06/23/08 Poison hemlock warning

Poison Hemlock is a noxious weed now in its full growth stage in Idaho and this plant can be fatal to humans. Idaho Weed Awareness campaign coordinator Roger Batt it's the second most poisonous plant in the Western Hemisphere. BATT "You want to really watch your kids around it. You can touch it but don't break the stems open, get the juice on your hands and then go eat a sandwich or something because your can poison yourself or even cause fatalities that way." Poison hemlock is fatal to horses, cattle, sheep and other livestock. BATT "It grows mainly in riparian areas but mainly along stream banks, ditches, like the borders of pastures and cultivated fields, anywhere where there's water. A lot of times you'll see poison hemlock where you see perennial pepper weed or purple loosestrife, which is that pretty purple flower that you see out there." The poison hemlock can grow to ten feet in height, normally three to six feet, looks like a giant carrot and is often mistaken for wild dill or parsley. BATT "It's got a really long stem on it. It's green with purple modeled spots on the stem and has really large white flowers on it. You can't miss it. You'll see it off roadsides, off freeways, highways. It's very visible right now around canals, ditch banks and ponds and other areas." It can be treated with herbicides but Batt recommends contacting your county weed superintendent for assistance. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott