Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Deadly

Is Angel's Trumpet Poisonous to Alpacas?

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) — a ornamental. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — angel's trumpet is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill.

Keep alpacas completely away from this plant, including clippings and fallen leaves.

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.)
Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.). Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Deadly
Scientific name
Brugmansia spp.
Family
Solanaceae
Plant type
Ornamental
Also known as
brugmansia
Toxic parts
All parts
Toxic compound
Tropane alkaloids (scopolamine, atropine)

Why it matters

Large pendant trumpet flowers; popular container plant.

Signs of angel's trumpet poisoning in alpacas

  • Dilated pupils
  • Dry mouth, fast heart rate
  • Reduced gut movement, colic, bloat
  • Restlessness, incoordination
  • Seizures and death in large doses

Signs can appear within minutes (cyanide, cardiac toxins) or only after weeks of exposure (liver toxins). Many poisoned camelids are simply found dead, so prevention is everything.

What to do if your alpaca ate angel's trumpet

  1. Move the herd away and remove any remaining plant material, clippings or fallen leaves.
  2. Call your veterinarian immediately, even if the alpaca looks normal. Say what was eaten, roughly how much and when.
  3. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant to help identification.
  4. Do not give home remedies, oils or try to make the alpaca vomit unless your vet tells you to.
  5. Keep the animal quiet, in shade or shelter, with water available. Write down the time and every symptom you see.
  6. Check every other alpaca that had access, then remove the plant permanently (including roots).

Emergency: call your veterinarian immediately. If you cannot reach them, contact an animal poison control service (in the U.S., the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or Pet Poison Helpline; fees may apply). Bring a sample or photo of the plant.

About the plant

Brugmansia is a genus of seven species of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae. They are woody trees or shrubs, with pendulous flowers, and have no spines on their fruit. Their large, fragrant flowers give them their common name of angel's trumpets, adjacent to the nickname devil's trumpets of the closely related genus Datura.From Wikipedia — “Brugmansia”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 17,835 recorded observations of Brugmansia Pers. worldwide, including 487 in the United States. It belongs to the Solanaceae family, together with Tobacco, Bittersweet Nightshade, Black Nightshade, Deadly Nightshade, Horse Nettle. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is angel's trumpet poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — angel's trumpet is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill. Large pendant trumpet flowers; popular container plant.
What part of angel's trumpet is toxic to alpacas?
All parts.
What are the symptoms of angel's trumpet poisoning?
Dilated pupils, dry mouth, fast heart rate, reduced gut movement, colic, bloat, restlessness, incoordination and seizures and death in large doses.
Is dried angel's trumpet 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 Q757262.