Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Toxic

Is Mayapple Poisonous to Alpacas?

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) — a wild plant. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

Updated 2026-10-02By the Dreamcatcher Alpacas editorial team
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Yes — mayapple is toxic to alpacas.

Keep it out of pastures, hay and reach of fences, and never feed trimmings.

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). Photo: Jennifer Anderson, USDA, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Toxic
Scientific name
Podophyllum peltatum
Family
Berberidaceae
Plant type
Wild plant
Toxic parts
Roots, leaves and unripe fruit
Toxic compound
Podophyllotoxin
Region
Eastern North America

Why it matters

Woodland groundcover in eastern North America.

Signs of mayapple poisoning in alpacas

  • Drooling
  • Loss of appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Colic or abdominal discomfort

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 mayapple

  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. Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant to help identification.
  4. Do not give home remedies, oils or try to make the alpaca vomit unless your vet tells you to.
  5. Keep the animal quiet, in shade or shelter, with water available. Write down the time and every symptom you see.
  6. 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

Podophyllum peltatum is a North American herbaceous perennial plant in the family Berberidaceae. Its common names are mayapple, American mandrake, wild mandrake, and ground lemon.From Wikipedia — “Podophyllum peltatum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

Main range of concern: Eastern North America. GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 107,616 recorded observations of Podophyllum peltatum L. worldwide, including 97,465 in the United States. It belongs to the Berberidaceae family, together with Nandina. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is mayapple poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — mayapple is toxic to alpacas. Woodland groundcover in eastern North America.
What part of mayapple is toxic to alpacas?
Roots, leaves and unripe fruit.
What are the symptoms of mayapple poisoning?
Drooling, loss of appetite, diarrhea and colic or abdominal discomfort.
Is dried mayapple 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 Q1572090.