*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.
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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© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
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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