Spotted Water Hemlock is a tall wetland plant in the carrot family with purple-mottled hollow stems and compound white flower clusters. The roots and stems contain cicutoxin, a potent neurotoxin that can kill a human or large animal within hours of ingestion. The flowers superficially resemble elderberry and Queen Anne's lace, making misidentification dangerous.
Best time to see a Spotted Water Hemlock
The best time to see a Spotted Water Hemlock is June–July, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 6,565 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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