Yes — wild black cherry is highly poisonous. Small amounts can kill.
Keep alpacas completely away from this plant, including clippings and fallen leaves.
- Status
- Deadly
- Scientific name
- Prunus serotina
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Plant type
- Tree
- Also known as
- Black cherry, Rum cherry, American bird cherry, Black Cherry, black cherry, rum cherry, black cherry
- Toxic parts
- Leaves (especially wilted after storms or frost), bark, twigs and seed kernels
- Toxic compound
- Cyanogenic glycosides (prunasin → hydrogen cyanide)
- Region
- Eastern North America
Why it matters
Wilted leaves on branches broken by storms are the classic danger. Walk fence lines after storms and remove fallen cherry branches.
Signs of wild black cherry poisoning in alpacas
- Rapid, labored breathing within minutes
- Bright cherry-red gums and blood
- Anxiety, trembling, staggering
- Convulsions and collapse
- Death within 15 minutes to a few hours
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 wild black cherry
- Move the herd away and remove any remaining plant material, clippings or fallen leaves.
- Call your veterinarian immediately, even if the alpaca looks normal. Say what was eaten, roughly how much and when.
- Cyanide poisoning moves fast — your vet may have a specific antidote, so speed matters more than anything.
- Bring a sample or clear photo of the plant to help identification.
- Do not give home remedies, oils or try to make the alpaca vomit unless your vet tells you to.
- Keep the animal quiet, in shade or shelter, with water available. Write down the time and every symptom you see.
- 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
Where it grows
Main range of concern: Eastern North America. GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, holds 306,729 recorded observations of Prunus serotina Ehrh. worldwide, including 60,810 in the United States. It belongs to the Rosaceae family, together with Cherry Laurel, Chokecherry, Cherry Tree (sweet & sour cherry), Peach & Nectarine Tree (leaves, pits), Plum & Apricot Tree (leaves, pits). See the occurrence map on GBIF.
Frequently asked questions
Is wild black cherry poisonous to alpacas?
What part of wild black cherry is toxic to alpacas?
What are the symptoms of wild black cherry poisoning?
Is dried wild black cherry safe?
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 Q158987.