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                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Poisonous Plant Research: Logan, UT
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ARS Home Pacific West Area Logan, Utah Poisonous Plant Research Docs





- Bulletin 415
- Stakeholder Meetings
- IJPPR
- ISOPP Main
- Poisonous Plants By Toxic Syndrome
- Arrowgrass
- Bracken Fern (Western Bracken)
- Bitter Rubberweed
- Broom and Threadleaf Snakeweed
- Chokecherry
- Copperweed
- Deathcamas
- False Hellebore
- Greasewood
- Halogeton
- Hemp Dogbane
- Horsebrush
- Larkspur
- Locoweed
- Lupine
- Milkvetch
- Milkweed
- Nitrate-accumulating plants
- Oak
- Other toxic plants
- Colorado Rubberweed or Pingue
- Poison Hemlock
- Ponderosa Pine
- Rayless Goldenrod
- Selenium-Accumulating Plants
- Sneezeweed
- Spring Parsley
- St. Johnswort
- Tansy Ragwort
- Threadleaf and Riddell's Groundsels
- Water hemlock
- Yew

Sneezeweed (Helenium hoopesii)headline bar Sneezeweed (Helenium hoopesii)Animals that feed on sneezeweed may become affected with "spewing sickness". The disease gets its name from its most characteristic sign -- chronic vomiting or spewing. In the Western States, western sneezeweed is common to many mountain ranges. Sheep are frequently poisoned by sneezeweed; cattle are rarely poisoned. Animals eat sneezeweed during the summer and fall, when other forage is scarce or has become less palatable. All plant parts are poisonous.Sneezeweed has one or several stems. Leaves are alternate, lance shaped, and smooth edged. Orange flowers with darker orange centers grow in clusters. Sneezeweed is a perennial of the sunflower family and is closely related to bitterweed and Colorado rubberweedDistribution of sneezeweed**Where and When It Grows**Sneezeweed grows at elevations of 1500 to 4,000 meters on moist slopes and well-drained meadows from western Montana and eastern Oregon southward to California and New Mexico. It starts growing in early spring and matures in the late summer and early fall. It generally is between 0.5 and 1.0 meters tall. Sneezeweed increases with range misuse. Heavy stands of sneezeweed will inhibit the growth of other plants.**How It Affects LivestockSneezeweed grows on high mountain meadows and hillsides.**An animal may die if it eats small quantities of sneezeweed over a long period. Eating about 1 kg of green sneezeweed leaves daily for 10 days may poison sheep. Some animals die within a few days after first signs appear. Others that develop a chronic form of poisoning may live for 2 to 3 weeks. Complete recovery from the poisoning is possible if animals are taken off the plants as soon as the first signs are observed.**Signs and Lesions of Poisoning**Decreased appetiteLips may become stained green from vomitingLambs may become stiff and wastedDepressionWeakness with irregular pulseFrothing at the mouthCoughingEmaciation and wastingAscitesGastrointestinal hyperemiaRenal tubular necrosisLiver degeneration **How to Reduce Losses**Alternate grazing of sneezeweed (on-and-off) in infested areas.As soon as signs of poisoning appear, remove all animals from sneezeweed-infested   range for 10 to 14 days. Lambs are good indicators as they usually show signs of   stiffness before other symptoms appear in older sheep. Lambs left to graze   sneezeweed after signs first appear become unthrifty and unprofitable to keep. Ewes   left on sneezeweed after signs appear will waste and die.Practice open herding, allowing animals free movement to select more desirable   plants.  Prevent overgrazing and forcing animals to eat sneezeweed due to lack of   better forage.  Improve range condition to reduce snakeweed density.Sneezeweed can be controlled with 2,4-D at 4 lb/ac.  Follow all precautions for   handling herbicides.


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