Is lantana poisonous to chickens?

[TexasChicken12]

I know lantana is poisonous to people. My mom has an enormous lantana and we let our 9 pullets free-range. Do I have any thing to worry about? Any help is very much appreciated!

 

[chooks4life]

What type of lantana? There are several cultivars, many infertile, and lantana of some type/s is used for tea and can be eaten by livestock, whereas other lantanas are toxic.

Chances are they won't eat enough to get sick never mind die, it's not very palatable to them. Mine never ate it. If you watch them and they're scoffing the leaves, it could be a problem, but if they're uninterested... Probably no worries.

Best wishes.

 

[LutzFLdawg]

Mine don't touch our lantana. I don't think they leaves are tasty to them, or maybe it's the slight sandpaper texture they don't like. I don't know what specific cultivar of lantana it is, we bought it at Lowes. The flowers are yellowish orange.

Plumbago, on the other hand, they stripped it to the ground.

 

[TexasChicken12]

I have no idea what cultivar ours is. It has yellow and orange flowers and purple berries. Thanks for all your help!

 

[chooks4life]

Mine don't touch our lantana. I don't think they leaves are tasty to them, or maybe it's the slight sandpaper texture they don't like. I don't know what specific cultivar of lantana it is, we bought it at Lowes. The flowers are yellowish orange.

Plumbago, on the other hand, they stripped it to the ground.

If you bought it, chances are it's not fertile though seed, or at least it's supposed to be infertile. You've got the ornamental sort. It does make huge bushes so it's still a pest species, though.

It is toxic, to some degree, but mainly you only hear about it killing cattle that have been taken from a paddock with no lantana, usually around drought, then put into a paddock with lantana. Animals can kill themselves on even harmless or mildly harmful things if they have no experience with them then are allowed free rein to experiment; also, drought condenses and intensifies volatile oils and chemical compounds in many plants, making them far stronger. Herbs given regular water are often less medicinally valuable for this very reason.

I have no idea what cultivar ours is. It has yellow and orange flowers and purple berries. Thanks for all your help!

The fertile one around here is creeping lantana, has pink flowers, but from what I've seen the 'infertile lantana' is at least partially fertile or able to produce clones. There's hundreds of cultivars though.

Introduction to Florida: Lantana camara - 1804 (ornamental) 2
TOXIC TO LIVESTOCK - See Poisonous Pasture Plants of Florida (UF-IFAS Bookstore Pub SP 457) by B.A. Sellers and J.A. Ferrell. 2010.

Lantana became a favorite greenhouse plant in the 18th century. This plant was such a desired species that many new varieties were bred, resulting in hundreds of cultivars available for sale in the European market. The newer cultivars were introduced to several countries on a regular basis, assisting in the worldwide distribution of Lantana.
Lantana camara is native to the West Indies. Florida has its own native species of Lantana (L. depressa) that is now considered endangered. The native Florida lantana is often confused with the invasive species. Lantana is found in almost every county in Florida but also found in Georgia and Texas. It is a serious pest in California and Hawaii, as well as in other countries including Australia, New Zealand, and China.

Lantana camara is grown as hedge plant and has various medicinal and practical uses. The stalks are used as raw material for paper pulp, which is used for wrapping, writing and printing paper. Lantana bark is astringent and used as a lotion in leprous ulcers and other eruptions of the skin. Lantana camara leaves are boiled and applied for swellings and pain of the body. Alkaloids from lantana have been found to stimulate intestinal movements in experimental animals, lower blood pressure and accelerate deep respiration.

Lantana is a perennial, erect or prostrate shrub growing to 6 feet or more in height. Leaves are ovate in shape, oppositely arranged, commonly 6 inches long and 2 ½ inches wide. To the touch, lantana leaves feel like fine sandpaper or a cats tongue. Leaf blades are serrate and have an aroma when crushed or rubbed. Flowers of lantana are clustered at the tip of stems. Small, multicolored flowers change color over time from white to pink or lavender, or yellow to orange or red. Typically the more mature flowers are darker in color (lavender and red). Fruit of lantana is tiny (0.2 inches in diameter) and round.Initially green, the seeds will change to a deep purple and eventually black color.

Leaf characteristics can be used to distinguish the native lantana (L. depressa) from the invasive lantana (L. camara). Native lantana has a tapered leaf base, whereas the invasive lantana has a truncate leaf base. Flower color can also be used to distinguish between species. Native lantana has a yellow flower whereas invasive lantana has a multitude of flower colors. Lantana camara has successfully hybridized with native lantana, making identification of the invasive species more difficult.

Lantana reproduces vegetatively and via seed. Flowers are produced year round and are able to self and cross-pollinate. Lantana is an extremely prolific seed producer, with approximately 12,000 fruits per plant. Birds and other animals that consume lantana fruit can spread seed across large distances. Normally seed germination is low; however, when seed is passed through the digestive system of an animal, the germination rate is increased. Vegetative reproduction occurs when lantana stems come into contact with moist soil, initiating root formation at the contact site. Lantana can also regrow from the base of the stem, but does not sucker from damaged or broken roots.

 

[monkcat]

I know this is an old thread. Came across it while googling "is lantana poisonous to chickens". I'm checking because as we live in South Mississippi, and it is EVERYWHERE! I remember as a kid, we called it ham and eggs plant. No idea why. Anyway, my chickens will jump up to grab the ripe berries off the plant. So, was a bit concerned. We have jokingly called it chicken crack. Along with many sites claiming it is poisonous - although it's not clear if it is mildly toxic or to what degree of toxicity it may be - I found a site that has piqued my interest.

http://www.stuartxchange.org/Lantana.html

Very interesting. Keep in mind, I realize many things can be toxic if enough is ingested. That being said, it is more easily spread when passed through the GI tract of a bird. So, it must be relatively low toxicity if birds are eating it and that is a more easily germinated seed? Not that I'm going to feed it to my chickens, but maybe it's not TOO bad if they grab a bite here and there? I really hate to take it all down as they like to get under it for shade and scratch around and dust bathe under it. And it does work for mosquito bites, FYI. Anyway, food for thought, so to speak and curious about any feedback.

 

[Zinniah]

I have 3 different large lantanas. My chicks have been around them for 2 months, and i haven't had any issues. I haven't seen them trying to eat them either though, they just lay under them.

 

[monkcat]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realize they were doing that until recently. One jumped up and I started watching to see if it was a bug on there or what. Nope. The seeds. They don't seem to be any worse for it, but if there is an underlying cumulative effect, I'd certainly like to know and stop it. But man, they really need the shade right now! But the one site I found was very interesting and intriguing. Looking for more input from chicken people.

 

[chooks4life]

Haven't seen mine give undue attention to the berries, but some people eat the berries regularly without problems associated. As far as I know, there are some toxins we don't process so well that don't bother most birds, and vice versa, and lantana berries seem to be one. If they're fully ripe, I would assume your chickens will most likely be safe.

Best wishes.