Poison Hemlock
(Conium maculatum)
hemlock, spotted hemlock, poison parsley, California or Nebraska fern

Description: A perennial plant from 3-15 feet tall. It is much-branched with parsley-like foliage. At the base of the terminal umbel, of small white flowers, there are lance-shaped, deflexed bracts. It is distinguished by its smooth stem, marked with red streaks. It has a bitter taste and a mousy or musty odor. Found throughout the U.S. along roadsides, stream borders, and waste ground. Deaths have been caused by mistaking it for parsnip root, seeds of anise, leaves of the sweet cicely, parsley, fennel, caraway or wild carrot.

POISONOUS: All parts, especially the seeds and the hollow, fleshy, white taproot are fatally poisonous. One mouthful of the root will kill an adult. Symptoms begin quickly, burning in the mouth and throat, vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness, trembling, dizzy, dilation of the pupils, muscular weakness, paralysis, coldness, weakened and slow heartbeat. Death occurs through respiratory paralysis. It was used in ancient Greece to kill condemned prisoners.