Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Water Hemlock
(Spotted Water Hemlock)
Cicuta maculata
[C-value
6]
Carrot family (Apiaceae)
Blooms
mid-June -
September
The native Water Hemlock is uncommon in our area. It prefers full to partial sun and wet to moist conditions. Habitats include moist open woodlands, swamps, wet prairies, marshes and seeps. This biennial is 3-6' tall, branching occasionally, with stout stems that are pale green, pink, or reddish purple. The alternate compound leaves are odd-pinnate or doubly odd-pinnate. The lower compound leaves can be 1½' long and 9" across. Each division of a compound leaf typically has 3-7 leaflets. Upper stems produce compound umbels of small white flowers. These dome-shaped umbels are up to 6" across and consist of 10-20 umbellets. Individual umbellets have about 12-15 flowers clustered together. Each tiny flower is only 1/8" across with 5 white petals.
Water Hemlock at Maramech Forest Preserve July 4, 2017
Water Hemlock at Maramech Forest Preserve July 4, 2017
Water Hemlock at Maramech Forest Preserve July 4, 2017
From the University of Florida website: "Water hemlock is one of the most toxic plants known to man. All parts are extremely poisonous. It is closely related to the hemlock used to execute Socrates."
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