My husband and I are getting ready to put several alpacas into a paddock on some property in Errington, BC (Vancouver Island, near Parksville). We don't own the property, so we don't want to invest a lot of time & money in fixing up the paddock, but we want to make sure that all toxic plants are removed before we give our animals access to the area. I can identify most of the basics, but there are a few plants I'm not sure if we need to remove or not. While the safest course of action is to remove everything we can't identify, we're talking about several acres... and a lot of plants that will need to be removed by hand. If we are able to identify the plants, I'll be able to find out if they are toxic or not... and then we can remove them if necessary. The photos were taken about a month ago... This first plant (present in the first two photos) is a bit difficult to see. It's an annual (I think, given that the plants seem to be dead and pull out of the ground quite easily). They stand 3-5 feet in height. They are long stalks with a crown of flowers at the top... the flowers were probably yellow and this plant might have been some kind of dandilion. I'll try to get some better photos. The second plant (in photos 3&4) is a low shrub with waxy green leaves and dark purple or black berries. It is not salal. It grows very low to the ground (<12 inches) and seems to sprawl a bit. The third plant in this group is pictured in the last three photos. The leaves are fuzzy or velvety. They grow very close to the ground (usually no taller than 4-6 inches). It is possible that they are escapees from previous occupant's garden or compost heap. Thank-you in advance. On the next sunny day, I'll try to get some better photos.
The third plant with the fuzzy leaves - the close up - is the same as the small light green clusters; It's common name is Mullen and produces a long stalk from which blooms dozens of dark to lighter yellow flowers. This plant has natural pathic qualities - From the mature or flowering plants, one can pick the leaves to brew a tea which acts as an expectorant! Harvest late summer after blooms are nearing an end.
That's mullein pink (Lychnis) and not mullein (Verbascum). The one before that, with the berries is a nightshade (Solanum).
The first plant looks familiar, some kind of composite. Maybe feverfew (tho that is often still green, even this time of year). I don't think it's anything dangerous...I'm quite sure I've pulled those out of the garden here...
Thanks very much. Now I'll be able to figure out if we need to remove them or not. If only alpaca were like sheep and deer and knew better than to eat things like foxglove and bracken fern :P
Ok, this is a bit off-topic, but I'm curious (since alpacas seem like a good test study). Obviously, there are poisonous plants that are toxic to alpacas, but do they also suffer if they ingest psychotropic plants?
I don't know. Interesting question since I'm sure the sheep in my family's flock have injested more than a few given where they live (and who else lives there! They free-range over 500 acres on Lasqueti Island in the Georgia Straight), but I've never seen one 'under the influence' so to speak. I would imagine that most folks in North America are over-protective of what their alpacas eat because the value for an individual animal is so high.
Daniel, I own pygmy goats, they too are subject to poison from a gazillion different plants, and I could likely kill them with just the shrubs in my front yard - however they have browsed their way around from time to time for 5 years and so far so good. But as to your question...."do they suffer" well who the heck know what goes through the mind of a goat, stoned or otherwise? I've seen them sit behind the wheel of a truck and refuse to get out, run across the tops of cars loving every frantic minute of being chased by angry owners, stand on one anothers backs to reach - blackberry brambles(ouch),- a bag of chicken scratch,- my coffee cup and any other thing that could be tasty. I've even had them bunt my arm as I sawed a board, and pound with their hoof when I hammered ( this was all helping me you know). These guys, goats, llamas and alpacas are pretty savvy beasts.
LadyIslay - thanks for helping me learn more about alpacas. Anne, thanks for the laughs. Sounds like every day is something different with goats.
Mt. Lehman Llamas has great web site that lists poisonous / toxic plants for llamas. I'm sure the same would apply to your new camelids. We have two llamas that had to have their 2 acre field cleared of Daphne. It's an ongoing job! I can now spot a daphne seedling from a great distance.
