But in good locations, it’s sometimes a perennial weed. Poison hemlock is a biennial that usually grows for two years. When poison hemlock blooms, the plant produces clusters of tiny, white flowers with 5 petals. The bright green leaves are fern-like with toothed edges and are particularly poisonous in the spring. The plant stems have reddish-purple streaks or spots and are smooth and hollow. Often, poisoning occurs after the victim confuses hemlock root with wild parsnips, hemlock leaves with parsley, or hemlock seed with anise. People may be poisoned by eating any part of a hemlock plant. The toxic compounds are coniine, g-coniceine, and related piperidine alkaloids. Besides humans, poison hemlock is poisonous to cats, dogs, sheep, cattle, horses, chickens, and goats. Be careful when handling the plant as the toxins can cause severe skin reactions, and even dead canes retain their toxicity for up to three years. Also known as deadly hemlock, spotted hemlock, and poison parsley, poison hemlock is a noxious weed with a famous reputation for being highly toxic.Īll parts of this weed are poisonous when eaten, and even a small amount can be fatal. Of all the weeds to find growing in your garden, this is one of the least welcome. Although not the same plant as deadly nightshade or as dangerous, it can cause sickness in animals and children that eat its berries, sometimes fatal. You’ll often find this weed growing around field edges, gardens, parks, roadsides, and wetlands as the plant likes moist soil.īittersweet nightshade is toxic. From May to September, the plant produces small bright purple flowers with eye-catching yellow anthers that hang in clusters.īittersweet nightshade spreads by seeds and can grow from stem and root fragments. The leaves are dark green and sometimes purple-tinged and reach between 2-4 inches long. Ovate leaves grow alternately on the stiff stems. in length and climbs when there’s adequate support.Īll plant parts are toxic, and the noxious weed produces clusters of poisonous bright red berries in the fall. ![]() Bittersweet nightshade is a perennial woody vine that grows up to 10 ft. The bittersweet nightshade plant is also known as blue bindweed, bitter nightshade, poison berry, and climbing nightshade. Bittersweet Nightshade ( Solanum dulcamara) Between April and May, Italian arum produces creamy white flowers.Īll parts of the Italian arum plant are toxic, and touching the weed can cause skin irritation. The leaves are shaped like an arrowhead and die back after the plant blooms before new leaves emerge in the fall. The leaves are glossy and grayish-green with white veins and long petioles. The berries are poisonous to humans and animals. In the summertime, the weed has distinctive orange-red berries that grow on an erect central fleshy stem. And it thrives in partial shade to full sun. The weed grows well in most soil types but prefers moist soil. Originally an ornamental plant, Italian arum is now considered an invasive weed in some US states because of its rapid spread and difficulty to control. And turn from green to yellow as they mature. The berries are round and about ½-inch in diameter. ![]() It’s probably easiest to identify horsenettle by the tomato-like berries it produces. Each flower consists of 5 white to pale-violet petals, with yellow anthers at the center. Horsenettle produces clusters of star-shaped flowers from May to October. And they’re arranged alternately on the stems. The leaves are covered in hairs and have lobed margins. Horsenettle weeds develop large thorns on the leaves and stems as the plant grows. Just handling the plant causes a rash for some people. But be warned, horsenettle is a poisonous weed and the fruit is toxic to eat. The weed produces fruit that resemble small tomatoes ( 1). Carolina Horsenettle ( Solanum carolinense)Īlso called devil’s tomato, horsenettle is part of the nightshade family. The leaves have smooth edges and grow alternately from the stem.ĭeadly nightshade is often seen in woodlands, scrubland, and growing along paths and banks. The weed has pale green, oval-shaped leaves that are pointed and ribbed. ![]() After flowering, the fruit quickly appears, with green berries at first before turning black and shiny, resembling cherries. If you’re lucky touching the plant will only lead to severe dermatitis.ĭeadly nightshade is most easily identified by its purple bell-shaped flowers, that bloom from June to September. Eating its sweet-tasting berries can be fatal, and even just handling deadly nightshade can make you ill from toxins that pass through the skin. Sacred Bamboo (Nandina domestica) Deadly Nightshade ( Atropa belladonna)Īlso known as belladonna, deadly nightshade is notorious for being a highly poisonous weed.
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