Wanderer's Madder
Rubia peregrina
Horse
Low
Remove access and monitor the horse; call at the first sign. Large quantity of foliage/vines.
Equio informs, it does not diagnose. When in doubt, call your vet.
What to do now
- Antidote
- No specific antidote. Symptomatic and supportive treatment.
- Time to signs
- A few hours to 1 day.
- Prognosis
- Excellent. It is more visually alarming (red urine) than truly dangerous.
- Remove the plant from the diet if signs of diarrhea appear.
- Monitor for other symptoms.
- Consult a veterinarian if symptoms worsen.
Its ID card
- Height
- 0.5 m – 2 m
- Flowering
- June to September.
- Toxic parts
- Stems, leaves, berries, and especially roots (very rich in red pigments).
- Toxin
- Anthraquinones (Alizarin) and Ruberythric acid
- Habitat
- Hedges, garrigue, maquis, woodland edges, thorny bushes.
- Soil indicator
- Dry, calcareous, stony, well-sunlit soils.
- Regions
- Southern Europe, Western France, Mediterranean Basin
- In hay
- Yes — stays toxic once dried
- Palatability
- Low (tough and clinging stems). Often consumed with other hedge leaves.
When the risk rises
All year round (evergreen foliage).
Spotting it in the field
Cleavers (Galium aparine) (softer leaves, plant not persistent in winter). — smell : odorless.
- Vine that clings to other plants with small, rough prickles.
- Dark green, tough, persistent leaves arranged in a 'star' of 4 to 6 around the stem.
- Small yellow-green flowers.
- Black berries.
- Orange-red root.
Signs to watch for
Acute toxicity (laxative) and potentially chronic if ingested repeatedly over the long term.
Dose : Not determined, but significant ingestion of foliage is required to cause notable symptoms.
- Urine, saliva, and sometimes feces colored red (looks like bleeding but is natural pigment)
- Mild spasmodic colic
- Diarrhea (laxative effect of anthraquinones)
- Mild mouth irritation (rough stems)
Who is affected
Other species : Same coloring (and slightly laxative) effect for all herbivores.
In pregnant mares : anthraquinones (strong laxatives) can cause uterine spasms, to be avoided for mares.
Getting rid of it
Method : Hand-pull the plant (wearing gloves due to prickles) before seed production. Avoid overgrazing.
- Identify and remove the plant from grazing areas.
- Carefully monitor horses when grazing in potentially infested areas.
- Ensure a balanced diet to reduce the attractiveness of toxic plants.
Frequently asked questions
Can Equio identify Wanderer's Madder from a photo?
It can help organize visual clues, but plant identification must remain cautious when horse health is at stake.
Is Wanderer's Madder dangerous in hay?
This entry flags hay vigilance. Isolate suspicious forage and ask for professional advice if exposure is possible.
This page is informational. If ingestion is likely, if signs appear, or if the horse is fragile, contact a veterinarian immediately.