Poison Hemlock Identification

(rolling)

(clicking)

- [Liz] Hello, my name is Liz Bosak.

I am a Field and Forage Crops Educator based in Dauphin and Perry Counties.

Today, we will learn how to identify poison hemlock.

If handling poison hemlock, remember to wear gloves to avoid skin contact.

Poison hemlock commonly grows along roadsides, at field edges, and in low-lying areas, near creeks and streams.

Poison hemlock is a biennial, which means it takes two years for it to flower and go to seed.

During the first year, it germinates and grows as a rosette, a low cluster of leaves along the ground.

In the second year, the plant will flower, reaching between three and six feet in height.

There are two key characters to look for.

The first is red or purplish spots along the stem.

At the rosette stage, the spots may be faint and difficult to see.

At flowering, the purple spots along the stem can grow together to make the stem appear purple in color.

Wild carrot, or Queen Anne's lace, shown here, is commonly mistaken for poison hemlock.

The plant rarely reaches more than two feet in height.

The stems of wild carrot are densely covered with hairs.

Wild carrot has hairy stems, and poison hemlock does not.

Don't forget that poison hemlock will stay low as a rosette in its first year, and the stem spots can be hard to see.

In the second year, during flowering, poison hemlock has white flowers and purple spots along the stems.

If you are unsure about a poison hemlock identification, contact your local Extension office for assistance.