Hemp Dogbane or simply referred to as Dogbane, is a green, leafy herb commonly found in North American pasture land. It's structure is comprised of medium sized smooth, green leaves with a skinny, crimson stem. Dogbane can grow up to 1-2 meters tall. Upon maturity, dogbane blooms with small, white flowers.
Sprouting in late spring to early summer, Dogbane is common in pastures, creek beds, and meadows. It spreads quickly and seeds transfer easily thanks to local pollinators. While many perennials are harmless to livestock, Dogbane does not fall into the same classification.
Dogbane stems contain a white, milky substance which has been found to cause heart issues in livestock. Dogbane consists of cardiac glycosides which have been used as a heart stimulant in humans. Livestock will typically steer clear of dogbane, however in situations with low forage availability, livestock could ingest both the leaves or stem, both causing lethal side affects within 6-12 hours. Certain signs of dogbane poisoning should be noted such as rapid pulse, vomiting, and even convulsions.
It is important to control populations of dogbane in your pastures to prevent possible illness and death of livestock. 2,4-D and Weedmaster herbicides in recommended concentrations will kill Dogbane without affecting the grass species around it. That being said, ensure you spray for Dogbane at least 2-3 weeks prior to allowing livestock to graze the affected areas. This allows the dogbane to fully die and wither away. Do not get dogbane confused with milkweed, which is a harmless perennial that looks similar. Milkweed has a woody, brown stem with smaller leaves.
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