# Plant Identification



## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Can anyone recommend any good websites or books for identifying plants? Or maybe a site you can take where you can post photos of a plant and get answers? I get so confused about it all, and tend to be a little on the overly-cautious side when it comes to being around plants/shrubs I don't know and end up making them wear their goat muzzles. 

Out near the trails that go through a field where I now commonly walk the goats there are lots of shrubs/small trees that have clusters of small red round berry looking things with 'stiff' green leaves with jagged 'toothed' edges. It looks like it could be chokecherry but short of hiring a botanist I can't be sure. My 7 month old ate a couple of leaves before I knew the bushes were there, but that was a few days ago and he's fine. Haven't let them near it since.

I feel overwhelmed a bit, like I'll never learn what all the poisonous plants look like....


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## 5th_overture (Apr 2, 2011)

Have you tried this thing called _Google_? You won't find many botanists on here, as far as I know, so find out what you can first before asking for what you could very easily find yourself on the internet using a simple google search.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Yes of course I have tried google, I'm not that primitive. Just not always so easy for me to tell by some of the photos... I wasn't asking for a botanist on here, I was only asking if anyone knew of any good websites or books. Sorry, but your response seems kind of rude. This forum is a place to ask questions and share information and stories, not a place to put people down for asking a question.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

Hi Saltlick- I wouldn't call myself a botanist but I'm related to some, and I live in your area and know a lot of plants, mostly common names. If you post pictures of the leaves/berries/fllowers of plants you want to know about, I may be able to identify them for you. I will identify a plant if I'm sure about it, and if I don't know what it is I have a sister who probably could.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Saltlick, I remember a thread line on here about this subject not to long ago. One of the recommendations was Cornell University. They have a poisonous plant list for goats. My favorite picture book comes from my county extension office. The plant list was done for ranchers, goats are mentioned in the book. It is a list of noxious weeds. It is not complete for all toxic plants but is a great start with good pictures and it is free. The book is called "Idaho Panhandle Noxious Weed Handbook. If you reference the Cornell University information with a good picture book from you county extension you can slowly learn about your environment. 
Good luck. IdahoNancy


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Thank you Ali and Nancy. I'll try Cornell University and also get a hold of my county extension and see if they have anything available. And Ali, thanks for your offer, I'll try to get some pics soon. I have an idea what they might be, but having another opinion would be very helpful. And thanks for not treating me like an idiot


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

One of Carolyn's book "Field First Aid for Goats" has a great section on poisionous plants with pictures. I use it all the time.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks, good to know. Been thinking about getting that one too... Have two of her other books and they have a lot of good info.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Hey Rex, I was wondering, which one has the photos? The full book or the shortened laminated field guide? The field guide is the one I was considering earlier, as it would be easy to pack and carry. Does that one have poisonous plant photos too?


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Saltlick said:


> Hey Rex, I was wondering, which one has the photos? The full book or the shortened laminated field guide? The field guide is the one I was considering earlier, as it would be easy to pack and carry. Does that one have poisonous plant photos too?


I believe both versions have photos. They are black and white but still pretty identifiable.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks


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