Animal deaths are usually due to eating contaminated hay, chaff and silage. The seeds are the most toxic part of the plant. Some children have been poisoned by eating the seeds which vaguely resemble peas when green. Thomapple also competes strongly with pasture plants for light and moisture. Ecology Thomapple is a vigorous summer growing annual plant.
Seeds germinate in late spring and early summer.
It grows over summer, flowering and seeding given sufficient soil moisture. Seed can be spread for long distances in hay or chaff and as a seed contaminant of summer crops such as maize. Description Thornapple forms a dense shrub about 0.6-0.9 metres high. The leaves are grey-green with a wavy margin. The flowers are erect and trumpet-like.