General poisoning notes:

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a cultivated plant that can persist after cultivation. The plant contains glucosinolates, which can cause toxicity in livestock. Irritation of the mucous membranes can occur in humans who grind the roots to produce horseradish condiment. See the notes under Brassica oleracea for more information on these chemicals. Under normal circumstances horseradish is safe.

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA. 626 pp.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Armoracia rusticana P. Gaertn., Mey & Scherb.
 

Vernacular name(s): horseradish

Scientific family name: Cruciferae

Vernacular family name: mustard

Go to ITIS*^ca for more taxonomic information on: Armoracia rusticana

References:

Agriculture Quebec. 1975. Noms des maladies des plantes du Canada/ Names of plant diseases in Canada. , Quebec City, Que., Canada. 288 pp.

Alex, J. F., Cayouette, R., Mulligan, G. A. 1980. Common and botanical names of weeds in Canada/Noms populaire et scientifiques des plantes nuisibles du Canada. Revised. Agric. Can. Publ., Ottawa, Ont., Canada. 132 pp.

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Scoggan, H. J. 1978, 1979. The flora of Canada. Nat. Mus. Nat. Sci. (Ottawa) Publ. Bot. 7(1)-7(4). 1711 pp.

Van Wijk, H. L. 1911. A dictionary of plant names. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, The Netherlands. 1444 pp.

Victorin, M. 1964. Flore Laurentienne. 2nd ed. Univ. Montreal, Montreal, Que., Canada. 952 pp.

Geographic Information

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
 

References:

Bailey, L. H., Bailey, E. Z. 1976. Hortus third. Revised. MacMillan, New York, N.Y., USA. 1290 pp.

Boivin, B. 1966, 1967. Énumération des plantes du Canada. Provencheria 6. Nat. Can. (Que.) 93: 253-274; 371-437; 583-646; 989-1063. 94: 131-157; 471-528; 625-655.

Image or illustration

horseradish:

Images: images.google.com

Notes on Poisonous plant parts:

Horseradish contains glucosinolates which, if ingested in sufficient quantities, can cause poisoning (Fenwick et al. 1989).

Toxic parts:

all parts
leaves
roots
 

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

See the notes under Brassica oleracea for a discussion on this chemical and its affects on livestock and humans.

Toxic plant chemicals:

glucosinolates
 

glucosinolates
 

glucosinolates
 

Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Humans

Swine

General symptoms of poisoning:

collapse
death
 

Notes on poisoning:

Swine have been poisoned after ingesting of horseradish root equal to 1% of body weight. The animals suffer acute inflammation of the mucous membranes of the stomach as well as pain, followed by collapse and death (Kingsbury 1964).

References:

Fenwick, G. R., Heaney, R. K., Mawson, R. 1989. Glucosinolates. Pages 1-41 in Cheeke, P. R., ed. Toxicants of plant origin. Vol. II. Glycosides. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., USA. 277 pp.

Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA. 626 pp.