Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Safe

Can Alpacas Eat Blackberry & Bramble?

Blackberry & Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.) — a shrub. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
✓

Yes — blackberry & bramble is safe for alpacas.

It is acceptable forage or browse in normal amounts.

Blackberry & Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.)
Blackberry & Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.). Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Safe
Scientific name
Rubus fruticosus agg.
Family
Rosaceae
Plant type
Shrub
Also known as
shrubby blackberry, blackberry, bramble

Feeding notes

Leaves and canes are relished; a good way to control brambles naturally. Thorns can catch fleece.

How to offer it

  1. Introduce any new forage or browse gradually over a week or two.
  2. Make sure it is fresh — avoid moldy, wilted piles or plants sprayed with herbicide.
  3. Keep a balanced diet: grass or hay first, with a camelid mineral available.

About the plant

Rubus fruticosus L. is the ambiguous name of a European blackberry species in the genus Rubus. The name has been interpreted in several ways:The species represented by the type specimen of Rubus fruticosus L., which is also the type specimen of the genus Rubus. This specimen is considered to match the species R. plicatus, in Rubus subgenus Rubus, section Rubus. Various species consistent with Carl Linnaeus' original description of the species, which was based on a mixture of specimens now considered to match Rubus ulmifolius and R. plicatus a species aggregate Rubus fruticosus agg. that includes most of a group called Rubus subgenus Rubus : in a narrow sense, sometimes separated as the section Glandulosus In this sense the species aggregate does not include the type of the genus Rubus. in a broad sense: (1) (i) sections Glandulosus and Rubus [sensu stricto] or (ii) "most of" these sections; or (2) sections Glandulosus, Rubus [sensu stricto] and Corylifolii. Section Rubus [sensu stricto] are probably hybrids involving members of section Glandulosus with either R. idaeus or R. allegheniensis. Section Corylifolii are probably hybrids involving members of section Glandulosus with R. caesius. even more broadly, including all the taxa in the subgenus RubusFrom Wikipedia — “Rubus fruticosus”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 259,958 recorded observations of Rubus fruticosus L. worldwide, including 56 in the United States. It belongs to the Rosaceae family, together with Cherry Laurel, Chokecherry, Wild Black Cherry, Cherry Tree (sweet & sour cherry), Peach & Nectarine Tree (leaves, pits). See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Can alpacas eat blackberry & bramble?
Yes. Leaves and canes are relished; a good way to control brambles naturally. Thorns can catch fleece.
How much blackberry & bramble can an alpaca eat?
As part of a varied diet based on grass or grass hay, it can be eaten freely. Introduce new browse gradually.

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 Q13541716.