studeclunker
Posted : 6/16/2012 5:26:36 PM
![]()
Perhaps we are thinking of different species, however, I don't think your neighbor's Pyracantha are dangerous to your horses. Just keep them trimmed to their side of the fence if you don't like them. Here's what Wikipedia says about Pyracantha: [BLOCKQUOTE]Uses
Pyracanthas are valuable
ornamental plants, grown in
gardens for their decorative flowers and
fruit, often very densely borne. Their dense thorny structure makes them particularly valued in situations where an impenetrable barrier is required. The aesthetic characteristics of pyracanthas plants, in conjunction with their
home security qualities, makes them a considerable alternative to artificial
fences and
walls. They are also a good shrub for a wildlife garden, providing dense cover for roosting and nesting birds, summer flowers for bees and an abundance of berries as a food source. Pyracantha berries are not poisonous as commonly thought; although they are very bitter, they are edible when cooked and are sometimes made into jelly.
[2][/SUP] In the
UK and
Ireland Pyracantha and the related
genus Cotoneaster are valuable sources of
nectar when often the
bees have little other
forage during the
June Gap.
[/BLOCKQUOTE]
Bet'cha didn't know that Pyracantha is a type of Rose? I would imagine that the colic and such is because of the thorns, not the foliage. Then again, anything that's high in Citric Acid can cause diarrhea in livestock. Rose hips (the berries on Pyracantha) are extremely high in Citric Acid (also known as Vit. C). Jelly recipie from Texas A&M (bolding in first paragraph added by myself): [BLOCKQUOTE]
Pyracantha berries are not just, "for the birds."
Contrary to a common myth, they are not poisonous. Pyracantha, a relative of apples and roses, is entirely edible.
In late fall beautiful evergreen pyracantha shrubs bearing abundant pommes in festive reds, oranges and yellows adorn home landscaping and wild woodland areas, alike. Although thought to be native to Asia, pyracanthas have become valuable plants in the west as well.
Pyracantha is a favorite shrub choice for home landscaping, wildlife gardens, and natural barriers for home security. They boast beautiful and densely borne white flowers for bees in the summer and abundant fruit for birds and other wildlife during the fall and winter.
Edible Berries or Poisonous Berries?[/H3] In fact, pyracantha truly provides edible landscaping because according to Dr. Jerry M. Parsons, of Texas A&M University, the tempting red pommes of the pyracantha plant are entirely edible
Read more at Suite101:
Pyracantha Berry Jelly Recipe: Edible Landscaping with Pyracantha Coccinea, Scarlet Firethorn | Suite101.com http://suite101.com/article/pyracantha-berry-jelly-recipe-a168127#ixzz1xykuf85A He says, “if you have a surplus of pyracantha berries this fall and would just as soon the birds did not rob you of them, you might enjoy the taste of pyracantha jelly. It is quite tasty, much like apple jelly in appearance and flavor,” but even prettier and with a bright little tang.
Pyracantha Jelly Recipe[/H3] Yields approximately 10 half-pints of jelly
Ingredients:
- 2 quarts pyracantha pommes
- 6 cups water (or enough to cover berries)
- 7 cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 box powdered fruit pectin, such as Sure-Jell
- 5 tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions:
- Pick pyracantha pommes (berries) in the late fall when they are a very deep red. Plants bear the most flavorful and juice yielding berries at this time of year.
- Wash them well and remove any leaves and stems.
- Place pyracantha berries and water in a large pot and bring up to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat and allow berries to continue cooking until they have popped open; approximately 20 minutes. Much of the berries#%92 color will have transferred from the berry hulls to the stock.
- Drain contents through a colander into another container, pressing berries with the back of a spoon to release additional juice.
- Strain the juice once more through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheese cloth to remove any remaining small pieces of berry hulls or other debris. This is the juice that will be used for the jelly stock.
- Place the juice (which will have reduced to about 3 or 4 cups), sugar and lemon juice in a stock pot and bring it up to a boil.
- Stir in the powdered fruit pectin and vinegar.
- Bring this up to a rolling boil; cooking and stirring for two minutes.
- Remove from heat and immediately ladle into sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving about ½” head space.
- Cap the canning jars and make sure they have properly sealed before storing in the pantry. Note: Any jars that do not properly seal must be stored under refrigeration.
[/BLOCKQUOTE]
So much for being poisonous.![]()