Cicuta maculata (Water hemlock)

Cicuta maculata L.

Water hemlock, spotted water hemlock, spotted parsley, common water-hemlock

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Apiales	Includes carrots, celery, parsley, and ivy
Family	Apiaceae	Carrot or parsley family, also includes angelica, anise, caraway, celery, chervil, cicely, coriander/cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel, hemlock, lovage, Queen Anne’s Lace, parsnip
Genus	Cicuta	An ancient Latin name of poison hemlock
Species	maculata	Spotted, referring to purple splotches on the stems of leaves or on petals

About plant names...

This extremely toxic perennial is native throughout North America.

Identification: Water hemlock, a member of the carrot family, is 3-6' (91-182 cm) in height. Stems are spotted or striped with purple. Small white flowers about ⅛" (3.2 mm) across occur in small separated groups, resembling little parasols. Each tiny flower has five petals and five stamens. The “parasols” are arranged into umbrella-shaped flowerheads. The separated parasols are probably the most obvious identifying feature of this plant.

Leaf veins intersect with the insides of the serrations instead of the tips.

6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pe

5/31/2010 · Mt. Lebanon St., Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 2" (7.6 × 5.8 cm) ID is uncertain

9/13/2020 · Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 10 cm)

Here is a comparison of some similar-appearing species:

	You are here Cicuta maculata	*Achillea millefolium*	*Heracleum maximum*
Common Name	water hemlock	common yarrow	cow parsnip
Plant	3-6' (91-182 cm) in height. Extremely poisonous	Up to 3’ tall, with leaves so finely divided as to look featherlike, with “feathers” up to 9” long	Up to 6½' (2 m) in height. Poisonous : causes phytophotodermatitis.
Flowers	Small white flowers about ⅛" (3.2 mm) across occur in small separated groups, resembling little parasols. Each flower has 5 petals and 5 stamens. The “parasols” are arranged into umbrella-shaped flowerheads.	Densely packed clusters of tiny white flowers, flat-topped or umbrella-shaped. (Cultivars may be yellow, red, or many other colors.) Flowers have 4-6 petals; each petal has three lobes.	Large white compound umbels about 8" (20 cm) in size. Individual flowers have five petals of inconsistent size.
Leaves			Up to 16" (40 cm) across, split into sharp lobes that vaguely resemble maple leaves, with a disagreeable odor.
Stem	Stems are spotted or striped with purple.		Thick, grooved, hollow, hairy, and often reddish.
Fruit			Flat, green, egg- or heart-shaped, ⅜-½" (9.5-12 mm) × ¼-⅜" (6.3-9.5 mm).
Range/ Zones
Habitats		Meadows, fields, nearly anywhere there is full or partial sun	Moist, shady mountain woodlands, streambeds
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild
Occurrence		Common

	*Daucus carota*
Common Name	Queen Anne’s lace
Plant	Grows to 3’ in height. Plant smells like carrots.
Flowers	Pale pink before opening. When open, forms an umbrella-shaped flower cluster up to 3” across, composed of tiny 5-petaled flowers.
Leaves	Compound leaves are deeply divided and subdivided.
Stem	Fine hairs on stems and leaves.
Range/ Zones
Type	Wild
Occurrence	Common

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones The spotted water hemlock is North America’s most toxic plant. All parts of this plant are poisonous to people, as well as to livestock. When swallowed, it produces death from violent and painful convulsions. Even very small quantities can cause death or permanent neurological damage.^[1]

Online References:

Cicuta maculata on Missouriplants.com

Cicuta maculata on Earl J.S. Rook's Flora, Fauna, Earth, and Sky ... The Natural History of the Northwoods

Cicuta maculata on plants.ces.ncsu.edu

Cicuta maculata at Illinois Wildflowers

Cicuta maculata on Wikipedia

Cicuta maculata on Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

Cicuta maculata on Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Cicuta maculata at the University of Florida IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants

Cicuta maculata from the Jepson Manual

9/13/2020 · Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine
≈ 6 × 5" (14 × 12 cm)

6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell

8/1/2009 · Falmouth, Maine
≈ 11 × 7" (28 × 18 cm)

8/22/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 5" (15 × 13 cm)

8/1/2009 · Falmouth, Maine
≈ 13 × 9" (33 × 22 cm)

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 12 cm)

6/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3 × 3" (8 × 8.4 cm) ID is uncertain

6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pe

7/8/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

7/8/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 12 cm)

9/13/2020 · Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine
≈ 7 × 4" (16 × 11 cm) ID is dubious

6/3/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell

7/8/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 4" (12 × 10.0 cm)

5/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 10 × 8" (26 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain

¹From the Wikipedia article

Cicuta maculata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 5 Oct 2021.

5/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 10 × 8" (25 × 20 cm) ID is uncertain

7/8/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 3" (9.9 × 8.2 cm)

8/22/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts
≈ 7 × 6" (18 × 15 cm)

7/8/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 4" (14 × 10.0 cm)

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 3½ × 4½" (9.6 × 11 cm)

9/13/2020 · Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, Maine
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 12 cm)

5/31/2010 · Mt. Lebanon St., Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 8" (12 × 19 cm)

6/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 16 × 13" (39 × 33 cm) ID is uncertain

8/22/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts
≈ 4 × 3½" (10 × 9.7 cm)

12/12/2020 · By Jacquelyn Boyt

6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 9" (15 × 22 cm)

8/22/2012 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 11 cm)

Range:

About this map...