Cressleaf Groundsel
Latin Name: Xanthium strumarium
Identifying Characteristics: Starts growing as a rosette, starts growing laterally in spring producing yellow flowers, hollow, hairless stems
Plant Longevity: Winter annual
Where Commonly Found: No till systems or pastures; moist soils
Time of most concern: Spring
Compound that causes concern: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause chronic liver damage
Part of plant most toxic: Leaves, flowers and seeds
Livestock species affected: Cattle - 30-40 times more susceptible than sheep or goats. Calves and younger cattle are more susceptible than older cattle
Pasture, Stored Feed or Both: Pasture, hay
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, depression, aimless walking, diarrhea, anorexia
Amount needed to be consumed for symptoms/death if known - English units: In cattle, 4-8% of their body weight of green plant (over the course of a few days.) In cattle, 2-2.5% of their body weight of dry matter (per day)
Pictures of stages of growth:
Learn More About the PAC's
- DPAC - Davis-Purdue agricultural Center
- FPAC - Feldun-Purdue Agricultural Center
- NEPAC - Northeast-Purdue Agricultural Center
- PPAC - Pinney-Purdue Agricultural Center
- SEPAC - Southeast-Purdue Agricultural Center
- SIPAC - Southern Indiana-Purdue Agricultural Center
- SWPAC - Southwest-Purdue Agricultural Center
- TPAC - Throckmorton-Purdue Agricultural Center