There’s A Deadly Plant Growing In Southern California Yards That Looks Like A Harmless Weed
By Natasha Kayes|Published August 15, 2023
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Natasha Kayes
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I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
When we hear about dangers in our neighborhoods, we don’t usually think of plants, but that is exactly the warning in a particular area of Southern California. If, like me, you have a garden, you probably don’t like weeds – but you are not usually afraid of them! Unfortunately, one seemingly harmless weed is actually a seriously poisonous plant known. Finding Poison Hemlock in Orange County, CA, is causing some concern. This toxic plant has been found growing in several different areas and residents are being asked to report any sightings of it.
Poison Hemlock - sometimes called deadly hemlock, California fern, poison parsley, and winter fern, among other nicknames - is a hardy flowering plant in the carrot family, and while it is pretty and looks innocent, it is highly poisonous.
All parts of the hemlock plant are poisonous to mammals and many other creatures. Toxicity usually is a result of ingesting part of the plant, though poisoning can occur from skin contact and inhalation as well. Ingesting the equivalent of six to eight leaves can be fatal.
Native to Europe and North Africa, it is able to thrive in a variety of climates and has been introduce to many other locations, including North America. Once it starts growing in a particular area, it tends to grow quickly and spread, and becomes an invasive week - one that everyone should beware of.
In the second year of its life, it produces tall stalks with umbrella-shaped loose clusters of tiny white flowers, each with five petals. It blooms from spring to fall
The stems of poisonous hemlock can help in identifying it and telling it apart from other plants. They are hollow, smooth, and have purple or maroon splotches (or sometimes streaks) on them.
The seeds (which appear in pods toward late summer) and roots are particularly poisonous. When the plant dies, it becomes brown and dry, and the stems remain deadly for up to three years.
It is important to know how to distinguish Hemlock from similar-liking plants such as this one - usually referred to as the wild carrot plant or Queen Anne’s lace.
While the flowers can seem similar at first glance, the flowers of the wild carrot plant do not grow in clusters the way hemlock’s do. Also, the stems are covered in fine hairs and grow less than 3.5 feet tall, whereas hemlock stems are smooth (hairless) with purple spots and grow much taller, usually between five and eight feet.
I’m sure you can see why this plant is also easily be confused with hemlock. It is known as Cow Parsley and is, ironically, also referred to as Queen Anne’s Lace. The fern-like leaves, stem color, and tiny white flowers are similar enough for people to mix them up, but Cow Parsley has tiny hairs on the stems and the flowers are not clustered like hemlock.
Had you heard about poison hemlock growing Orange County? We hope you don’t get the chance to see this poisonous plant anywhere near your home. Assuming your yard is hemlock-free, why not give it a little makeover for the perfect staycation this summer?
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