Field bindweed, and Kochia weed

[JaredI]

I cannot remember seeing these two plants on any safe list, but my rabbits love them. Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) and kochia weed ((Kochia scoparia) both have very high protein, comparable to alfalfa. My rabbits seem to eat the dry bindweed before green, however, they bypass many other plants to tear this stuff up. They also seem to prefer kochia over bindweed. Another weed they are nibbling on a fair amount is, curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) Maybe someone has more information on these.

 

[MaggieJ]

I feed bindweed on occasion but it's not a favourite here. I don't know the other two plants but I found a good article on kochia.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/kochia.html

And the page for curlycap gumweed:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/herb ... plant.html

Actually, this site looks worth bookmarking. Here's the link to the home page:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/default.html

 

[akane]

Don't over feed bindweed. It actually comes up on many toxic lists because too much causes health problems in other livestock that might graze on it. One study did manage to kill a bunch of mice and find potential health problems in necropsy even in the ones with no symptoms who were fed a lot less bindweed.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8592835

 

[MaggieJ]

Yeah, I've always considered bindweed to be borderline. If some is wrapped around another plant I feed it, otherwise I rarely bother.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Field and hedge bindweeds are part of the nightshade family-- as is our favorite climber, cultivated Morning Glory. Druing plants can alter the chemistry-- you would not believe the nunbers of plants out there, that if fed fresh, release cyandide! and we arenot talking about their seeds, like apples and peaches-- but leaves and stems.

 

[Chick3nScr4tch]

Field and hedge bindweeds are part of the nightshade family-- as is our favorite climber, cultivated Morning Glory. Druing plants can alter the chemistry-- you would not believe the nunbers of plants out there, that if fed fresh, release cyandide! and we arenot talking about their seeds, like apples and peaches-- but leaves and stems.

Botanist bunparent here: the solanide compounds found in Solanaceae, the nightshade family, are in the foliage. That's why tomato leaves are on the no list and the actual fruits are on the okay list. Morning glories and bindweeds, however, are in the family Convolvulaceae. In general, the seeds of these plants have the highest toxicity which is why humans get trippy when they eat morning glory seeds. Hedge bindweed may be slightly more questionable than field bindweed, but not as dangerous as a nightshade.

 

[eco2pia]

This is a 12 year old thread. You are correct, but if you aim to correct all the misinformation on the internet, I respectfully submit you have a very large job ahead. Welcome and good luck.

 

[ladysown]

Botanist bunparent here: the solanide compounds found in Solanaceae, the nightshade family, are in the foliage. That's why tomato leaves are on the no list and the actual fruits are on the okay list. Morning glories and bindweeds, however, are in the family Convolvulaceae. In general, the seeds of these plants have the highest toxicity which is why humans get trippy when they eat morning glory seeds. Hedge bindweed may be slightly more questionable than field bindweed, but not as dangerous as a nightshade.

i found that information helpful Thank you.

 

[Robochelle]

So, as someone who wasn't planting morning glory because I didn't want accidental poisoning, as long as I don't grow it as feed it's not deadly in terms of accidental ingestion? If I pull the vine before it seeds, do I still risk serious illness or is a tummyache the more likely scenario? What about the bud or the flower?

 

[Missy's Mom]

Botanist bunparent here: the solanide compounds found in Solanaceae, the nightshade family, are in the foliage. That's why tomato leaves are on the no list and the actual fruits are on the okay list. Morning glories and bindweeds, however, are in the family Convolvulaceae. In general, the seeds of these plants have the highest toxicity which is why humans get trippy when they eat morning glory seeds. Hedge bindweed may be slightly more questionable than field bindweed, but not as dangerous as a nightshade.

Thank you for this post!

 

[arachyd]

My rabbits always eagerly ate up morning glory leaves with no problems. I had the kind with blue flowers.