[Lisa Kirsty]

Hi all, I was wondering if you could help identify a shrub we have in one of our fields. It is a prickly bush which, when cut has a bright yellow wood under the bark. It would be great to be able to identify it and know whether it is poisonous to sheep. Thanks.

[cans]

Do you have some pictures to give us a better idea?

[ddangus]

Possibly barberry ( Berberis thunbergii) are you near gardens ? As is likely a seedling from seeds in bird droppings. As far as I know not toxic to sheep if they would even eat it. Does it have leaves at the moment ? if so it could be another Berberis species. I would not normally expect it in a normal field though.

DD

[Somewhere_by_the_river]

I agree, most likely to be berberis, the inner wood does tend to be yellow. There are several different varieties, so a pic would be helpful. We had a huge monstrosity of a thing at one place we lived, OH hated it, but it was worth it for the stunning display of orange flowers every year - the whole house and garden was perfumed like honey! Plus it was a good nesting place for birds - we had long tailed tits take up residence one year, lovely little things - 'flying teaspoons' my OH calls them, most apt. I don't think it's poisonous, but don't quote me on that, I'd be surprised if a sheep would eat it anyway.

[Lisa Kirsty]

Thanks very much for the reply's but unfortunately I cannot get any pictures to upload. There are no leaves on it at the moment and to be honest I can't remember what it was like in the summer! It has got a lot bigger in the last couple of years and near a derelict house. We have only started using this bit of land in the last couple of years and we have lost some sheep in it (slow deaths) we thought perhaps the shrub was poisonous which has led to the deaths. Thanks again everyone!

[Penninehillbilly]

Unless they've been hungry enough to try and eat it, and the spines have caused internal injury, i can't find berberis mentioned in any lists.
Search 'goat poisonous plants' seems to give more lists than for sheep, and it's surprising what is bad for them.

[hexhammeasure]

small chance it could be mahonia, larger leaves yellow flowers and blue berries. it is poisonous

[Penninehillbilly]

small chance it could be mahonia, larger leaves yellow flowers and blue berries. it is poisonous

Isn't Mahonia evergreen? This one has no leaves now.

[Possum]

Lisa - when you say "prickly", do you mean the stems have spines or that the leaves are sharp or prickly? The answer would help to distinguish between berberis or mahonia.

[hexhammeasure]

berberis is evergreen too

[ddangus]

Some Berberis are evergreen other loose their leaves. B. thunbergii looses its leaves, the leaves are roundish spoon shaped and about 2-3cm long. The evergreen Berberis B. julianae and B. darwinii have different but very distinct leave shapes.
Berberis and Mahonia belong to the same plant family.

If the sheep died after eating plants you should be able to see grazing damage on the shrub. My experience is that most of the time when sheep eat poisonous plants it just gives them diarrhoea ( the shits), there are of course exceptions i.e. yew trees ( which would make them keel over pretty fast).

DD

[Lisa Kirsty]

Thanks very much everyone, we have fenced the bush off as a precaution and hopefully everything will be OK! 

[Chrissy2695]

Hi all, I was wondering if you could help identify a shrub we have in one of our fields. It is a prickly bush which, when cut has a bright yellow wood under the bark. It would be great to be able to identify it and know whether it is poisonous to sheep. Thanks.

Hi so I've had some lambs pass and I have the exact same issue, one of our neighbours has this plant and its grown through the wall, the berries on the berberis contain alkaloids which is poisonous to sheep! took a lot of research but I think this maybe the issue too.

[arobwk]

Well, almost certainly a berberis:  the yellow/orange blossom is, without doubt, real eye-candy against purple foliage.  However .....

I didn't know that berries are potentially poisonous to livestock (thanks for that info' Chrissy2695), but it is, anyway, one of the nastiest shrubs to maintain.  It should only ever be planted where it can grow into a large shrub/small tree without need of any maintenance and without potential harm to gardeners or, as I now know, herbivores.   

I once planted one in my garden: it's long since been uprooted !
I'm still trying to persuade two gardening clients to allow me to uproot theirs also !!

I would simply get rid of yours @Lisa Kirsty if I were in your shoes.