Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Deadly

Is Cherry Laurel Poisonous to Alpacas?

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) — a shrub. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — cherry laurel is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill.

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

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus). Photo: Karduelis, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Deadly
Scientific name
Prunus laurocerasus
Family
Rosaceae
Plant type
Shrub
Also known as
English laurel, Common laurel, Cherry-laurel
Toxic parts
Leaves, seeds; crushed or wilted leaves release cyanide
Toxic compound
Cyanogenic glycosides

Why it matters

An extremely common evergreen hedge in the UK, Europe and the Pacific Northwest. Never feed hedge trimmings.

Signs of cherry laurel poisoning in alpacas

  • Rapid, labored breathing within minutes
  • Bright cherry-red gums and blood
  • Anxiety, trembling, staggering
  • Convulsions and collapse
  • Death within 15 minutes to a few hours

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 cherry laurel

  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. Cyanide poisoning moves fast — your vet may have a specific antidote, so speed matters more than anything.
  4. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant to help identification.
  5. Do not give home remedies, oils or try to make the alpaca vomit unless your vet tells you to.
  6. Keep the animal quiet, in shade or shelter, with water available. Write down the time and every symptom you see.
  7. 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

Prunus laurocerasus, also known as cherry laurel, common laurel and sometimes English laurel in North America, is an evergreen species of cherry (Prunus), native to regions bordering the Black Sea in southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, from Albania and Bulgaria east through Turkey to the Caucasus Mountains and northern Iran.From Wikipedia — “Prunus laurocerasus”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 270,286 recorded observations of Prunus laurocerasus L. worldwide, including 4,968 in the United States. It belongs to the Rosaceae family, together with Chokecherry, Wild Black Cherry, Cherry Tree (sweet & sour cherry), Peach & Nectarine Tree (leaves, pits), Plum & Apricot Tree (leaves, pits). See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is cherry laurel poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — cherry laurel is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill. An extremely common evergreen hedge in the UK, Europe and the Pacific Northwest. Never feed hedge trimmings.
What part of cherry laurel is toxic to alpacas?
Leaves, seeds; crushed or wilted leaves release cyanide.
What are the symptoms of cherry laurel poisoning?
Rapid, labored breathing within minutes, bright cherry-red gums and blood, anxiety, trembling, staggering, convulsions and collapse and death within 15 minutes to a few hours.
Is dried cherry laurel 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 Q157508.