Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Caution

Can Alpacas Eat Comfrey?

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) — a herb. 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.

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale). Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień (Nova), CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Caution
Scientific name
Symphytum officinale
Family
Boraginaceae
Plant type
Herb
Also known as
true comfrey, slippery-root, quaker comfrey, knitbone, cultivated comfrey, consound
Toxic parts
Leaves and roots, especially with repeated feeding
Toxic compound
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Why it matters

Sometimes promoted as a livestock 'superfood'. The occasional leaf is unlikely to hurt, but regular feeding risks cumulative liver damage.

Signs of comfrey poisoning in alpacas

  • Weight loss and poor condition weeks to months after exposure
  • Jaundice (yellow gums/eyes)

If your alpaca ate a lot of comfrey

  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

Symphytum officinale is a perennial flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae. Along with 34 other species of Symphytum, it is known as comfrey. Internal or long-term topical use of comfrey is discouraged due to its strong potential to cause liver toxicity.From Wikipedia — “Symphytum officinale”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 446,179 recorded observations of Symphytum officinale L. worldwide, including 2,460 in the United States. It belongs to the Boraginaceae family, together with Fiddleneck, Houndstongue, Viper's Bugloss. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is comfrey poisonous to alpacas?
It can be. Use caution — it depends on the amount and the situation. Sometimes promoted as a livestock 'superfood'. The occasional leaf is unlikely to hurt, but regular feeding risks cumulative liver damage.
What part of comfrey is toxic to alpacas?
Leaves and roots, especially with repeated feeding.
What are the symptoms of comfrey poisoning?
Weight loss and poor condition weeks to months after exposure and jaundice (yellow gums/eyes).
Is dried comfrey 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 Q157561.