do you know the name of this plant?

[RabbitsAreDelicious]

Trying to feed my rabbits more greens but need to know the name of this weed so I can see if it's safe to safe to feed my rabbit.

Its growing in a swampy area in partial sunlight covering the area it's in. (Sandy soil in Wisconsin if that helps) I'll try to attach my pictures I took the other day. Sorry no buds yet so can't get pictures of those.
Thanks!
BTW the name isn't important if you know that it's safe for rabbits.

 

[Peanut]

It looks like goldenrod, Solidago sp. There are 40 or so species in the US. IF the plant you have is goldenrod it's a species I don't recognize. Whether or not rabbits eat goldenrod? I don't know. I had cage rabbits a couple of years and fed them rabbit food I got at the feed mill.

Your plant also looks like American burnweed aka Erechtites hieracifolia. I don't know of anything that eats it.

The best time to learn what grows around you is when plants bloom. All weeds bloom, yes, even ragweed, it's bloom is green, people don't usually notice plants with green blooms.

You haven't said if you live on a farm or homestead etc... about how much land do you have for your rabbits. Is it fields or woodland... etc Is water close? A stream, creek or pond? I'm trying to get an idea of the terrain to give an educated guess as to what grows there.

Edit to add: The most difficult time to figure out the identity of a weed is when its small. Some plants when grown look exactly like they did when small. Other plants look nothing like they did when small.

 

[RabbitsAreDelicious]

It looks like goldenrod, Solidago sp. There are 40 or so species in the US. IF the plant you have is goldenrod it's a species I don't recognize. Whether or not rabbits eat goldenrod? I don't know. I had cage rabbits a couple of years and fed them rabbit food I got at the feed mill.

Your plant also looks like American burnweed aka Erechtites hieracifolia. I don't know of anything that eats it.

The best time to learn what grows around you is when plants bloom. All weeds bloom, yes, even ragweed, it's bloom is green, people don't usually notice plants with green blooms.

You haven't said if you live on a farm or homestead etc... about how much land do you have for your rabbits. Is it fields or woodland... etc Is water close? A stream, creek or pond? I'm trying to get an idea of the terrain to give an educated guess as to what grows there.

Edit to add: The most difficult time to figure out the identity of a weed is when its small. Some plants when grown look exactly like they did when small. Other plants look nothing like they did when small.

I wish but no I'm just renting in the city. There is a river that runs on the end of my property boundary and this is growing well on a hill maybe 4ft away from the water. Maybe 1.5 ft tall plant as of now.
The plants all look healthy and are not touched by other animals that frequent my yard like squirrels, cats, skunks so maybe it tastes bad......or is bad.

My landlord is pretty nice and allowed me to build a hutch (I guess) off my porch. The rabbit(s) are in a wire cage that sits on the 2x4 frame. I probably should take a picture of it. But nothing too fancy. I am feeding my current doe greens but mainly a pellet diet.

She also grazes about 2x a week in the rabbit tractor I made mainly for sun benefits but on cut grass not the questionable plants.
Thanks for giving me something to look into. I had no idea before.

 

[RabbitsAreDelicious]

Golden rod looks a lot closer to it. In fact I see them in the ditches when I'm out in the country. Mine aren't blooming yet like some in the country so I'm not positive but I will keep an eye on them for when they do.

 

[Peanut]

If you were against a pond it'd narrow the possibilities a bit. A river now... could be dry ground plants, wet ground plants or an ornamental washed down from someones yard up stream, even worse you're within city limits.

I study wild native medicine plants and have for years... I recognize lots of non-medicinal plants but don't know their names or anything about them, other than they aren't medicinal. Plus I'm about 1300 miles south of you...

If you see anything blooming take a photo and post it... be glad to help if I can.

 

[Peanut]

@RabbitsAreDelicious Here is a bit more information...

If you’re interested in learning plants around you here is a few basics… First you need to find a website for plant identification. Most state university systems will have a botany website(s). They are basically databases of plants you can search. At these sites you can enter some basic information about a plant.

Use this site as an example of the information you can enter… if you don’t know, leave the selection “Any”. http://www.southeasternflora.com/SearchForm.php

1) flower color
2) plant form
3) leave type
4) leaf arrangement
Etc…

Select Search… you might get 2 pages of results or 20. You then look through the photo’s for a photo of a flower you have in your yard etc. Data bases like these get you in the ball park.

Here is another site… Missouri flora web page... Southeastern flora and Missouri plants are privately owned/maintained data bases.

Search for data bases in Wisconsin or upper mid-west either private or a university website. I prefer private data bases because they are easier to use but they aren’t as expansive as state school sites. State school sites usually want you to enter the plants scientific “Family” name… Which is silly… “if I knew its family name I wouldn’t need to search their database”. Duh! Sometimes there is an option to search by a plants description or other parameters.

If you know the flower color.. plant form and leaf arrangement, you can get very close to finding a plants identity. Leaf type is also helpful.

Again, below are sites that’ll give you an idea of what you need to know about a plant to find it’s identity… If you find a website that lets you post a photo of a plant so other people can help you find its identity… Take a photo that shows the same information…. From the side so leaf arrangement can be seen… and leaf type… a photo of the bloom that shows as much detail as possible, number of petals, general shape… The more information the better.

Missouri flora web page
NameThatPlant.net: Native Plants of the Carolinas & Georgia
NameThatPlant.net: Mobile Safari
Southeastern Flora Search

I just searched the net… there are several books on Wisconsin wild plants and foraging. I didn’t recognize any of the authors, that’s not unusual. Field guides tend to be regional as well as the people who write them.

As far as foraging books for north america there are a few excellent books. My favorite is “Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas Phd”… It’s in a class by itself you might say. I own 2 books by Samuel Thayer, also excellent books.

 

[RabbitsAreDelicious]

@RabbitsAreDelicious Here is a bit more information...

If you’re interested in learning plants around you here is a few basics… First you need to find a website for plant identification. Most state university systems will have a botany website(s). They are basically databases of plants you can search. At these sites you can enter some basic information about a plant.

Use this site as an example of the information you can enter… if you don’t know, leave the selection “Any”. http://www.southeasternflora.com/SearchForm.php

1) flower color
2) plant form
3) leave type
4) leaf arrangement
Etc…

Select Search… you might get 2 pages of results or 20. You then look through the photo’s for a photo of a flower you have in your yard etc. Data bases like these get you in the ball park.

Here is another site… Missouri flora web page... Southeastern flora and Missouri plants are privately owned/maintained data bases.

Search for data bases in Wisconsin or upper mid-west either private or a university website. I prefer private data bases because they are easier to use but they aren’t as expansive as state school sites. State school sites usually want you to enter the plants scientific “Family” name… Which is silly… “if I knew its family name I wouldn’t need to search their database”. Duh! Sometimes there is an option to search by a plants description or other parameters.

If you know the flower color.. plant form and leaf arrangement, you can get very close to finding a plants identity. Leaf type is also helpful.

Again, below are sites that’ll give you an idea of what you need to know about a plant to find it’s identity… If you find a website that lets you post a photo of a plant so other people can help you find its identity… Take a photo that shows the same information…. From the side so leaf arrangement can be seen… and leaf type… a photo of the bloom that shows as much detail as possible, number of petals, general shape… The more information the better.

Missouri flora web page
NameThatPlant.net: Native Plants of the Carolinas & Georgia
NameThatPlant.net: Mobile Safari
Southeastern Flora Search

I just searched the net… there are several books on Wisconsin wild plants and foraging. I didn’t recognize any of the authors, that’s not unusual. Field guides tend to be regional as well as the people who write them.

As far as foraging books for north america there are a few excellent books. My favorite is “Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas Phd”… It’s in a class by itself you might say. I own 2 books by Samuel Thayer, also excellent books.

Okay I will look at some sites. Thanks!

 

[RabbitsAreDelicious]

If you were against a pond it'd narrow the possibilities a bit. A river now... could be dry ground plants, wet ground plants or an ornamental washed down from someones yard up stream, even worse you're within city limits.

I study wild native medicine plants and have for years... I recognize lots of non-medicinal plants but don't know their names or anything about them, other than they aren't medicinal. Plus I'm about 1300 miles south of you...

If you see anything blooming take a photo and post it... be glad to help if I can.

Sounds good will do if I still can't figure it out once it blooms. I'm trying to learn some medicinal plants like easy ones yarrow and broad leaf plantain are common. I also try to learn which ones to avoid like the poisonous ones that can look alike.

Yeah true and since many animals frequent the spot I'm sure they left some seeds and fertilizer behind. Lol.
Thanks again

 

[Meerkat]

Don't know anything about rabbits except my neighbor raised them but mostly for nuts with ' pet ' large snakes.

 

[RabbitsAreDelicious]

Don't know anything about rabbits except my neighbor raised them but mostly for nuts with ' pet ' large snakes.

Lol my brothers friend use to have a large constrictor that was up to eating rabbits since it would be too many rats to be worth it for a meal. Snake was as big around as a larger man's wrist. Never felt totally comfortable with it draped over my shoulders and neck. Lolol.
On the floor was no problem but not around my neck area.

 

[Piebald9]

Rabbits are very sensitive to environmental toxins and plants. Definitely stick to things you are sure of. Plus the river could bring chemicals along that can leech up into those plants right along the bank. It’s not worth losing months or years of time spent growing out your stock.

If you are looking to save money perhaps talk to some markets in the area to see if they can slip you some greens that are starting to wilt. No longer sale to humans quality but not rotten either.

That said... Domestic rabbits don’t actually \\need\\ fresh greens in their diet to stay healthy. What they need most is a good balanced pellet from a good brand and for some breeds they will do much better with addition of a good Timothy or orchard grass hay. They have been bred away from some of the wild needs over hundreds of years of cage breeding.

If you don’t know already, find a feed store for the pellets. The pet or box store will overcharge for a tiny bag. You can get a 25 or 50 pound bag for the same or less at a farm and feed place. They store well in a small metal trash barrel with a lid right next to the rabbit cages.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

It's called horseweed (Marestail) common by me also.

 

[Peanut]

Thats it!!!! Darn it! It's common throughout much of North America. EXcept parts of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. It's very rare where I live. I almost never see it.

Conyza canadensis Plants Profile for Conyza canadensis (Canadian horseweed)

Tip, if you know a plants latin name... and sometimes the common name, google that name + USDA. You'll get all the info about that plant contained in the USDA databases.

Also, check this site for useful info about horseweed. Eat the Weeds is a great resource for plant information. If a plant is edible the odds are its listed on the Greene Dean's website. As it happens, horseweed is a great plant for drills when starting fires.

Horseweed, Mare’s Tail - Eat The Weeds and other things, too

Eat the Weeds has info on a couple thousand plants.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

Thats it!!!! Darn it! It's common throughout much of North America. EXcept parts of Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. It's very rare where I live. I almost never see it.

Conyza canadensis Plants Profile for Conyza canadensis (Canadian horseweed)

Tip, if you know a plants latin name... and sometimes the common name, google that name + USDA. You'll get all the info about that plant contained in the USDA databases.

Also, check this site for useful info about horseweed. Eat the Weeds is a great resource for plant information. If a plant is edible the odds are its listed on the Greene Dean's website. As it happens, horseweed is a great plant for drills when starting fires.

Horseweed, Mare’s Tail - Eat The Weeds and other things, too

Eat the Weeds has info on a couple thousand plants.

Thanks I didn't know about that site! Awesome!

 

[Peanut]

One more bit about the USDA plant profile page. You'll usually see a map of the US. If you double click on your general area within a state the map will zoom in. double click again, again etc..

You have to be patient. It takes a bit for the map to reload. Anyway, if you zoom into your county and surrounding counties, some might colored, some might be white.

The colored counties are where its been reported that the plant grows. (usually reported by a nearby college.)

If the county is white it only means that the plant hasn't been reported growing in that county... The plant may grow there, it just hasn't been reported.

There is actually a procedure for reporting to the USDA that a plant grows in your county. It's long, tedious and a bit annoying as only a government procedure can be. But, if you wish to report it, by all means do so.

 

[BadgerLandHunter]

One more bit about the USDA plant profile page. You'll usually see a map of the US. If you double click on your general area within a state the map will zoom in. double click again, again etc..

You have to be patient. It takes a bit for the map to reload. Anyway, if you zoom into your county and surrounding counties, some might colored, some might be white.

The colored counties are where its been reported that the plant grows. (usually reported by a nearby college.)

If the county is white it only means that the plant hasn't been reported growing in that county... The plant may grow there, it just hasn't been reported.

There is actually a procedure for reporting to the USDA that a plant grows in your county. It's long, tedious and a bit annoying as only a government procedure can be. But, if you wish to report it, by all means do so.

Ok good yo know thanks!