property and the planning officer came for another issue and he didnt say anything.
		
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It may be, actually.  But I must be honest, I thought it was a general requirement now - so worth checking.


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## MagicMelon (19 May 2010)

Can you not just put up a big fence?!  Safer than using this stuff since it is dodgy for horses.


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## Emilio (18 September 2010)

Laurel, leylandii or any hedging plants are poisonous and dangerous to horses. Hedging plants are not at all good in terms of consumption, it is just a pleasant looking plants used for several different decorative and functional purposes. These plants are good in developing a peaceful atmosphere of your yards with adding attraction for your house.


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## hairycob (18 September 2010)

Ashridge Trees do a variety of native hedging packs including one that doesn't contain blackthorn. I doubt they would grow fast enough for your purposes but they could probably advise on a good alternative to leylandii - maybe willow or hazel?


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## Tinypony (18 September 2010)

This is a really old thread, op has probably done something by now.


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## Echo Bravo (18 September 2010)

Ring up the Forestry people they be able to help you


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## BLACKVELVET8 (11 February 2016)

I was thinking of planting these along a fence that no horses can access - but in light of this knowledge I will choose something else altogether!!

I need to have privacy and a wind break - fence wont stand the wind where it is.

Anyone know of an evergreen that would be safe?

Thank you


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## Dry Rot (11 February 2016)

Christmas trees (Norway Spruce) are quite good for shelter but they would probably need to be rabbit fenced as protecting individual trees with plastic spirals means no branches low down, so a wind tunnel effect.


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## Micky (11 February 2016)

Anything evergreen is poisonous ..you may have to plant a beech hedge or fence..


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## gnubee (11 February 2016)

Suspect OP sorted now, but hawthorn gives a good thick barrier for noise protection. If you want faster growth and more height some willow in there may also work (but lacks density to work on its own). Both non toxic as far as I am aware.


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## fatpiggy (11 February 2016)

Micky said:



			Anything evergreen is poisonous ..you may have to plant a beech hedge or fence..
		
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What about holly?


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## MotherOfChickens (11 February 2016)

fatpiggy said:



			What about holly?
		
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still toxic, they are less likely to eat it though. Very slow growing too.


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## Identityincrisis (11 February 2016)

Arrrghhhhh both my horses have enjoyed munching on pine needles (branches and needles) on their way to the field now i'm worried!!!


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