Carolina Horsenettle

Latin Name: Solanum carolinense

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Alternate leaf pattern
  • 1-3 ft tall
  • Sharp prickles on veins and stems
  • Hairy stems
  • White, star-shaped flower with bright yellow anthers (source of pollen)
  • Rhizomes
  • Lobed leaves

Plant Longevity:

  • Perennial

Where Commonly Found:

  • Pastures and hay fields
  • Waste areas
  • Roadsides

Time of Most Concern:

  • Late summer when berries are green

Compound that Causes Concern:

  • Solanine, a glycoalkaloid

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

  • Leaves
  • Stems
  • Green berries are more of a concern than ripe yellow berries
    • In a related species, sliverleaf nightshade (S. eleagnifolium), ripe berries are more toxic than green berries. 0.1% of total body weight of this plant (1 lb per 1000 lb cow) is considered toxic.

Livestock Species Affected:

  • Cattle
  • Sheep
  • Goats
  • Horses
  • Swine

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

  • Both
  • Greater concern when fed as chopped silage as sorting of prickled plants to avoid consumption is difficult

Clinical Signs:

  • Weakness
  • Slowed breathing
  • Slowed pulse
  • Incoordination
  • Inability to stand
  • Death

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

  • The amount depends on solanine concentration and how much is eaten. For a mature horse, it generally takes a pound of plant material or more to cause poisoning
  • Toxic effects in sheep = 225 mg solanine / kg body weight, orally
    • This translates to 3.6 oz of solanine for a 1000 lb cow
  • Lethal effects in sheep = 500 mg solanine / kg body weight, orally
    • This translates to 8.2 oz of solanine for a 1000 lb cow

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Alternate leaf pattern
  • 1-3 ft tall
  • Sharp prickles on veins and stems
  • Hairy stems
  • White, star-shaped flower with bright yellow anthers (source of pollen)
  • Rhizomes
  • Lobed leaves

Plant Longevity:

  • Perennial

Where Commonly Found:

  • Pastures and hay fields
  • Waste areas
  • Roadsides

Time of Most Concern:

  • Late summer when berries are green

Compound that Causes Concern:

  • Solanine, a glycoalkaloid

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

  • Leaves
  • Stems
  • Green berries are more of a concern than ripe yellow berries
    • In a related species, sliverleaf nightshade (S. eleagnifolium), ripe berries are more toxic than green berries. 0.1% of total body weight of this plant (1 lb per 1000 lb cow) is considered toxic.

Livestock Species Affected:

  • Cattle
  • Sheep
  • Goats
  • Horses
  • Swine

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

  • Both
  • Greater concern when fed as chopped silage as sorting of prickled plants to avoid consumption is difficult

Clinical Signs:

  • Weakness
  • Slowed breathing
  • Slowed pulse
  • Incoordination
  • Inability to stand
  • Death

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

  • The amount depends on solanine concentration and how much is eaten. For a mature horse, it generally takes a pound of plant material or more to cause poisoning
  • Toxic effects in sheep = 225 mg solanine / kg body weight, orally
    • This translates to 3.6 oz of solanine for a 1000 lb cow
  • Lethal effects in sheep = 500 mg solanine / kg body weight, orally
    • This translates to 8.2 oz of solanine for a 1000 lb cow

https://blogs.cornell.edu/weedid/horsenettle/

Jadhav SJ et al. Naturally Occurring Toxic Alkaloids in Foods. CRC Critical Reviews in Toxicology. 9:1, 21-104. 1981

Beasely et al. Notes for Toxicology VB 320: A systems approach to veterinary toxicology. University of Illinois. 1994

Toxic Plants Home Alsike Clover Black Cherry Buttercup Carolina Horsenettle Cocklebur Common Milkweed Cressleaf Groundsel Dallisgrass Eastern Black Nightshade Hemp Dogbane Jimsonweed Johnsongrass Perilla Mint Poison Hemlock Pokeweed Redroot Pigweed Star of Bethlehem Tall Fescue White Clover White Snakeroot Yew