It contains highly poisonous alkaloids toxic to all classes of livestock and humans. Poison hemlock is often found on poorly drained soils, particularly near streams, ditches, and other water surfaces. Stems are stout, hollow, ridged, and mottled with purple spots.
Crushed foliage has a disagreeable, mousy odor.
Flowers are small, white, and borne in umbrella-shaped clusters about 3 inches across in early summer. Seeds are ridged and flattened, with 2 seeds borne together. The plant has a thick, white taproot, which, when cut longitudinally near the top, reveals thin, horizontal walls through a hollow chamber. No endorsement is intended or made of any hypertext link, product, service, or information either by its inclusion or exclusion from this page or site. While all attempts are made to ensure the correctness and suitability of information under our control and to correct any errors brought to our attention, no representation or guarantee can be made as to the correctness or suitability of that information or any other linked information presented, referenced, or implied.