Hemlock vs cow parsley. How to tell the difference.

Hemlock and Cow Parsley look very similar. Hemlock is very poisonous, cow parsley is safe and tasty. They both belong to the Umbelliferae family or the Carrot/Celery family of plants - one to be very careful of!

So how do you tell the difference?

Firstly, the old adage: if you're not 100% sure, don't pick it!

Hemlock:
- smells like mouse pee
- has purple spatter blotches on the stem (most noticeable at ground level)
- has a smooth stem
- the stem branches are round
- more feathery leaves

Cow Parsley:
- slightly hairy stem
- stems can be green or purple (but not blotchy)
- stems have a groove in them
- smells like parsley!

Really hard to tell from the picture above!

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