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Apiaceae
Conium

not marked as a favorite taxon *Conium maculatum Linnaeus. Common name: Poison-Hemlock, Poison-Parsley. Phenology: May-Jul; Jun-Aug. Habitat: Ditches, roadsides, streambanks, pastures, disturbed areas. Distribution: Native of Eurasia.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Other Comments: All parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested, causing respiratory failure in humans and other mammals.

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Can, F, FNA13, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K4, MC, Meso4.1, Mo2, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WV. Basionym: Conium maculatum L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Conium maculatum - FNA13

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Great Plains: FACW
  • Midwest: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image #1 of Conium maculatum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Conium maculatum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Conium maculatum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Conium maculatum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Conium maculatum© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Coarse, erect biennial of ditches, roadsides, stream banks and disturbed areas. Native to Eurasia, now widespread through N. America.

Stems: Stems stout and hollow, branched, ribbed with longitudinal veins, usually purple-spotted, smooth.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, on petioles with sheathing bases, triangular, 8-16 in. long and finely divided (3-4 times pinnately compound) into many sharp-toothed, fern-like, smooth segments.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in a large compound terminal umbel (2-5 in. wide) and smaller lateral umbels; umbellets contain 8-25 white, 1/4-in.-wide flowers consisting of 5 spreading, tiny, oblong-oval petals.

Fruits: Fruit a joined pair of curved, elliptic-oblong, ridged seeds.

Comments: All parts of this plant are extremely poisonous.

Height: 3-7 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Coarse, erect biennial of ditches, roadsides, stream banks and disturbed areas. Native to Eurasia, now widespread through N. America.

stems: Stems stout and hollow, branched, ribbed with longitudinal veins, usually purple-spotted, smooth.

leaves: Leaves alternate, on petioles with sheathing bases, triangular, 8-16 in. long and finely divided (3-4 times pinnately compound) into many sharp-toothed, fern-like, smooth segments.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in a large compound terminal umbel (2-5 in. wide) and smaller lateral umbels; umbellets contain 8-25 white, 1/4-in.-wide flowers consisting of 5 spreading, tiny, oblong-oval petals.

fruits: Fruit a joined pair of curved, elliptic-oblong, ridged seeds.

comments: All parts of this plant are extremely poisonous.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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