Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) is a critical plant for any gardener or forager to know how to identify for safety reasons. I encourage all of my students to learn how to identify all poisonous plants that grow in the area before starting to forage because there are fewer poisonous plants than edible ones, making them easier to learn.

Overview: All parts are hairless. The green parts are a vivid, spring green. About twice as large as wild carrot/Queen Anne’s Lace.

Habitat: Swamps, marshes, stream and river edges, likes moist ground.

Stems: Reddish or purple spots and streaks, hairless, hollow.

Leaves: Finely divided, delicate, beautiful.

Flowers: Tiny and white in sprawling bunches, not as tight as wild carrot/Queen Anne’s Lace. Five petals.

Root: Long, carrot-like.

Toxicity: Highly poisonous. Even a small amount may cause health effects or death when consumed, especially the seeds and roots.

https://get.aspr.app/SHwSE

Leaves: Fern-like, finely divided, toothed on edges and have a strong, musty odor when crushed.

Flowers: Tiny, white, in a circular cluster on the ends of branched stems.

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