Wild Forage

Water hemlock

Cicuta maculata

Also called: spotted water hemlock

Deadly. Among the most toxic native plants in North America; a small bite can be fatal.

Water hemlock: Whole plant — Whole plantPhoto: Sindupa De Silva · CC BY · source

Water hemlock: Leaf — LeafPhoto: Alan Weakley · CC0 · source

Water hemlock: Photo. Toothed leaflets on a smooth stem — PhotoToothed leaflets on a smooth stemPhoto: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA · Public domain · source

Water hemlock: Habitat — HabitatPhoto: mefisher · CC0 · source

Water hemlock: Flower — FlowerPhoto: Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA SCS / USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute (WSI) · Public domain (USDA) · source

Water hemlock: Fruit or seed — Fruit or seedPhoto: Steve Hurst / ARS Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory · Public domain (USDA) · source

Water hemlock: Look-alike side by side. Cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum), a skin-irritant look-alike — Look-alike side by sideCow parsnip (Heracleum maximum), a skin-irritant look-alikePhoto: Lynn Harper · CC0 · source

Key features

Stout, hollow, branching stem often streaked or spotted purple
Leaves 2-3 times compound; toothed leaflets with side veins running to the notches between the teeth
Flat-topped umbels of white flowers on wet ground
Clustered tuberous roots that are chambered inside with a yellowish oily liquid

What it gets mistaken for

Cow parsnipSkin irritant
Very large plant with huge leaves and big umbels; sap causes burns.
ElderberryHarmless
Woody stems, opposite leaves, white spongy pith.
See the card →

Warnings

Do not handle roots bare-handed.
If eaten, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 immediately.

In season

Flowers in summer.

Habitat

Marshes, wet meadows, ditches, stream and pond edges.

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.