Toxic invasive poison hemlock is spreading into US parks and backyard gardens

[marmar]

A toxic invasive species that can be deadly if eaten is spreading, wrecking havoc across parks, flower beds and backyard gardens.

Poison hemlock, which resembles Queen Anne’s Lace, can be spotted in highway right-of-ways, along fences and on the edges of farm fields. In just the last year, however, the plant that was originally brought to the U.S. from Europe has migrated near more populated areas, which has experts concerned.

“That movement is a bit scary to me because this plant is very toxic and it’s more of an opportunity for kids to play with it and pets to eat it,” said Dan Shaver with Indiana's Natural Resources Conservation Service. “It is not a plant you want around your home or in your local park.”

The toxic biennial can be found in nearly every state in the U.S., according to the National Park Service.

This is the time of year that poison hemlock spreads and grows its footprint. Each plant produces a lot of seeds — up to 30,000 — that ripen between late June and August after it flowers. Those seeds are easily scattered during late summer mowing, Shaver said. ....................(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/03/poison-hemlock-us-parks-gardens-beware-toxic-plant/5465780001/

[Blue_true]

1. I read a similar article.

That stuff sounds really nasty.

[SheltieLover]

2. I didn't have this on my bingo card.

[underpants]

7. 🥇

You get a medal.

[SheltieLover]

15. Lol

Well...

[elleng]

3. 'Thanks,' will look out for it.

[MagickMuffin]

4. I've been battling it for years

pulling them up and suffering a rash from doing so. Always use gloves and wear long sleeves. My yard is starting too slowly be rid of them but my neighbors yards have them.

If you want to know the difference between Queen Anne’s Lace and Poisonousness Hemlock, it's all in the flowers. Queen Anne’s Lace will have one very small red dot in the flower in the centre of the umbel. This was to represent the blood of Queen Anne since she did embroidery.

Also when the flowers dry out they leave behind tiny spiny seeds that get all over pets, and shoes, socks, pants you name it. They are bad news.

I now have poison ivy and briers to contend with.

[LeftInTX]

12. When I remove one type of weed another one replaces it

A few years ago, it was trumpet vine...

I can't believe I got rid of trumpet vine....It was planted by the previous owners...My backyard backs up to an easement, so weeds have the perfect starting place.

I'm always fighting hackberries, but now I'm fighting Carolina Snailseed.
It's native to our county and starts out benign, but it has tough woody roots about 30 feet long!

After years of ignoring it, because it was just a few leaves here and there, I realize that each plant is a complex maze of roots more complicated than any mature tree in my yard! It's crazy.

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=coca

Up north a similar vine called Canada Moonseed grows....

[SheltieLover]

16. Ty for sharing how to differentiate this

Sorry to hear of your struggle to rid your yard of this poison.

[jeffreyi]

19. My place was loaded with it

Now there are only a few. Backpack sprayer, chopping, spot treatments, over several years. Fortunately they are not a particularly difficult to control.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. When I lived in Tampa, we were warned about the masses of oleander in the state.

[Lisa0825]

6. I think (based on identifying features) I just found it along my fence last month!

I'm on the Texas Gulf Coast.

[LeftInTX]

9. The Plant Identification Group on Facebook is my go-to source

They have experts who will give you an ID in seconds

I thought I might have had poison hemlock, but it was the other one that looks like it...

[Lisa0825]

11. Thanks for the tip! I just went by the descriptions of leaves, stems, and flowers from articles. nt

[paleotn]

8. Wonderful. And I was just getting use to dealing with giant hog weed.

[LeftInTX]

10. Giant hog weed is worse

[DBoon]

14. Yup

Those guys are wearing the hazmat suites for a reason

[SheltieLover]

17. Omg!

Never heard of this!

[DBoon]

18. even has a song in its honor

Turn and run!
Nothing can stop them,
Around every river and canal their power is growing.
Stamp them out!
We must destroy them,
They infiltrate each city with their thick dark warning odour.

They are invincible,
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Long ago in the Russian hills,
A Victorian explorer found the regal Hogweed by a marsh,
He captured it and brought it home.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
He came home to London,
And made a present of the Hogweed to the Royal Gardens at Kew.

Waste no time!
They are approaching.
Hurry now, we must protect ourselves and find some shelter
Strike by night!
They are defenceless.
They all need the sun to photosensitize their venom.

Still they're invincible,
Still they're immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Fashionable country gentlemen had some cultivated wild gardens,
In which they innocently planted the Giant Hogweed throughout the land.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
Soon they escaped, spreading their seed,
Preparing for an onslaught, threatening the human race.

The Dance Of The Giant Hogweed

Mighty Hogweed is avenged.
Human bodies soon will know our anger.
Kill them with your Hogweed hairs
HERACLEUM MANTEGAZZIANUM

Giant Hogweed lives

[Dream Girl]

13. Sounds about right

[dalton99a]

20. Kick

[PlanetBev]

21. 2021 is looking to be a real winner, so far

A real ever-lovin’ Loo Loo. In retrospect, 2020 looks like a top-ranking amateur.