Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Deadly

Is Monkshood Poisonous to Alpacas?

Monkshood (Aconitum spp.) — a garden / wild plant. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

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

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

Monkshood (Aconitum spp.)
Monkshood (Aconitum spp.). Photo: Bernd Haynold, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Deadly
Scientific name
Aconitum spp.
Family
Ranunculaceae
Plant type
Garden / wild plant
Also known as
Wolfsbane, Aconite
Toxic parts
All parts, especially roots
Toxic compound
Aconitine and related alkaloids

Why it matters

Garden perennial with hooded blue-purple flowers.

Signs of monkshood poisoning in alpacas

  • Drooling
  • Weakness and paralysis
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Death

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 monkshood

  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

Aconitum, also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous, frequently toxic perennial plants are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows.From Wikipedia — “Aconitum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 390,762 recorded observations of Aconitum L. worldwide, including 17,128 in the United States. It belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, together with Clematis, Larkspur, Buttercup. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is monkshood poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — monkshood is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill. Garden perennial with hooded blue-purple flowers.
What part of monkshood is toxic to alpacas?
All parts, especially roots.
What are the symptoms of monkshood poisoning?
Drooling, weakness and paralysis, irregular heartbeat and death.
Is dried monkshood 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 Q155904.