Water Hemlock

Water Hemlock

Cicuta maculata L.

Apiaceae (Carrot Family)

▲ ▼ mature, flowering plants

first year rosette leaves ▲ ▼

▲ mature leaf

purple stem ▲

flowers ▲ ▼

▲ ▼ flowers fading, starting to form fruit

Cicuta maculata L.; Spotted Waterhemlock: (Bayer Code: CIUMC; US Code CIMA2)

Herbaceous biennial in the Carrot family
First produces a rosette of pinnately-divided leaves
Stems are also green/purplish, with striping and spots, like poison hemlock
Stems/plant/oil smells like parsley, but they are very toxic to humans and grazing animals--possibly the most poisonous plant in the U.S.
Inside base of stem are hollow chambers that contain a yellow oil that is very poisonous
Inflorescences are similar to poison hemlock, growing 1.5 to 8 feet tall
Umbels a bit “tighter" than poison hemlock umbels
Found in pastures, roadsides, non-crop areas, often preferring moist fertile soils, such as ditches, streambanks

(Updated January 15, 2019)