Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Safe

Can Alpacas Eat Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus)?

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) (Hibiscus syriacus) — a shrub. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — rose of sharon (hibiscus) is safe for alpacas.

It is acceptable forage or browse in normal amounts.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) (Hibiscus syriacus)
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus) (Hibiscus syriacus). Photo: Wilhelm Zimmerling PAR, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Safe
Scientific name
Hibiscus syriacus
Family
Malvaceae
Plant type
Shrub
Also known as
rose of Sharon

Feeding notes

Leaves and flowers are a safe, popular browse.

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

Hibiscus syriacus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to areas of east Asia, but widely introduced elsewhere, including much of Europe and North America. It was given the epithet syriacus because it had been collected from gardens in Syria. Common names include the rose of Sharon, Syrian ketmia, shrub althea (or simply althea), Korean rose and rose mallow. It is the national flower of South Korea and is mentioned in the South Korean national anthem.From Wikipedia — “Hibiscus syriacus”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 88,689 recorded observations of Hibiscus syriacus L. worldwide, including 21,708 in the United States. It belongs to the Malvaceae family, together with Linden & Basswood. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Can alpacas eat rose of sharon (hibiscus)?
Yes. Leaves and flowers are a safe, popular browse.
How much rose of sharon (hibiscus) 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 Q157756.