High RiskPrivet is normally grown as evergreen garden shrub or hedge although wild varieties do exist in the UK. The plant conical clusters of white, strongly scented, 4-petalled, tubular flowers, 4-6mm across, which appear at the end of stems in June and July. The leaves are long, oval, pointed and leathery, are are placed opposite to each other on the stem. They are hairless, shiny above and paler below and have very short stalks
Staggering, loss of power in the hind limbs, intestinal disruption, paralysis, rapid pulse, congested mucous membrane and dilated pupils
Notes:
Privet is usually avoided by horses and ponies as it has an unpleasant
odour when bitten however fatal cases of poisoning in horses
have been reported. All parts of the plant, including the berries,
are poisonous. . Death occurring from 4-48 hours after the privet
has been eaten. Most cases involve horses eating garden hedges
or hedge clippings. It is therefore important to fence off privet
hedges and prevent access to hedge clippings.
Privet poisoning is however rare