An invasive plant called creeping indigo has been identified in Flagler County, and it is poisonous to horses and other grazing livestock.
The plant was introduced into Florida in 1925 as a potential forage species as it is in the same family as alfalfa, clover and peanuts. Toxicology concerns were evident by the 1930s and using it for forage was abandoned.
Creeping indigo was recently added to Flagler County's invasive exotic control program.
"We are getting better at identifying it," said Mark Warren, a University of Florida extension agent in Flagler and Putnam counties. "We want people to know what to look for."
On Friday morning, Warren showed us a number of patches of the plant around the Flagler County Fairgrounds, the same fields where horses are kept before they're shown or compete in the sit's arena. He said one horse has died in Flagler County from eating creeping indigo and another animal death earlier this week may be attributed to it as well.
Warren is hosting an educational meeting about creeping indigo from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 25, at the extension office at 150 Sawgrass Road in Bunnell.
"We want to try to reduce populations to some tolerable level. What that is with this plant, we really don't know," Warren said.
The plants grow like groundcover and have pink- and coral-colored flowers arranged in clusters. The leaves have six to eight small clover-like leaflets per leaf unit.
"The plant can be showy looking, but detection can be difficult when in areas where it either mixes with other grasses and plants," Warren said. "Livestock owners should learn to identify and manage pastures to reduce risks associated with creeping indigo."
Non-neurological symptoms include weight loss and loss of appetite, increased heart rate, labored breathing, hypersalivation, foaming from the mouth and dehydration.
Neurological symptoms include changes in personality and depression, low head set, head pressing, compulsive walking, head tilting, hanging lips, abnormal gait and unconsciousness or convulsions.
Frank Barbuti is the Flagler County Parks and Recreation Manager. He's just been made aware of creeping indigo and is working with his crews in identifying it in county parks. There are miles of equestrian trails in the parks and, "as far as the property, we want it definitely to be safe, a safe environment for people to come and use."
For more information about creeping indigo management and pasture control, contact Warren at 386-437-7464 or 386-329-0318.
If you think you’ve identified creeping indigo on public land, contact Mike Legasse, Flagler County's land management coordinator, at 386-313-4046.