Here is the list of the Plants That Look Like Poison Hemlock. Learn about their identifying characteristics to differentiate them safely.
As it’s important to be cautious and avoid consuming any unknown plants, here are a few common Plants That Look Like Poison Hemlock, which you need to be aware of.
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Plants That Look Like Poison Hemlock
1. Queen Anne’s lace
Botanical Name: Daucus carota
First on the list of plants that look like poison hemlock, it has a similar white, lacy flower head, but has a hairy stem and a carrot-like scent when the leaves are crushed. This poison hemlock look-alike plant is not toxic to humans.
2. Elderflower
Botanical Name: Sambucus
Elderflower shrubs resemble poison hemlock, especially white flowers. However, they can be easily distinguished by their pinnately compound leaves and the characteristic clusters of small, white flowers followed by dark berries.
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3. Yarrow
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
Yarrow has feathery, fern-like leaves and produces clusters of small white flowers. These plants that look like poison hemlock can occasionally be confused with it, but it lacks the purple spots on the stem.
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4. Water Hemlock
Botanical Name: Cicuta spp.
Water hemlock is another highly poisonous plant that resembles poison hemlock. It can be distinguished by its hollow stem, purple-spotted or streaked stems, and clusters of small white flowers.
5. Wild Parsnip
Botanical Name: Pastinaca sativa
Wild parsnip can resemble poison hemlock, especially in its early growth stages. It has pinnately compound leaves and produces yellow flowers in an umbrella-shaped cluster.
6. Cow Parsnip
Botanical Name: Heracleum maximum
Cow parsnip has large, lobed leaves and produces large clusters of white flowers. While it can resemble poison hemlock, it generally grows taller and has a more robust appearance.
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7. Pignut
Botanical Name: Conopodium majus
Pignut, a small plant characterized by delicate, branched stems, finely split leaves, and small white flowers, bears a resemblance to Poison Hemlock in terms of the shape of its blooms and stems.
8. Osha
Botanical Name: Ligusticum porteri
Osha, also known as Porter’s Lovage, is a plant that is safe to consume and bears a striking resemblance to poison hemlock. It’s important to note that Osha is edible, whereas poison hemlock is highly toxic.
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9. Wild Chervil
Botanical Name: Anthriscus sylvestris
Wild chervil has similar leaves and flowers to poison hemlock but lacks the purple spots on the stem. It grows in moist areas and can form dense patches.
10. Ground Elder
Botanical Name: Aegopodium podagraria
Next on the list of plants that look like poison hemlock, the formation of its small umbels and the arrangement of blooms are similar to those found in poison hemlock.
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11. Elderberry
Botanical Name: Sambucus spp.
While its leaf arrangement is similar, the flowers and berries of the elderberry plant are arranged in a flat or slightly rounded cluster, unlike the umbrella-shaped flower clusters of poison hemlock.
12. Angelica
Botanical Name: Angelica spp.
This plant has a similar growth form to poison hemlock, but it often has a greenish or purple hue to its stems and is less spotted.
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13. Fennel
Botanical Name: Foeniculum vulgare
This herb has similar feathery leaves but differs in having a licorice-like smell when crushed and yellow flower clusters.
14. Lovage
Botanical Name: Levisticum officinale
Last on the list of plants that look like poison hemlock, lovage is often mistaken for poison hemlock due to its similar leaf structure. However, the stems of lovage are solid, unlike the hollow stems of poison hemlock.
