Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Caution

Can Alpacas Eat Alsike Clover?

Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) — a legume. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation.

Occasional nibbles are usually tolerated, but problems occur with large amounts, certain plant stages or vulnerable animals.

Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum)
Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum). Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Caution
Scientific name
Trifolium hybridum
Family
Fabaceae
Plant type
Legume
Toxic parts
Whole plant in wet seasons
Toxic compound
Unknown toxin (possibly fungal)

Why it matters

Documented mainly in horses. Keep it as a minor part of mixed pasture.

Signs of alsike clover poisoning in alpacas

  • Reddened, swollen, peeling skin on unpigmented or lightly fleeced areas (face, ears, legs)
  • Itching and head rubbing
  • Seeking shade
  • Eye irritation and tearing
  • Liver damage

If your alpaca ate a lot of alsike clover

  1. Remove access and estimate how much was eaten.
  2. Watch for the signs listed above over the next 24–72 hours.
  3. Call your vet if any signs appear or if a pregnant, young or sick animal ate a large amount.
  4. Reduce the plant in your pasture and keep good forage available so alpacas aren't driven to eat it.

About the plant

Trifolium hybridum, the alsike clover, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. The trifoliate leaves are unmarked and the stalked, pale pink or whitish flower head grows from the leaf axils.From Wikipedia — “Trifolium hybridum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 230,735 recorded observations of Trifolium hybridum L. worldwide, including 12,058 in the United States. It belongs to the Fabaceae family, together with Rosary Pea, Black Locust, Coffee Senna & Sicklepod, Kentucky Coffeetree, Laburnum. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is alsike clover poisonous to alpacas?
It can be. Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation. Documented mainly in horses. Keep it as a minor part of mixed pasture.
What part of alsike clover is toxic to alpacas?
Whole plant in wet seasons.
What are the symptoms of alsike clover poisoning?
Reddened, swollen, peeling skin on unpigmented or lightly fleeced areas (face, ears, legs), itching and head rubbing, seeking shade, eye irritation and tearing and liver damage.
Is dried alsike clover safe?
Drying does not reliably make poisonous plants safe. Treat dried leaves and contaminated hay with the same caution.

Keeping pastures safe

  • Walk every paddock and fence line each season and remove toxic plants, including roots.
  • Never throw garden, hedge or lawn clippings over the fence.
  • Check pastures after storms for fallen branches (cherry, red maple).
  • Buy hay from known sources and inspect it for weeds.
  • Keep pastures well managed — hungry alpacas eat plants they would normally avoid.

Browse the full toxic plant checker, the printable list of poisonous plants and the list of safe plants.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a veterinarian who has examined your animals. Camelid medicine uses many drugs “extra-label”, so dosing must come from your vet. In an emergency, call your vet first. Read our disclaimer · How we write and review content.

Data: plant status compiled from veterinary toxicology references (see sources); taxonomy and occurrences from GBIF; identifiers from Wikidata Q159745.