Species guide
Poison hemlock
DeadlyConium maculatum
How to recognise it
A tall plant (2–3 m) with a smooth, hollow green stem marked with distinctive purple blotches, lacy fern-like leaves, and umbrella-shaped clusters of small white flowers. Has a musty, unpleasant smell.
Is it dangerous?
Highly poisonous if any part is eaten, and can irritate on handling. Dangerous to people, pets and livestock.
Commonly confused with
- Queen Anne's lace / wild carrot — hairy stem, no purple spots, carroty smell
What to do
Don't ingest it or handle it bare-handed. Wear gloves to remove it, keep children and pets away, and never eat any part.
Never decide what's safe to eat or touch from a photo or a web page. Identification here is for learning and curiosity only. For anything you might eat, handle or that could harm you or a pet, consult a qualified local expert — and seek medical or veterinary care if exposure has happened.
Recorded 171,036 times in the wild worldwide.
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