Dreamcatcher Alpacas
Plant safety · Deadly

Is Mountain Laurel Poisonous to Alpacas?

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) — a shrub. Here is what alpaca owners need to know.

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

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

Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia). Photo: Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Status
Deadly
Scientific name
Kalmia latifolia
Family
Ericaceae
Plant type
Shrub
Also known as
Calico bush, Spoonwood, Sheep Laurel, Mountain-laurel, Lambkill, Ivybush
Toxic parts
Leaves, twigs, flowers
Toxic compound
Grayanotoxins
Region
Eastern North America

Why it matters

A native evergreen of eastern U.S. woodlands. Alpacas browsing wooded pasture edges in winter are at risk.

Signs of mountain laurel poisoning in alpacas

  • Green, foamy regurgitation or drooling
  • Repeated attempts to vomit (unusual in camelids)
  • Colic, teeth grinding
  • Weakness, staggering, lying down
  • Slow heart rate, low blood pressure
  • Death in severe cases

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 mountain 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. 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

Kalmia latifolia, the mountain laurel, calico-bush, or spoonwood, is a flowering plant and one of the 10 species in the genus of Kalmia belonging to the heath(er) family Ericaceae. It is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It is the namesake of Laurel County in Kentucky, the city of Laurel, Mississippi, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and the Laurel Highlands in southwestern Pennsylvania.From Wikipedia — “Kalmia latifolia”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where it grows

Main range of concern: Eastern North America. GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 54,839 recorded observations of Kalmia latifolia L. worldwide, including 53,925 in the United States. It belongs to the Ericaceae family, together with Azalea, Japanese Pieris, Rhododendron, Sheep Laurel. See the occurrence map on GBIF.

Frequently asked questions

Is mountain laurel poisonous to alpacas?
Yes. Yes — mountain laurel is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill. A native evergreen of eastern U.S. woodlands. Alpacas browsing wooded pasture edges in winter are at risk.
What part of mountain laurel is toxic to alpacas?
Leaves, twigs, flowers.
What are the symptoms of mountain laurel poisoning?
Green, foamy regurgitation or drooling, repeated attempts to vomit (unusual in camelids), colic, teeth grinding, weakness, staggering, lying down, slow heart rate, low blood pressure and death in severe cases.
Is dried mountain 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 Q1235131.