A dozen common weeds/images need your okay?

[akaj9]

Here are a 10 common weeds in my yard that I could forage for the rabbits...some I can identify, some I can't. I have read that the Mulberry and wax myrtle are safe...but the list says white mulberry, and the wax myrtle is a natural food here for wild rabbits...so can I assume it's safe???


<br /><br />__________ Sun May 06, 2012 1:32 pm __________<br /><br />

 

[MaggieJ]

Oh, goodness... Nothing there looks familiar to me. I guess I'm too far north.

 

[Secuono]

#9 might be Conyza canadensis.
Mulberry is safe, I have a full grown black mulberry tree and feed them the branches and leaves w/o issues.

 

[akaj9]

I have been searching the internet and did find an article of a study of using wedelia as a fiber food for rabbits, so it seems that one is safe...and to be honest....that is awesome...cause it is taking over my garden. I also have found that spanish needle is safe too, for them and us....cooked some up myself...but unlike the posts said I don't think it tastes like spinach...too bitter. I'll google the Conyza canadensis and see if it's a match....Does anyone know about the passion vine? and confirmation on the wax myrtle? It's a bayberry if that helps? Thanks on the Mulberry confirmation

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I also have found that spanish needle is safe too, for them and us....cooked some up myself...but unlike the posts said I don't think it tastes like spinach...too bitter.

You might try just the tender new leaves- a lot of plants develop bitterness the larger they grow.

 

[akaj9]

#2 is Florida Betony... it is safe also it seems Thats another great thing! How much fun will weeding be now? Weeding with purpose...I Love IT!

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

That last plant-- Brazilian Pepper, IS TOXIC to people-- and in Florida is ILLEGAL!!! Call an extension agent for info on how to eradicate it from your property!!!( Brazilian Pepper, if burned-- the smoke itself will blister a person who walks through it-- including the lungs) Look up "pepper Busting" in your area-- In Brevard and Orange counties there were weekends where volunteers would get toether with saws, herbicide and paintbrushes, to kill the trees on public lands. And there are a lot of Pepper Busting weekends i the everglades, as well.

 

[akaj9]

The brazillion pepper is illegal to sell and propagate, and is an invasive here in Florida, not illegal if it grows as a weed in your yard....We recently bought some gourmet pepper with lil red peppers in it...it was listed as brazilion pepper corns....how crazy is that...Just figured if it is going to sprout everywhere we mine as well find a use for it......I'm unsure of it's toxicity....I'll look into it....I know the birds eat the berries all the time....and the love bugs...well they love it...go figure Found an interesting if not conflicting report of it's toxic nature or not...seems to be used and eaten, but like poison ivey too...But an interesting read...none the less.....It has some benefits...BUT......http://www.fleppc.org/Manage_Plans/schinus.pdf

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

just get RID of it!!! Birds do not digest the seds-- so the seeds get scattered-- that is how the pepper is spreading-
I am willing to bet, if you look in the agricultural and DNR codes of florida, you will find regulations dictating that farmers are required to remove/eradicate the BP from any of their properties... Ohio is that way with Multiflora rose , purple loosestrife, the non-native phragmites, etc--

 

[akaj9]

Yes, according to the article some counties are requiring removal upon development, We are not in one of them, but it makes no difference to me at this point anyhow, it's not an attractive bush any longer, it's funny at one time they were the quickest three growing things in our yard...when we let it "go back to nature" but since then...the native maples and wax myrtles have sqeezed them out and they are barely hanging in there....though they do reseed so I will probably removing them this year.... On another note...I forgot to list Dog fennel on my weed list...IS IT SAFE??????? for rabbits?<br /><br />__________ Wed May 09, 2012 9:39 am __________<br /><br />So I wrote about my adventure of weed identifying in my blog this week...attached a good link on a study that was done on supplements comparing some different plants...It cleared my wedelia as safe so that was good! I also linked to this great site...and Maggie was so kind to let me use her list in my blog....thanks guys! you are all so helpful! My link is below....