There’s A Deadly Plant Growing In Missouri Yards That Looks Like A Harmless Weed

Winters sometimes tend to drag on in the Show-Me State which means we try to spend as much time as we can outdoors during the warmer days of spring and summer. Those of us with outdoor space may spend some of that time planting, gardening, and pulling out the weeds. Did you know there is a poisonous plant of which we should be aware? Let's take a peek at poison hemlock in Missouri.

Poison hemlock is typically found along roads and highways, near the water, and in fields, but it’s also common in backyards across the state.

Because all parts of this biennial weed are toxic to both humans and animals, it’s important to know more about its toxicity, what to look for, and how to rid your yard of one of the poisonous plants in Missouri.

Reaching heights of between six and 10 feet, poison hemlock grows quickly and is easily identified by the purple spots on its stems.

The plant’s white flowers bloom from June through August.

The flowers look a bit like umbrellas. People often mistake this poisonous plant for carrots, parsnips, parsley, and Queen Anne’s Lace (pictured below), among others.

Knowing how to differentiate poison hemlock from other plants is extremely important.

Ingesting this plant can lead to the muscles becoming paralyzed and suffocation which can cause death. If you’ve got sensitive skin, you may find just touching the poisonous plant could cause dermatitis.

A single hemlock, which has a strong odor if crushed, usually produces more than 30,000 seeds which can quickly and easily spread by water, on people’s clothing, and on animals’ fur.

If you’re going to work with hemlock, make sure you take precautions first: Experts recommend wearing long pants and gloves, and even if you’re wearing gloves, wash your hands after touching the plant.

Using herbicides in the spring and summer can help kill the hemlock, and the most effective is to spray when the plants are merely rosettes.

Hemlock in Missouri is something to watch out for. Have you seen this poisonous plant in Missouri yards? Is it in your yard? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to use gardening gloves when working with this deadly plant.

Do you know there’s also a poisonous mushroom in Missouri that glows in the dark?

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/missouri/jack-o-lantern-mushroom-mo/