Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Caution

Can Alpacas Eat Buckwheat?

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) — a crop. 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.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). Photo: Unknown author, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Caution
Scientific name
Fagopyrum esculentum
Family
Polygonaceae
Plant type
Crop
Also known as
Common Buckwheat
Toxic parts
Green plants and seed hulls
Toxic compound
Fagopyrin

Why it matters

Cover crop and bee plant; causes photosensitization in light-skinned animals.

Signs of buckwheat 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

If your alpaca ate a lot of buckwheat

  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

Buckwheat or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat cultivation originated around the 6th millennium BC in the region of what is now Yunnan Province in southwestern China. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as Fagopyrum tataricum, a domesticated food plant raised in Asia.From Wikipedia — “Buckwheat”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 74,269 recorded observations of Fagopyrum esculentum Moench worldwide, including 2,030 in the United States. It belongs to the Polygonaceae family, together with Rhubarb. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is buckwheat poisonous to alpacas?
It can be. Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation. Cover crop and bee plant; causes photosensitization in light-skinned animals.
What part of buckwheat is toxic to alpacas?
Green plants and seed hulls.
What are the symptoms of buckwheat poisoning?
Reddened, swollen, peeling skin on unpigmented or lightly fleeced areas (face, ears, legs), itching and head rubbing, seeking shade and eye irritation and tearing.
Is dried buckwheat 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 Q132734.