need a list of SAFE evergreen shrubs

[Hencackle]

We will be redoing the foundation plantings at the back of the house and the west side. The area around the back deck used to have ornamental grasses and dh decided he doesn't like that look anymore and wants some evergreens instead. The back deck stands 5 ft off the ground and the area underneath it is the chickens' favorite shady spot and shelter from rain. Actually, it's one of their favorite daytime resting spots.

Anybody have suggestions for SAFE shrubs, preferably evergreen for full sun locations, zone 6? Something without thorns/stickers too, because I had to remove the barberry bush because the some of the chickens stepped on the low lying branches and the thorns caused bumblefoot problems in a few chickens in my original flock. I can't count on help from landscape designers at the local nurseries because they haven't had a request like mine before.

 

[patandchickens]

Avoid yew. Also probably better to avoid rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, that whole tribe (although I can't say's I've ever heard of someone's *chickens* getting poisoned by them).

Safe coniferous evergreens would include cedar, juniper, small pines, spruce (e.g. nest spruce), etc.

Safe broadleaf evergreens, I'm not as certain about... I *think* the following are generally nontoxic but you should doublecheck me: euonymus, leucothoe, photinia, evergreen honeysuckle. I'm sure there are others, hopefully other folks can think of 'em.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ducks4you]

Have you considered Juniper? It's very hardy and it's native to North America. I have one Huge and another not-so-huge that came with the property. They are nearly 20 foot tall and have grown together as if they are one plant. I have horses, dogs, and cats and nobody is allergic to or has been poisoned by them. Hope this helps!

 

[Hencackle]

There used to be yews on west the side border, which were dug out before we got chickens, thank goodness. There are a couple of rhododendrons in the front yard which my handicapped housechicken and her best friend used for 7 years as their daytime shady spot.

patandchickens--what is the genus/species name of the evergreen honeysuckle you mentioned? I'm trying to have fun...I think this will be the 3rd or 4th time I've redone plantings over the years because either dh or both of us didn't like something or just plain got tired of it and wanted a new look. At this point it's more of an ordeal to come up with an attractive mixture of plants, provide shade and shelter to the under deck area, and not harm my chickens.

I'm wondering about the Foster's Holly trees because some sources say Ilex berries' saponins cause gastric irritation yet my chickens are ok.

The man at the nursery kept pointing out Otto Luyken, a variety of English Laurel, as a possible but I'm not so sure about that.

Any more suggestions???

 

[lesa]

I would watch holly- When those leaves fall and dry out, they get really sharp. I would think bumblefoot could be a result...Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

You know what, I'm not sure what honeysuckle(s) I mean... I just know that when I lived in DE and NC there were some evergreen ones. You'd have to look into it -- a quick google suggests Lonicera henryi and L. japonica "Hallei" (Hall's honeysuckle) as likely suspects, but I dunno for sure.

I too would be leery of holly, those leaves get REALLY nasty once they've fallen off and dried.

English laurel is one of the cherry family things that have cyanogenic compounds in their wilted/dead leaves. Same with cherry and apple trees. I have not actually heard of chickens being poisoned from this, so, I guess it depends how "very careful" you want to be.

Pat

 

[tuffy]

hi, how about boxwoods? I love their shiny leaves and they are evergreens. In my area we have deer eat our yews. We yanked them all 4 yrs ago and planted 2 different varieties as our foundation plantings in the front of the house and the deer have not touched them and they are really nice. Someone told me they can be shaped any way you want. They are the bushes that Disney uses to sculpt their characters out of. I love mine. The 2 different ones I have (a cold zone 4) one has 1/2 inch shiny leaves, the other has smaller duller leaves but still very nice. I don't shape mine other than to neaten them up up once a summer, they are pretty round. I don't know why I don't seem to see them in other yards around here??

 

[digitS']

When this thread came up last month, I looked for the UCDavis "Safe Plants" list and found that it had been taken off the web. I think that the UC attorneys got to the California Cooperative Extension and told them to pull the information before somebody tried to sue the university after some adverse reaction to one of these "safe" plants.

I felt that the list was helpful and I'm disappointed that one can find dozen of webpages on toxic plants but almost nothing on safe plants :/.

Well, here's a list I came across more recently . Do a google search with these terms: Small Animal Toxicology Pet-Friendly Alternatives

You will find a google book review of Small Animal Toxicology. The list of plants are just "possibly" pet-friendly but, good goobly goop, there's a world of favorable possibilities beyond death and taxes!

I am sorry Tuffy, boxwood is listed repeatedly in the "toxic" tables of this book :/.

Steve

 

[tuffy]

OOPs, I had no idea that boxwoods were toxic. My chickens don't go in the front yard so never go near them. Maybe thats why the deer also avoid these nice shrubs! I guess I misunderstood the actual question.

 

[wifezilla]

The only evergreen I am interested in is Rosemary