Cicuta douglasii (DC.) J.M. Coult. & Rose

Common water-hemlock, water hemlock, spotted water hemlock, spotted parsley, western water hemlock

Similar species

	Heracleum maximum	Heracleum mantegazzianum	Heracleum maximum
Common Name	cow parsnip	giant hogweed	cow parsnip
Plant	Up to 6½′ (2 m) in height. Poisonous : causes phytophotodermatitis. Stems are thick, grooved, hollow, hairy, and often reddish.	Extremely large: 6½–16′ (2–5 m) tall, sometimes reaching 23′ (7 m). Poisonous : causes phytophotodermatitis. Hollow stems are 1–4″ (3–10 cm) in diameter, with deep purple raised blotches containing white hairs.	Up to 6½′ (2 m) in height. Poisonous : causes phytophotodermatitis. Stems are thick, grooved, hollow, hairy, and often reddish.
Leaves	Up to 1′ (40 cm) across, split into sharp lobes that vaguely resemble maple leaves, with a disagreeable odor.	Leaves are up to 5′ (1.5 m) across, extensively divided into sharp-tipped sections.	Up to 1′ (40 cm) across, split into sharp lobes that vaguely resemble maple leaves, with a disagreeable odor.
Flowers	Large white compound umbels about 8″ (20 cm) in size. Individual flowers have five petals of inconsistent size.	White flowers form flat-topped compound umbels (flowerheads) up to 2½′ (76 cm) in diameter.	Large white compound umbels about 8″ (20 cm) in size. Individual flowers have five petals of inconsistent size.
Fruit	Flat, green, egg- or heart-shaped, ⅜–½″ (9.5–12 mm) × ¼–⅜″ (6.3–9.5 mm).	Each seed is up to ¼″ (8.3 mm) long.	Flat, green, egg- or heart-shaped, ⅜–½″ (9.5–12 mm) × ¼–⅜″ (6.3–9.5 mm).
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Moist, shady mountain woodlands, streambeds	Rich, moist soils in ditches, stream banks, vacant farmland, and fence and tree lines	Moist, shady mountain woodlands, streambeds

	Daucus carota
Common Name	Queen Anne’s lace
Plant	Grows to 3' in height. Plant smells like carrots. There are fine hairs on stems and leaves.
Leaves	Compound leaves are deeply divided and subdivided.
Flowers	Pale pink before opening. When open, forms an umbrella-shaped flower cluster up to 3" across, composed of tiny 5-petaled flowers.
Fruit	Small, dry, bumpy, oval and flattened, with short styles and hooked spines, as well as protective enveloping hairs.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Very common along roadsides, or in fields.

Cicuta douglasii description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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