Damaged or wilted leaves or branches are the dangerous parts of the tree. Leaves are alternate, simple, elliptic-pointed, leathery in texture, and finely toothed on the margins. Flowers are showy, fragrant, and white, hang in drooping clusters, and produce dark-red to black cherry fruits. It looks very similar to wild carrot or wild dill. Leaves are alternate and have a lacy appearance, while the small white flowers are arranged in compound umbles.
Stems are smooth and covered with purple blotches.
All parts of the plant are poisonous, however, stems are less poisonous than the rest of plant. It grows in moist soils of pastures, ditches, roadsides, and disturbed sites. The roots are the most poisonous part of the plant, while the berries are the least poisonous part. Poisoning is rare in animals since the large taproot is generally difficult for animals to forage and ingest. Found in pastures, no-till fields, shady roadsides, wasteplaces, woodlots, and fencerows.