Top 10 Poisonous Plants

Cicuta -- water hemlock

Cicuta — water hemlock

“Pet poisonous” – Toxic parts: entire plant esp. roots

Cicuta douglasii, the western water hemlock, is a poisonous plant in the family Apiaceae. It is a perennial plant that grows in wet places such as marshes, stream banks, slough margins, ditches, meadows, and wet pastures.

The main distinguishable characteristic of western water hemlock is its toxicity. Cicutoxin is the toxin that is produced by the water hemlock, making it the most poisonous plant in North America. Cicutoxin is a yellowish liquid that is prevalent in the roots. It is an unsaturated alcohol that has a major impact on the central nervous system of animals.

Early symptoms of cicutoxin poisoning include excessive salivation, frothing at the mouth, nervousness, and incoordination. These symptoms can turn into tremors, muscular weakness, seizures and respiratory failure.