Deadly hemlock plant grows in Orange County. Health officials need help finding them.
Health officials are asking for the public’s help in reporting a deadly plant that’s growing in multiple parts of Orange County.
Poison hemlock has been located on Highway 70 between Efland and Hillsborough, the vicinity of Lloyd Farm, Highway 70A between Churton Street and Highway 86 South, Miller Road, Governor Burke Road, and in the vicinity of Squires Road.
Poison hemlock is highly toxic and may be fatal to humans, livestock and pets if eaten. The leaves and fruit contain an alkaloid that causes vomiting, paralysis and convulsions.
It’s rarely eaten, the county says, because it’s not palatable and has a bad odor. It’s said that consuming hemlock caused the death of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates.
How to spot poison hemlock
The plant goes by many names, including California fern, deadly hemlock, Nebraska fern, poison fool’s parsley, poison parsley, spotted hemlock and winter fern
The plant can be found in wet meadows, thickets, fresh water swamps, roadside ditches, floodplains, forest or natural areas in wet areas, ponds, streams, or ditch banks.
The plant looks like a low-growing rosette in its first year. In its second year, it develops a tall stalk and grows to nine feet tall.
Its are small and white and form in umbrella-like clusters. They bloom from spring to fall.
The county can control the plants by killing them.
If you find a plant you suspect is poison hemlock, take a photo of the plant and text it to Mart Bumgarner at (804) 318-7493. Include the location of the plant, your name and contact number. Bumgarner will map locations of the poison hemlock within the county.
For additional questions, email mart_bumgarner@ncsu.edu. Add subject line “Poison Hemlock” to the email.
This story was originally published June 17, 2023 at 11:26 AM.
